How It Started

I’ve lived in Tokyo since 1996. You might know my voice from the Shinkansen bullet trains or games like Metal Gear Solid.

After a few winters here, I noticed something: my Japanese colleagues never got sick. They wore heat pads preventatively, not for injuries, but to stay healthy. Japan uses 1.5 billion heat pads annually. That’s not a typo.

These weren’t like wheat bags from home. They stayed at the right temperature for 10–14 hours using simple, natural ingredients. They actually worked.

In 2005, I started exporting them to Australia, and soon after to the UK. Same Japanese factories, same standards that Japanese pharmacies stock. Nothing fancy, just bringing over what works.

About Me

When I’m not running Hotteeze, I’m recording voices and songs for games and anime, performing  Metal Gear in Concert around the world with orchestras, or soaking at Tokyo's Toshimaen Niwa no Yu (next to Harry Potter World, brilliant outdoor baths).

I use Hotteeze for back twinges, to keep warm when skiing, and always have one in my handbag for when the aircon is freezing on planes or in restaurants. Twenty years later, Hotteeze are still my go-to.

My latest entrepreneurial adventure is Japan Toilet Sound, a discreet sound masker found in almost every toilet in Japan. I created it to bring the same privacy and comfort to Western bathrooms, so no one has to feel embarrassed again. Just like Hotteeze, it’s all about comfort.

Donna Burke

Founder, Hotteeze, Tokyo, Japan

Follow me:

Twitter & Instagram: @thedonnaburke

YouTube: DonnaBurkeOfficial