summer
Summers in Japan always feel overbearing, and it feels like every year is hotter than the last. But that feeling is probably correct this time. This past June saw the country’s highest temperatures on record for the month in an intense heatwave. What also broke June records was the number of heat stroke victims, with a total of 15,969 people being admitted to hospital for it that month, over three times more than June 2021. The heat is no joke! We want everyone safe out there, so to help you stay cool, here are some ways to beat the heat in Japan, and what to do if you or someone you know fall...
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The heat and humidity of summer in Japan can have you sweating buckets, constantly on the lookout for the next vending machine with its ice-cold relief from the rising temperatures. But rather than go vending-machine hopping, why not sit down and treat yourself to something cool that will last a little longer? Here are five of Japan’s best dishes to look out for on a hot day. 1. KakigoriAlthough commonly translated as “shaved ice,” that doesn’t give Japan’s kakigori enough credit. It’s (usually) a bit more complicated than ice with a bit of syrup on top. While you can certainly find “basic” fl...
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Summer in Japan is associated with matsuri (festivals) like the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto or the Tanabata Matsuri in Sendai. It’s also when the beaches get crowded with everyone trying to enjoy the season. While it’s fun experiencing all the seasonal attractions that come with the season, it’s hard to deny the unbearable heat and humidity that comes with spending the day outdoors. Once the heat sinks in, solar ultraviolet radiation increases which can lead to sun damage like developing premature wrinkles. Thankfully a quick trip to a yakkyoku (pharmacy) and picking up a good sunscreen can help pre...
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Hiyashi chuka is my go-to dish as soon as it’s warm enough to stop wearing long sleeves. The cool noodles and the refreshing tang of the vinegar really hit the spot on a hot summer night, and it helps that there’s not a lot of cooking to do, so I’m not sweating buckets by the time I sit down to eat. Hiyashi chuka is a customizable cold noodle dish using the same egg noodles often used in ramen, called “chuka men” (Chinese noodles). Although there are tons of variations (and you’re welcome to try your own), for this Japanese Recipe Adventure, we’ll take a look at the style you’ll most commonly ...
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For Japanese schoolchildren, summer rhymes with summer homework or 夏休みの友 (“summer break friend”). The brightest students finish their assignments right after the last school bell before the summer break. But many kids put off the work until the very last days of their vacation—which means their parents have to step in and help them finish. A quick online search in Japan leads you to tons of articles for parents on “how to complete summer homework on time.” This year, a Lunch House Kitashinagawa Bento shop regular, @henu_shinagawa, was surprised to find the store closed during the weekday, but ...
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As I’m knocking back some imo jochu (sweet potato shochu) during the Obon holiday, my wife tells me she needs me to go take some photos in front of our local train station. “What for?” Our son’s jiyu kenkyu (independent research project), she tells me. Jiyu kenkyu, for the uninitiated, is one of the major headaches confronting Japanese kids and their parents during the natsu yasumi (summer break), sometimes also referred to as 夏季休暇 (kaki kyuka) on some school calendars sent home to parents. In an open-ended research project, students are allowed to choose what they will study but must produce ...
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In summer, Japanese people celebrate Obon (お盆), a Buddhist festival honoring the spirits of their ancestors. The festival usually takes place from August 13th to 16th, but some regions keep the celebration in July, following the old calendar. During Obon, families commemorate their departed relatives and invite them back to the human world for a home visit. They often display a cucumber and an eggplant, with four wooden sticks impaled in them, called shouryou uma (精霊馬) and shouryou ushi (精霊牛 ) respectively. The cucumber represents a horse that will carry the spirits home fast to be reunited wi...
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Summer is really hot in Japan. To cool down, people used to tell really scary stories. So be careful walking alone in the wee hours of the night; Japan is full of ghosts, ghouls and other characters lurking in shadowy corners. Yurei (ghosts of the deceased) and yokai (mythical spirits) have been part of Japanese folklore for centuries—even far back as the 8th century in the Kojiki (古事記, “Records of Ancient Matters”), which is the earliest record of Japanese mythology, chronicling the creation of Japan. Today, they appear in anime, manga, videogames and movies. Here are seven of our favorite Ja...
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Summertime in Japan means matsuri (festivals), hanabi (fireworks) and kakigori (shaved ice), but it’s also the season of wandering ghosts and vengeful spirits. The frightful visits are thanks to Obon, the Buddhist festival that honors the spirits of one’s departed ancestors by inviting them back to the human world. While spooky stuff is reserved for Halloween in the US, Summer in Japan is the traditional time when friends tell scary stories, haunted houses are erected, and classic Japanese horror movies are streamed on TV. In the spirit of giving yourself goosebumps, here are seven spooky Japa...
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Walking past the 1,800-year-old Sumiyoshi Jinja the other day, I noticed preparations underway for the Nagoshi Taisai (grand festival). Lanterns were being set up, and a chinowa, or large hoop made of straw, had been placed before the shrine’s main structure. It was a relief to see a semblance of normalcy returning to life in Japan after more than a year of Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions—normalcy that included the natsu matsuri, or the summer festivals, that were canceled last year. It just didn’t feel like summer without them. Why summer?In an ordinary year here in Fukuoka, there is a wh...
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