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TOKYO HEAT…Part 2

Last post I started to talk about ideas of how people here in Tokyo do or what they buy to beat this crazy heat and make summers more enjoyable. Here are more ideas:

6. Shaved ice : This is not really unique to Japan. I have seen shaved ice in the US , in other Asian countries and in some places in South America. What makes this special in Japan are the flavors. If you see this little banner floating, you can be sure to find in that place a refreshing shaved ice with matcha ( Japanese green tea) flavor with some read bean paste added.  If you are not really a matcha fan, there are other traditional flavors like strawberry or lemon.

7. Uchimizu :  Uchimizu tradition involves spilling water around the streets of  the neighborhood in an effort to chill the ground, to settle the dust, and to bond with your neighbors. This can be a cheap way to cool off the atmosphere and make new friends. Find out if there are any collective Uchimizu around your area.

8. Neck coolers: You can find these almost in all supermarkets, convenience stores and beauty shops. There are two types of scarfs: those that you can wet with cold water and it will stay wet without dripping water and those that have a pocket of little pearls that you put in the fridge and stays cool for a long time. Many Japanese women use these, and you can find them in many different colors and patterns

9. Katori- Buta : Well , this has nothing to do with the summer heat, but it does help to have a nice summer. This coil when burnt helps to prevents  mosquitos and therefore those ugly mosquito bites. Plenty of Japanese houses have this ceramic pig shaped  coil container… why a pig, I don’t know, if you know, let me know 🙂

10. Uchiwa : These non-folding fans are really ‘a must’ during summertime! You can find them in convenience stores but you can also find them for free almost everywhere in Tokyo. They serve as advertisement for a company or product, sometimes even as an ad for an event. Traditional uchiwas are made with bamboo and rice paper or textile. Some people use nice ones as a useful accessory to their yukata ( summer kimono) in Matsuris (summer festivals). I personally  prefer these to the folding fans!

Anyways, here is just an example of the things you can find during this summer. Tokyo has plenty more of gadgets and stuff to make summers more enjoyable and entertaining, making us forget a little that humidity is all over the place…

TOKYO HEAT!!!!!! Part 1

When I told people who had lived here before that I was moving to Tokyo, one of the first things they will mention with distaste was ” Summer are unbearable”  “…during summer time you will suffer”. Well, here I am , and I am surviving it. I was never really a summer person. Even if all my “genes” comes from the south, I am still not a heat person. I pretty much lived all my childhood  in very humid and sunny places… but I guess that I have to take into account that my family comes from a city  in the mountains that is 2, 600 meters above the sea level, that I believe has something to do with my love for autumns and winters. What is the most difficult thing is humidity. I could bear a very hot place but not humidity. Tokyo, I am afraid, is the summer city of humidity (yea yea I have never been to India, but Tokyo is humid enough for me 🙂

When days start here, I like to look around in the train station : People carrying fans, tapping their  foreheads with little towels, drinking cold green tea or carrying water bottles. The ones I feel most sorry for are the poor salarymen. Even the government has promoted  the “cool biz” attitude, some salaryman still have to wear the ties, and the long sleeve shirts. Worst, when they get to their office, it is now limited to a minimum of 28°C!  ( Let’s not forget that Tokyo is still struggling to save energy with the Fukushima incident) So what do Japanese do to beat the heat?  Well, here are just some examples of what to do or buy to cool you off if you can’t stand this heat:

1. Yea, first of all, do respect the 28°c limit. I know it is hard, but we got a bigger problem in the picture other than our comfort. What  some people do is put it in really low temperatures for a bit and then turn it off, just to cool off the room.

freezing pack
freezing pack

2. Don’t forget to buy an instant freezing pack. You can find plenty in Daiso!!  Not only it is good to relief and avoid further inflammation when you hurt yourself while playing basketball or tennis, it also  helps you to cool off when it is extremely hot (In Daiso you can even find some made to  fit your neck, feet and face)

3. Eat cold noodles, soba or udon! Some foreigners don’t like the idea to eat cold, but believe me, this is actually pretty good and tasty and a perfect meal for a very hot day.

4.Tatami pillows and mats: They are one of the best inventions made by the Japanese for hot summers! If you don’t have a tatami room, try to get a tatami mat and pillow, that way you can bear with very hot and sticky nights. You can buy them in Tokyu Hands, Daiso and if you live abroad, from the J-box website.

5. Chilled Bento boxes: How can you keep you cold noodles during this crazy heat if you don’t have a fridge in the office or at school?  Well, there is this fabulous invention! You put a freezing bag inside the think lid and you can have a cold meal for a long day. This is also a great idea for storing your fruits and veggies, even during winter time.

more ideas to come soon……