What to do with the intense heat of the Japanese Summer?

In today’s article, we will talk about the various products and methods that exist in Japan to cope with the intense summer heat between June and August. Among these products are sprays, cold towels, fans, folding fans, air conditioners, etc.

One of these inventions is the ice pillows that can be found in HyakuEn (100 円) stores; you just need to put it in the freezer and then use it. Cold towels are another alternative; they keep your skin cool for up to an hour. There are also gels, foams, and sprays to refresh your skin.

Avoiding the Heat

In addition to the traditional folding fan (sensu 扇子) that we know, during the summer it is quite common to find the uchiwa (団扇), a rigid fan with a natural bamboo structure covered with paper; they are widely used during the summer festival along with yukata.

Some Japanese people also use air-conditioned clothing and shoes, or simply use some product that makes the clothes cooler or choose appropriate fabrics for summer. To avoid the heat, Japanese people also consume cold drinks and foods like cold noodles, somen, and others.

To better understand the products we talked about, we will leave a video from Japan showing these products to cool off in the summer:

Against Insects

In addition to the heat, Japanese people have to endure the large number of insects that appear in summer. For this, they usually burn incense to scare away the insects. They also tend to use traditional mosquito nets, but fortunately, many houses have insect protection on the windows.

Other Care

We should not only eliminate heat but also avoid the sun, which causes skin problems. Some Japanese people tend to wear clothes that completely protect their skin from the sun, such as arm covers. It is common to find small wind chimes made of glass called Fuurin; with them, it is possible to know the strength and direction of the wind, in addition to preventing storms.

During the summer, various places, such as fountains in squares, are opened for children and others to cool off. There is another custom called Uchimizu where a group of people usually splash water on each other. There are many other ways to prevent the intense heat of the Japanese summer. What methods do you use?