Portable Fans, Pocari Sweat, and Pure Determination: Surviving Japan's Summer One Frozen Water Bottle at a Time.
How to Survive Summer in Japan Without Melting By now, I have survived two Japanese summers and I am currently bracing myself for my third. You would think that after a few years, I would have mastered the art of summer survival. The truth? Every year feels like a new season of a reality show called "Will She Make It?" If you're new to Japan or planning to visit between June and September, allow me to prepare you. Summer in Japan is not the gentle, beachy, Instagram-worthy season that travel brochures sell you. No. Japanese summer is a full-contact sport. The sun wakes up angry. The humidity hugs you like an overexcited relative who refuses to let go. You step outside looking fresh and put together, only to arrive at your destination looking like you've run a marathon in a rainstorm. Yet somehow, every year, we survive. So grab a cold drink, find a fan, and let me share some of the survival tactics I've learned along the way. One of the biggest surprises for many ...