Life in Japan: How to Enjoy Summer

In many places in Japan, summer temperatures reach 35 degrees Celsius or higher.
 
Although it gets very hot, it is a season when people want to go outside because there are so many enjoyable things to do.
Beautiful fireworks, festivals, and other events are available to enjoy the summer.
 
This article will introduce you to summer fun and events.

Having Fun on Summer

Summer festivals and fireworks show

Summer in Japan has a lot of festivals.
They dance, beat traditional drums, and wear yukata(kind of casual kimono) or traditional festival clothing.
 
At the festival place, a variety of foods are sold at food stalls.
On hot days, shaved ice is a great way to enjoy the hot weather. 
 
Some of the festivals include fireworks show. 

Beer Garden(ビアガーデン)

Beer garden is an event where people enjoy eating outdoors, such as on the rooftop of a department store or in a garden.
As the name suggests, people drink beer and other alcoholic beverages and also eat snacks.
In addition to alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic drinks such as juice and tea are also available.

Bathing at beach and Marine Sports

As you know, Japan is a country surrounded by the sea.
Especially in summer, many people go bathing at beach or enjoy marine sports such as surfing.
Even if you don't swim, you can enjoy just spending some time at the beach.

Mountain Climbing

Even in hot summer, mountains at altitudes of about 3,000 meters are relatively cool.
"The Japanese Alps(日本アルプス)" in the Chubu region have many 3,000-meter mountains, which attract many climbers during the summer season.

Summer Foods

Let us introduce you to some of the best foods to eat in summer. Many of them are cold foods that are good to be eaten on hot days.

かき氷 - Shaved Ice

Shaved ice is a dessert made by shaving ice topped with sweet syrup. Recently, some of them have not only syrup but also a lot of fruits.
It is sweet, refreshing and deliciously chilled.

すいか - Watermelon

In Japan, this fruit is often eaten in summer. It is easy to eat because it is very watery.

冷ややっこ - "Hiya Yakko" (Chilled Tofu)

Hiya Yakko is a chilled tofu. It is eaten with soy sauce and chopped ginger.

そうめん - "Somen" (Fine noodls)

Somen is a very thin noodle. After boiling, they are cooled with water and ice, and eaten with tsuyu (dipping sauce).
Easy to prepare and tasty, it is a standard summer home-style dish.

冷やし中華 - "Hiyashi Chuka" (Chilled Chinese Noodles)

A dish made by boiling Chinese noodles, chilling them with water and ice, and topping them with vegetables, eggs, or ham.
It is eaten with Japanese vinegar and soy sauce or sesame sauce.
It is also popular as a limited-time summer menu item offered at restaurants.

It is said that it is actually not Chinese food and Japanese Chinese restaurant made it although they are named "Chinese noodle".

Work and vacation in summer

クールビズ – “COOL BIZ” (Cool Biz)

Cool Biz is a way to dress comfortably in the office during the hot summer months.
Even in workplaces where people always wear suits and jackets, during the COOLBIZ period, they do not need to wear suits and jackets, wearing cool and comfortable clothes.
One of the purposes of the COOL BIZ program is to keep the workplace reasonably cool and to reduce the amount of use of air-conditioning.
Whether or not to adopt COOL BIZ varies from company to company. The time of year also varies from company to company, but it is usually from May to October.

お盆休み – “Obon Yasumi” (Obon Holidays)

Obon is a traditional Japanese summer event.
The period varies by region but is usually from August 13th to 16th.
Obon is a time when ancestors are said to return to the family in Japan.
Therefore, families usually meet or visit the graves of their ancestors.
 
Many companies close before or after Obon as "Obon vacation" or "summer vacation (natsuyasumi).
 
Many people head back to their hometowns during this vacation, so the trains and airplanes tend to be very crowded.
If you are planning to travel, we recommend booking your trip as early as possible.

Famous summer events and festivals

Here are some events and festivals you can enjoy in summer in various places in Japan.

Hokkaido Sapporo Summer Festival 

This festival is held in Sapporo, Hokkaido. You can enjoy beer gardens of famous Japanese breweries.
 
In addition, the summers in Sapporo are very cool and comfortable compared to other cities in Japan.
For example, in other cities such as Tokyo, the maximum temperature in August often reaches 30 degrees Celsius or higher, while the average maximum temperature in Sapporo in August is 24.9 degrees Celsius.

Source：Sapporo Travel Guide

Tokyo Fireworks Festival

Large fireworks show is held in Tokyo, including the Sumida River Fireworks Display near the Tokyo Skytree and the Jingu Gaien Fireworks Festival.
For more information: 隅田川花火大会 公式Webサイト、神宮外苑花火大会公式サイト

Kyoto Gion Festival

This festival includes a ceremony called Yamahoko Junrei, a procession of floats.
During the Yamaguruma Junko, large, beautiful floats and hoko (halberds) march through the town.
The floats and carriages are beautifully decorated with many colors and ornaments. Many people come to watch the procession.

For more information:【京都市公式】京都観光Navi 　祇園祭

Kyoto Gozan no Okuribi ( literally "Bonfire of the Five Mountains")

During this festival, large fires are lit on five mountains in Kyoto.
This fire is to see off ancestors who have returned during the Bon festival to the other world.

For more information:【京都市公式】京都観光Navi 京都五山送り火

Osaka Tenjin Festival

During this festival, many decorated boats go down the river. There are more than 100 boats.
Fireworks can be seen at night.

For more information: 天神祭り公式Webサイト

Okinawa Eisa Festival

Eisa is a traditional Obon dance of Okinawa and the Amami Islands. It is a dance using drums, flutes, and bells, and is characterized by energetic music and dancing. At this festival, you can see many groups performing eisa.

For more information:沖縄全島エイサーまつり公式Webサイト

Many other events and festivals are held throughout the country in the summer.

Lastly

Summer in Japan is hot, but there are many exciting things to do, such as beer gardens and festivals.
Especially during Obon, visitors can enjoy traditional festivals and a uniquely