How to Survive Summer in Japan: 3 Ways to Beat the Heat

Hello! ♪

It’s Sui!

One thing I hear from so many of you is:

“Japanese summers are way too hot!”
“The humidity is unbelievable!”

Honestly… even as a Japanese person, I completely agree! 😂

The heat and humidity can be exhausting, so over the years we’ve come up with lots of little tricks to make summer more comfortable.

Today I’d love to share my own favorite ways to survive a Japanese summer!

1. Carry a Handy Fan

If you spend some time watching people in Japan during the summer, you’ll notice something almost everyone has in their hand: a portable fan, often called a handy fan.

Have you ever used one?

It may not feel very powerful when you’re standing outside in the blazing sun, but here’s the secret…

After walking through the heat, step onto an air-conditioned train and turn on your handy fan.

It’s heaven. 🩵

The cool air helps the sweat disappear so quickly, and suddenly you feel refreshed and ready to keep exploring.

One more thing I love is that Japanese handy fans come in so many adorable designs!

One of the most popular brands is Francfranc. They have lots of different styles, from cute pastel colors to simple designs that anyone can enjoy, so they’re definitely worth checking out if you’re shopping in Japan.

2. Wind Chimes (Furin)

Have you ever heard of furin, Japanese wind chimes?

They’re often hung outside windows or on the eaves of houses during the summer.

When the breeze blows, they gently ring with a delicate chirin chirin sound.

To be honest… they don’t actually make the air any cooler! 😂

But somehow, hearing that sound makes you feel cooler.

It might be one of those uniquely Japanese feelings that’s hard to explain, but the sound has become one of the symbols of summer here.

They’re also incredibly beautiful as seasonal decorations.

You can find them in many gift shops and home goods stores around Japan.

If you’re visiting the Tokyo area, I especially recommend the Kawasaki Daishi Wind Chime Market. It’s held every summer, and beautiful wind chimes from all over Japan are displayed together. Unfortunately, this year’s event has already ended, but if you visit during a future summer, it’s definitely worth seeing.

They also make wonderful souvenirs, so keep an eye out while you’re shopping!

3. Ride a Bicycle

This one is a little personal, but…

I actually prefer riding a bicycle to walking!

Especially during the summer, riding a bike lets you enjoy a refreshing breeze as you move along.

Even when the humidity starts to make me feel tired or grumpy, that little bit of wind seems to blow away my stress too. 🩵

Japan has lots of bicycle rental stations(ex: hello cycling), especially around Tokyo, the surrounding Kanto area, and Osaka.

That means you don’t need to bring your own bike to enjoy cycling while you’re traveling.

If your first thought is, “I can’t ride a bike on vacation because I don’t have one,” it’s time to change that idea!

Rent a bicycle and enjoy the summer breeze in Japan. ☀️🚲

Final Thoughts

So, what do you think?

Japanese summers are definitely hot, but they’re also full of wonderful experiences if you know how to enjoy them.

There are lively summer festivals, amazing fireworks displays, delicious shaved ice, and even the ice cream you can grab from a convenience store somehow tastes extra good on a hot day.

I hope we can all enjoy a Japanese summer together someday!

See you next time!

Sui🩵