Time to head out into the sunshine

Though the sakura (cherry blossom) festivities have just passed, spring is still in the air, and as the weather warms up we can expect brighter skies. With that comes lots of sunshine, which means for those of us with sensitive skin it's that time to search out the parasols.

There are plenty of UV-protection parasols available, but our pick is Kota Nezu's Clock-Parasol, which, as the name suggests, tells the time using the sun. Printed on the inside of the parasol is a "sun dial," through which the glow of the sun is visible. When the holder is facing south (there's a compass attached to the parasol's handle), the glow will light up the time of day.

"The parasol is there to block the sun," Nezu explains, but it also "invites you to look for the sun."