I grew up in Japan in the 60’s and 70’s. Hot summers! But now with the extended summer months it really can wear you down. Now living in CA we get fairly erratic temperatures these days. This summer has been milder than some but now in September I’m using the AC for the first time.
Thanks for sharing! The stories about your childhood are incredible to me, someone who’s only known a much much hotter Japan.
I have some kind of secondhand nostalgia for Japanese summer probably because of how many games and anime I grew up watching happened during summertime, the time for kids to imagine and have adventures.
But I mostly just stay inside mid July through mid September until the sun goes down, if I can help it.
When I first lived in Tokyo (arrived late August 1991) I found the heat and humidity then to be bad enough that I wanted A/C all the time in summer (June ish to September ish). Though I admit I did find that at the time A/C was inconsistent and you would often end up sweating as you walked outside then entering a building with the A/C cranked high and feeling cold. Then leaving back into the swamp... repeat multiple times during the day.
It seems to me that the whole cool biz thing has meant we don't get that brutal change so much.
I think here in ruralish Japan we are definitely past summer. Things have cooled down thanks to all the rain of the last week or so
The British upper classes have strict rules about what to wear and when. In any given context (time of year, time of day, type of activity, place, etc) there is only one correct way to dress. It's how they know whether someone is "People Like Us" ("PLU"). Having to have such a large wardrobe, made by the right makers and often involving multiple changes of clothes every day, is inevitably expensive and therefore exclusive of hoi polloi. It's why you see in period dramas British officials of, for example, the Indian civil service, gulping their gins-and-tonic on the veranda of an evening, dripping with sweat while inappropriately (for the climate) dressed in dinner jacket and stiff shirt and collar (and stiff upper lip?!). They were following the dress code of their class instead of using common sense to choose what to wear. Common sense also works well with yukata in Japan. Change is a constant. We, and our culture/traditions, must adapt constantly to remain strong and not look foolish like those officials of the British Raj. Tradition and culture should serve and enhance, not ossify or enslave.
Thank you for this beautiful reflection on the seasons. Breaking with traditions can certainly be hard, especially when it comes to something you may think of as eternal like summer turning to autumn. I like your practical wisdom about it, but also that touch of nostalgia: yes, we constantly need to change, but we also need to remember who we are and what shaped us.
I’m almost into my 13th year in Japan and when I first came here summers were definitely hot but still mostly enjoyable if you could tolerate the heat.
These days it’s just too hot and exhausting and I myself wake up each morning with dread about going out. My energy levels throughout the season completely drop and it really starts to affect my mood and motivation.
Every year I’m coming to dislike summer in Japan more and more.
It’s also wild to see people here who still cling to fashion dictated by calendars, rather than actual weather conditions.
I grew up in Japan in the 60’s and 70’s. Hot summers! But now with the extended summer months it really can wear you down. Now living in CA we get fairly erratic temperatures these days. This summer has been milder than some but now in September I’m using the AC for the first time.
We adapt. We have to.
I feel your nostalgia.
Thanks for sharing! The stories about your childhood are incredible to me, someone who’s only known a much much hotter Japan.
I have some kind of secondhand nostalgia for Japanese summer probably because of how many games and anime I grew up watching happened during summertime, the time for kids to imagine and have adventures.
But I mostly just stay inside mid July through mid September until the sun goes down, if I can help it.
When I first lived in Tokyo (arrived late August 1991) I found the heat and humidity then to be bad enough that I wanted A/C all the time in summer (June ish to September ish). Though I admit I did find that at the time A/C was inconsistent and you would often end up sweating as you walked outside then entering a building with the A/C cranked high and feeling cold. Then leaving back into the swamp... repeat multiple times during the day.
It seems to me that the whole cool biz thing has meant we don't get that brutal change so much.
I think here in ruralish Japan we are definitely past summer. Things have cooled down thanks to all the rain of the last week or so
The British upper classes have strict rules about what to wear and when. In any given context (time of year, time of day, type of activity, place, etc) there is only one correct way to dress. It's how they know whether someone is "People Like Us" ("PLU"). Having to have such a large wardrobe, made by the right makers and often involving multiple changes of clothes every day, is inevitably expensive and therefore exclusive of hoi polloi. It's why you see in period dramas British officials of, for example, the Indian civil service, gulping their gins-and-tonic on the veranda of an evening, dripping with sweat while inappropriately (for the climate) dressed in dinner jacket and stiff shirt and collar (and stiff upper lip?!). They were following the dress code of their class instead of using common sense to choose what to wear. Common sense also works well with yukata in Japan. Change is a constant. We, and our culture/traditions, must adapt constantly to remain strong and not look foolish like those officials of the British Raj. Tradition and culture should serve and enhance, not ossify or enslave.
Thank you for this beautiful reflection on the seasons. Breaking with traditions can certainly be hard, especially when it comes to something you may think of as eternal like summer turning to autumn. I like your practical wisdom about it, but also that touch of nostalgia: yes, we constantly need to change, but we also need to remember who we are and what shaped us.
Beautiful read! I keep going to preorder your book and then realize I already preordered it!
Thank you for reading, and preordering my book!
I’m almost into my 13th year in Japan and when I first came here summers were definitely hot but still mostly enjoyable if you could tolerate the heat.
These days it’s just too hot and exhausting and I myself wake up each morning with dread about going out. My energy levels throughout the season completely drop and it really starts to affect my mood and motivation.
Every year I’m coming to dislike summer in Japan more and more.
It’s also wild to see people here who still cling to fashion dictated by calendars, rather than actual weather conditions.
Summer Breeze...nostalgia of past summer times
Thank you for a lovely look back into times past and future to come
stay cool and safe and sane