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Summer in Japan: A survival guide

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Summer in Japan is unlike summer in any other places in the world. It’s hot, it’s humid, it’s stifling, it’s suffocating, and it’s… hot. Summer in Japan can be difficult, but it also brings beautiful images: fireworks, matsuri (festivals), yukatas (summer kimonos), cold tea and noodles, stylish handkerchiefs and green tea ice cream.

The word "natsubate" is used to describe the fatigue and lethargy that comes along during the unbearable summer months. I tend to feel so sleepy and tired during the summer, not very hungry at all and not too motivated to go outdoors. Last year I wrote a Summer in Japan Survival Guide, and after experiencing my second Japanese summer, I think I’m slowly becoming an expert in surviving in extreme temperatures.

Here are my most useful tips:

Hydrate

Whether it’s green tea, water, vitamin water or any fruit flavored water, you have no excuse to not stay hydrated. Japan is convenient in every way possible, from convenience stores to vending machines on every street corner. I carry around an insulated tea bottle which I fill up in the morning, and it keeps my tea chilled all day long. I highly recommend splurging on a quality tea bottle. I drink green tea for breakfast, then I switch to "mugicha" 麦茶 (roasted barley tea), which contains no caffeine. The kids drink that kind of tea throughout the day as well.

Dress accordingly

Japanese people tend to cover up in hot weather - arm covers and sun visors and all that jazz. In my case, I tend to take off clothing, and thankfully Osaka is a lot more forgiving about bare shoulders than rural Japan ever was. Light cotton sundresses and ballerina flats are my summer staples, and linen pants are perfect to work in this kind of heat.

Deodorize

Deodorant does not exist in Japan. Well, it does, but what you will find in drugstores is simply perfume. If you want deodorant or anti-sudorific, you need to have someone send it from home. In Japan, only The Body Shop carries something decent.

*Reader Ashley from the super informative blog Surviving in Japan enlightened me with some great options in Japan, please read here if you’re in Japan and confused about what’s available!

Handkerchiefs

In the summer months, all designers come out with lovely handkerchiefs used to wipe your hands or dab your forehead and neck- they’re so beautiful and practical, I recommend always carrying them around.

Exercise

Heat is not a reason to stop being active, and I like to keep up with my running habits, even in the most unbearable heat. I think it’s good to keep an exercise routine, but small changes must be made: I only go running once the sun has set; it makes a bit of a difference.

Summer dishes

My appetite is nearly gone in this kind of heat, but Japanese cuisine offers a variety of light meals and snacks that are enjoyable for your taste buds and stomach. Somen, udon and soba noodles are served cold with a chilled broth and vegetables. Salted and boiled edamame make for a nice appetizer. Hiyayakko is a simple dish of cold tofu with toppings: radish, ginger, plum, yuzu fruit. Another favorite of mine is cold shabu shabu, which is traditionally a hot pot, but served cold. Chilled jasmine tea is delicious in the summertime

Air con

I don’t think it’s possible to survive without air conditioning in the Japanese summer, but a breeze makes things more pleasant. Invest in a fan, spray yourself with water and just relax.

Minimize and waterproof

If you’re a girl, put your hair up and minimize your makeup- if you must, waterproof everything, and Japanese makeup has a great selection of eyeliner and mascara that will require intense scrubbing to take it off.

© Japan Today

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37 Comments
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Summer in Japan is different from anywhere else in the world because it's....... hot? Come again?

13 ( +14 / -1 )

The author has shown a truly remarkable grasp of the obvious.

16 ( +16 / -0 )

The Japanese seem to think that they have the hottest Summer in the world, which is very far from the truth. The number one rule for Japanese people should be to avoid the AC. The Japanese (and the reader), seem to spend their time in Summer hurrying from one air conditioned building to another and in Winter believe it or not, from one heated room to another .This means that the Japanese are either complaining that it's too hot or too cold almost the entire Winter and Summer season. If they spent more time outside, they would climatise and get used to the not so extreme temperatures. It might make life a lot more enjoyable!

2 ( +10 / -8 )

Oikawa, of course, Japan is different. It has different snow in winter, which used to be used as a non-tariff barrier excuse to control the import of skis, the people are different, everything is different. It is even different because it has four seasons (Spring, rainy, summer, autumn and winter). At least, that is what most Japanese people think and will tell you because that is what they seem to be taught at school and seem to believe.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Seriously, what really does help is St Lukes talcum Powder. It is almost impossible to find in Japan, but can be obtained from some Thai shops.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Seriously, what really does help is Pri ikcly Heat Powder. It is almost impossible to find in Japan, but can be obtained from some Thai shops. It is a talcum powder with menthol added. Sprinkle it over your body after a shower and it will really cool you down. I always keep a stock of it.

Also, learn from what people in hot countries do. Many other Asians are surprised that Japanese take only one bath a day. People is South East Asia often take many cool showers a day. They will come home and take a cool shower, which is much more efficient than sitting down in a sweat, turning the cooler on and saying, "Atsui desu."

AkashiAussie, you are right on the ball. In the summer I have to carry a warm jacket to put on when I get into freezing cold trains because I dress for the outside temperature, not the inside temperature

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Me thinks gaijintraveller needs to visit his/her MatsuKiyo for there are literally dozens and dozens of "stay cool" products from spray on clothes, body, and even shampoo.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Nigelboy, the Thai one works and in Thailand, it is cheap.

I have a menthol body soap, which I bought locally. It is not bad, but not nearly as effective.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Japanese summer is hot and humid, just like summer in every country in SE Asia. What's different is the beaches in Japan suck.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Japanese makeup has a great selection of eyeliner and mascara that will require intense scrubbing to take it off.

Use cold cream or makeup remover. Scrubbing doesn't work, and damages skin...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I find cranking up the air con helps considerably. Another tip: when outside, stay in the shade or use the many underground passageways that many cities have in Japan. In the weekend were shorts, sandals and T shirts.

An other blatantly obvious tips that I have missed?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

"Heat is not a reason to stop being active"

Yes, it is.

An other blatantly obvious tips that I have missed?

Refuse to ganbare.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Drink lots of fluids! Don't forget your handkerchief ...

After reading this article I felt that I was 5 years old again and Vivian Morelli was my mother.

9 ( +15 / -6 )

1 summer in Japan and you are qualified to write a book and call yourself an expert coming into your second year?

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Small correction to the above post.

"Drink lots of the right fluids". The wrong ones will dehydrate you or worse.

Also disagree with Stranger.

Just shift your outdoor activities to early morning or after the sunset.

I am preparing for a MA comp and need to get in 3-4hrs training a day(need space so local park is ideal), just needs some time adjustment.

Heck, even back in school the extra athletic, etc class was held BEFORE classes started.

Plus,the town is nearly deserted at 05:00am, very relaxing to jog or cycle.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

It's hot, so stay inside. Try not to go outside during 12pm-4pm. I don't even have an air-con and I'm doing fine. Just be smart about it.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Summer in Japan is unlike summer in any other places in the world. It's hot, it's humid, it’s stifling, it's suffocating, and it's… hot.

Ah the unique Japanese summer....just as unique so many of the places in the world which are identical or much more unbearable in terms of summer heat.

Whats so hard about just drinking water? Sweating is good for you!

Another tip from other hot countries - eating spicy foods will also encourage sweating, which in turn cools you down!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

1 summer in Japan and you are qualified

1 Summer in Osaka but :

Osaka is a lot more forgiving about bare shoulders than rural Japan ever was.

She had been thousand of years in the sticks... where :

Deodorant does not exist

Naruhodo. Don't they have the yaki-myoban to make the aubergines and the hydrangeas bluer in the inaka ? That's deodorant.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Well let's help the author out...What are some things you do to keep your apartment/house/closet that you call home cool? How about when you go outside?

At my house we have green curtains from morning glories and bamboo shades. We also have thick curtains and UV cut lace curtains to help out. We open most of our windows at nice to create a good flow of air which means we don't need the AC.

Outside: stay in the shade or bring your own shade (umbrella). Try to seek cover somewhere coolish between the hottest hours (go in and out of shops if you have to). Have a fan handy at all times so you can make your own breeze. Try to get away from places that are mostly concrete and find some grass or trees. Even better...go out to the sticks where the author learned about how hot Japanese summers are to jump in a clean river, lake or sea.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I think it's best to listen to foreigners on Japantoday about how to avoid the heat. they always know best.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Sourpuss: Who do you think we should listen to? If I remember, there have been a LOT of heat stroke victims recently; most of which I can only assume are Japanese, being in Japan and all. I am sure a lot of people on here are posting about what works for them or maybe even what they have seen the locals do. So maybe listening to foreigners isn't a bad strategy after all.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

best remedy for Japanese Summer, become a salary man so you are stuck in your office until 9pm avoiding any direct sunlight. problem solved

3 ( +3 / -0 )

1 summer in Japan and you are qualified to write a book and call yourself an expert coming into your second year?

@ gogogo Read carefully:

... after experiencing my second Japanese summer, I think I'm slowly becoming an expert in surviving in extreme temperatures.

Nothing wrong with writing what you know. It's the first rule of Writing 101. Plus, some foreigners are very, very clever people. Figuring out the many very, very "unique" & "difficult" things Japanese doesn't require multiple repetitions. Sort of like burning your hand on a hot stove.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Hello, I'm Vivian, the author of this piece. I feel sorry so many of you are bitter about what I wrote. This guide was intended for newcomers to Japan. I have now lived in Japan for three years and I'm probably not quite the expert on Japanese summers, as some of you have lived in Japan for several years. I did not expect so many negative comments, I wrote this post for fun on my blog, so chill out people, grab an iced latte and stop being so bitter about living in Japan and other foreigners- maybe it's time to leave for some of you?

Love, Vivian http://vivianlostinseoul.blogspot.jp/

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

I feel sorry so many of you are bitter about what I wrote

Don't be bitter about the bitter comments.

I think the thing is that people read articles hoping to learn something new, so being told the blindingly obvious is a disappointment and leads to negative comments.

Perhaps you could have tried to hedge your bets by adding something at the start of the article such as:

"This article is aimed at newcomers to Japan... extra advice about coping with the hot summer from old-timers will be very much appreciated in the comments section. Please share your top tips!"

That might have averted many of the negative comments.

In that spirit, my top tip is:

After a shower in the height of summer, stand stark naked and dripping wet in front of the senmenjyo (wash basin/mirror) and blast yourself with a large floor-standing electric fan set on full power. It's really cooling!

1 ( +7 / -6 )

@ Vivian: Write what you want to write--on your blog or anywhere you wish. There will always be nit-pickers and nay-sayers. Remember, there is a sub-group of non-Japanese people who live in or who have lived in Japan, who see articles & advice pieces on things Japanese, and who must sneer at everything. Especially if it is written by someone who has been there two minutes less than they have.

If you do look at the criticism, learn to dismiss the pure poison and glean any tips of value. Writing for the public is not a writer's workshop. Readers don't feel they need to be nice. Plus they don't need to show their faces. Use the feedback to hone your craft. Or you can choose to ignore it. Your pick.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Vivian: don't worry about the negitive Nacys...they are just upset because no one asked them to write an article about their vast amounts of awesome information that they have gained from living in Japan oh-so-long. That being said; I will take your advice on the iced latte :P

Also, another hint for those who find it hard to sleep at night...get a gel/ice pillow and put it on your bed about 10 minutes before you go to bed. Then move it down the bed and keep it under/by your feet. It is easy to kick away of you are too cold and easy to fish back up if you are hot. (In winter do the same with a hot water bottle)

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Summer in Japan is unlike summer in any other places in the world. It’s hot, it’s humid, it’s stifling, it’s suffocating, and it’s… hot.

what unadulterated nonsense.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

For as contradictory as it may seem, I find a hot shower in summer cools me down and a cold shower in winter warms me up.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I agree with the author and think it is worse in Japan. I've bought clothes in Singapore and Bangkok that were perfectly comfortable when worn there. But in Tokyo, I can't wear many of them in July to mid September because they aren't lightweight or vented enough.

Also, tropical places have laid-back lifestyles, including long afternoon siestas. But not here. The rushing around lifestyle of people in wool suits packed into trains isn't compatible with this climate, which probably accounts to all the "natsu-bate" cases.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

being told the blindingly obvious is a disappointment

And being told BS on a news site, I don't see the interest.

So maybe listening to foreigners isn't a bad strategy after all.

Foreigners or Japanese is not the point. Clueless for Japan, clueless worldwide. She has not even read the news in the last weeks about heatstrokes, not checked anything. And she calls herself an "expert" on a news site. We are not allowed to criticize obviously. We have to applaud, or be called bitter and told to leave. Here is a famous cooling yoga expert : http://lilbub.com/image/28275399330 At least, she is cute.

Sourpuss: Who do you think we should listen to?

Real experts exist. Doctors, etc. Precisely as it is a serious issue, there could be a real article.

What are some things you do to keep your apartment/house/closet that you call home cool?

Nearly nothing. It's Summer, it's not cool. Now, 35 degrees, 57% humidity, index 47, that's a nice Summer day for me, ok for intellectual work, studies, light activity. Heat makes me sleep like a baby at night. OK for me, but that's not everybody's case. From Thom's index, most people feel discomfort at a lower stage. I complain of the heat when it is over index 32...

http://www.eurometeo.com/english/read/doc_heat

Personally, I don't run outdoor when it's over 30 of humidex index, and whenever it's sunny. I walk only. I run and do intense work-out indoor. I have nearly swooned, often enough to become cautious and not go outside. I mean if I feel "I'm going to faint" on a treadmill in the gym, or on my elliptical at home, I can just step out and I lay on a long chair to do refreshing yoga breathing, spray mist over myself. But in the street, or the park, hiking in the mountains, that's how you become a weekly statistic of people taken to hospital.

How about when you go outside?

The sun hates me, nothing particular with Japan, and it's not so bad since there is a life outside the beach in Summer in this country (can't say that of everywhere else). I go out at night, or I commute between shaded islets, wearing a total burqa, a touareg djellabah, a geisha dancing suit (the one with a big lamp shade and falling veils on the head), a cosmonaut overall, a diver suit, a Corsican terrorist outfit with boots and hood, walk under a tent... a matter of fashion.

find some grass or trees.

OK, but check the information panels about the local dangerous beasts. There are some in stations. But not all.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Ceiling fan + standing fan + using a little AC will make things amazing in Japan. I've lived here 10 years ;).

1 ( +1 / -0 )

"beautiful images... green tea ice cream"

That is not a beautiful image.

How to beat the summer heat? Head to the beaches! For the women - yours truly and other in-shape hot men can be seen in their swim briefs! For the men - many in-shape hot women can be seen in their swimsuits!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

best remedy for Japanese Summer, become a salary man so you are stuck in your office until 9pm avoiding any direct sunlight. problem solved

@Pete - That was the solution until this evil Cool Biz came in, making indoor temperatures a hellish 28°, and with no fans or other ventilation!

I've got an even better solution: get your company to post you to Australia or New Zealand from June until October. Cool weather and hot cups of tea to warm up all year 'round!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

other in-shape hot men can be seen in their swim briefs!

Oh, we have them at the street-corner koban. They can strip their uniform quickly.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

You said japanese summer is hot. You obviously never been in Brazil or Australia in the summer.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

To the last person who commented: Actually I lived in Australia my whole life up until moving to Japan last summer and for me summer here is a lot worse. The temperatures in Australia are way higher but it`s dry heat. The humidity in Japan however is crazy high, when I arrived in September the daily humidity levels were above 90%. Even the most avid heat-lovers are reduced to a sweaty mess within seconds of stepping outside an air conditioned room. And I agree with everyone else about the naysayers - who says someone needs to be an expert or a doctor to post a simple article about summer in Japan? Not all the readers of this site are well-versed veteran ex-pats like you, this article is clearly for newcomers who are unsure what to expect, so get a grip.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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