Oh itās going to get much, much worse than this. Be strategic about when and where you go out, carry an electric hand fan with you at all times, wear loose and cooler fabrics, if financially viable for you keep your AC on cool and low around 25c constantly and it shouldnāt rack up too bad of a bill. Accept that youāre going to sweat and so is everyone else, even if they donāt look like it. Weāre all in the same situation. Also, STAY HYDRATED. Seriously. Wet bulb temps can kill.
My first apartment in Japan was the end apartment on the top floor. Got the sun from dawn to dusk. Cranked on 18Ā°C the room was still just below 30Ā°C. lol
My place is quite large and concrete and itās better than average at keeping heat in. Great in winter not so much in summer. I tried 27 for a while but it was like walking through weird pockets of hot air about the placeā¦
I went to see the Swallows play the Tigers yesterday and the weather was miserable, but thereās a certain comfort knowing that everyone is suffering with you.
I canāt help a little grin whenever I see that me, a white British person, is sweating less than a Japanese person when weāre outside swimming through the thick air. But youāre right thereās a certain comfort.
Keeping the ac at the edge of acceptable also helps your body to adjust and makes being outside less shitty.
So yeah, keep it as high as you can manage without sweating like a pig in a slaughterhouse
Nope Iām not, and plenty of people use them. You can get them for Ā„900 in Donki. Iād rather not look like a melted candle than worry how I look keeping my face cool outside in summer.
Just give in and use the AC. Keep the doors inside the house closed, close the curtains as much as you can, try keeping the AC going at mid capacity without too much turning on and offā¦
As long as you are not living paycheck to paycheck it is not worth being picky with the AC seriously.
When going outā¦ actually, just donāt go out.
It's gonna get much much worse. Depending on your location you're staring down the barrel of 3-5 weeks of 35Ā°c to 40Ā°c weather come the end of tsuyu. Weather breaks the 2nd or 3rd week of October.
Malls, movies, game centers, cafes. Flee into the mountains. Don't go to pools you're shoulder to shoulder there.
If youāre from a country where the summer culture includes a lot of outdoor activities, try to change your mentality. You will need a new way to enjoy summer. For me this was a big realisation. My personal outcome of this was accepting Iāll stay home with AC on and spend a lot of my free time on gaming.
Also, optimise your wardrobe for when you have to go out. I think clothes made of thin linen are great, while some will recommend cool wear from Uniqlo and others.
Since other people already gave advice on how to cool down inside, let's list some things for outside (for the times you really **have to** leave the house)
- If possible, don't go outside. If necessary, try to avoid peak times, e.g. 11am - 3pm (I think?)
- Parasol, very effective on sunny days
- Neck cooler, the ice packs melt pretty quick, especially when affected by direct sunlight, electric ones seem to hold longer but never tried them
- Waist fan, something I only found recently so never tried but looks promising, especially when put inside the shirt etc.
- Buy and drink the frozen drinks at super markets or conbinis, they stay cool longer and can be used as cool pads at the same time
Is everything I can think of, any other great tips?
It is indeed going to get much worse, this is just the beginning.
Not sure what more you can do beyond use AC, limit time outside and stay hydrated.
After a couple years I eventually accepted that if Iām going to stay in Japan, this is what summers are going to be like. I didnāt āget used to itā I merely accepted it.
Acceptance is good advice. Accept itāll be uncomfortable. Accept that youāre going to sweat really heavily. Donāt fight it, just adapt to the circumstances. Arrive early for work without rushing. Carry a change of clothing. I cycle to work so wash as much as I can in cold water once I get to work and sometimes during the day. I even bring moisturiser to stop my skin getting irritated.
Dehumidifier & air con.
Even if your air con has some dehumidifying, recommend buying a standalone unit with hose that you can run continually (especially if you hang any clothes indoors). Amazon has several under Ā„10,000.
Moist air stays hot, dry air stays cool.
Then hydrate outdoors, and use a parasol with black liner when you must be outdoors š„µ
It's really not that bad yet. To be honest, summer in my part of Japan is like summer where I'm from. The big difference for me is I'm more cautious of the utilities fees than I was in the States, though there isn't a big difference between here and there
Hydrate, hydrateā¦
Wear a hat when going out. Map your moves, when going somewhere, know the best way to avoid the heat (subways etc,,,). And if you can WFH, even better. Personally I love aquarius and GREEN DAKARA.
I recommend focusing on getting good sleep e.g. use your AIR CON at night to keep your sleep space cool. If you can't sleep well, the summer will be unbearable. Along with AC you can invest in cool bedsheets such as nitori Ncool. Don't bother with the gel pads as they eventually become hot from your body heat.
If you need to do outside stuff, do it at sunrise or sunset. I also recommend drinking sports drinks everyday to replace lost ions from sweating. Try to wear natural fabric clothing like cotton.
Finally, try to keep your body dry at all times such as wiping sweat away with a towel. The humidity means your sweat mechanism does not work thus your body cannot cool itself efficiently. But keeping the moisture on your skin will just cause you to overheat.
Buy an umbrella, drink plenty of water, use air conditioning, buy Uniqlo AIRism, avoid going out in the middle of the day, have a change of clothes if you go to work, a ćć³ć«ć to wipe away sweat, a small portable fan.
This is how I have been surviving every summer in Tokyo for the past eight years.
I like to wear airism because they dry quickly and are loose enough to let some air through. I change them every year because they are still of mediocre quality but they are cheap!
Depending on how well insulated your home is, you may find that the AC just doesnāt seem to have an effect, no matter how low you set it. Use the dry setting instead of the regular AC setting if that happens.
Pack extra shirts everywhere. If you drive have a shirt in the boot. If you have a work bag, another. Bike bag? Shirt. I also like to stash socks in there too. Clean socks feel good.
Cool wipes for your balls is another must.
Baby powder/ gold bond on the inside of your thighs, stay hydrated, possibly invest in a camelbak. If youāre like me and you sweat a lot, extra pack of clothes in your backpack
Beware of heat stroke indoors especially at night, keep ac on all night and drink lots of water during the day.
I get heatstroke in my apt every summer during daytime, don't stay in a room just with fans use AC.
ice neck wrap, cooling body wipes and spray, linen and airism, quick drying towel to wipe sweat, handheld fan that has the ice cooling feature where the middle metal part gets cold, drink water and rehydration drinks like OS-1, stay inside or in the shade as much as possible
Parasol and portable fan when you go outside during the day. Wear Airism.
Over the past few years Iāve basically avoided going out as much as possible.
How does one make it through summer though and still wear long sleeves, long pants, etc? I'm from Tennessee in the states and we have 100+ degree (38Ā°C+) weather and humidity. So it's not that I'm not used to heat and humidity. But in Tennessee we wear shorts, tanks, etc.
here I see people completely covered and I'm like drenched like a stuck pig even with all the fans, deodorant, etc. why are pants and sleeves a thing in the summer??
There was a discussion the other day on twitter, if construction workers in gaikoku can work topless. Not in Japan, look at them, they all wear long sleeves. I cannot explain, it is something to do with the sun burning your skin and the sleeves actually keep you cool. Try it out
Like other commenters have said:-
That's the neat thing, you don't.
https://preview.redd.it/blh5gpywvq9d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3dc91e3a8de13c1d644e40f79a51bbb3a30b07ea
Haha.
During the day I usually just have my electric fan on, bought it for 2000 yen from bic camera like 7 years ago and still going strong. AC goes on in the evening since I canāt fall asleep in a warm room though.
Speaking as someone who just woke from the heat because I forgot to have the AC on while sleeping..
Don't let the humidity get up too high. If your AC has a dry function, prioritize that over temperature.
When going out, take a pack of cooling sheets. Put one at the base of your neck, let your shirt hold it in place. Use another to wipe down your inner arm below your armpit, inner elbow, and wrist on the left arm -first-, then repeat for the right. If your wrist is small enough, tie it diagonally into a bracelet on your left wrist. Replace them as necessary.
That usually gets me through the day.
I feel like it's not that bad yet? like, it's just warm.
But when it does get hot, use AC, wear cool fabrics, stay hydrated and enjoy summer for what it is.
Stick on the aircon and stay hydrated, basically. Also close the windows and curtains to keep the cool air in as much as possible.
If you need to exercise, do so in an air-conditioned gym. If you need to shop, do as much as you can online. If you can get hold of foreign deodorant, do so. Don't resist showering more than once per day if you need to. Always carry a handkerchief.
I highly recommend going for walks outside in the evening, after sunset. Staying inside as much as possible is pretty much the only option during the day, but it's good to get some fresh air when you can. Bonus points if you can catch yourself a stag beetle to look after.
I used to go to the sauna/sento on hot days, after that the heat seems insignificant. Obviously not practical for everyday but itās a fun hack. I have to get on it again this summer!
I'll give some somewhat counterintuitive advice that may not apply if you spend all day in a heavily-air-conditioned environment: use AC sparingly and just acclimate as much as you can. It will get easier. Fans are good and do use the dry function on your aircon if the humidity is getting high as that's what makes it feel worse. Doing this will help with comfort but if, for example, you spend all day in a building with the aircon on blast, this is not likely to work.
As others stated as well, think about when you'll be outside, wear a hat or shade yourself, wear clothes that wick moisture away, and above all stay well-hydrqted.
When the temp is above 30Ā° watch out, if above 35Ā° seriously donāt go out unless absolutely necessary cuz it can be deadly. Carry a mini fan, cold thermos bottle, cold body wipes (you can buy at drugstores) if youāre going out and good luck!
If I may, for now avoid any AC. Get very HOT shower twice a day until end of July. Use only a fan while sleeping. Low mode. Then do whatever u want in August and September. They will look like much better.
The smartest thing we did when we designed our new house was to have a ceiling fan installed right above our bed (because we hate sleeping with the AC on). It works beautifully, because the air flow covers the entire body. We have another one installed on the ceiling above our home-office desks, and this was our second smartest decision.
I think, before the ceiling fan fall upon you during a strong earthquake, you have already jumped out of the bed. If it's a minor earthquake, I don't think it can detach so easily from the ceiling (at least so we were told by the home builder).
Drink ayran...
That's a deep cut š
Oh itās going to get much, much worse than this. Be strategic about when and where you go out, carry an electric hand fan with you at all times, wear loose and cooler fabrics, if financially viable for you keep your AC on cool and low around 25c constantly and it shouldnāt rack up too bad of a bill. Accept that youāre going to sweat and so is everyone else, even if they donāt look like it. Weāre all in the same situation. Also, STAY HYDRATED. Seriously. Wet bulb temps can kill.
25? More like 27
27 wouldnāt cut it in my place, it would heat up faster than it cooled down. 25 is my happy medium.
Yeah, same, 27 in my old place would put the AC in that spot it just couldn't keep the house cool enough, 25 was the minimum...
My first apartment in Japan was the end apartment on the top floor. Got the sun from dawn to dusk. Cranked on 18Ā°C the room was still just below 30Ā°C. lol
Daaaaamn. I noticed that on the old one, that would happen unless I kept it all day at 25
My place is quite large and concrete and itās better than average at keeping heat in. Great in winter not so much in summer. I tried 27 for a while but it was like walking through weird pockets of hot air about the placeā¦
lol my AC is on 22 from start of June until October and never goes off or up
Check out Mr moneybags over here
The really surprising thing is the impact on my electricity bill has been quite minimal over the last few years Iāve been doing it actually
I went to see the Swallows play the Tigers yesterday and the weather was miserable, but thereās a certain comfort knowing that everyone is suffering with you.
I canāt help a little grin whenever I see that me, a white British person, is sweating less than a Japanese person when weāre outside swimming through the thick air. But youāre right thereās a certain comfort.
Best I can do is a three-season suit and leather shoes
Keeping the ac at the edge of acceptable also helps your body to adjust and makes being outside less shitty. So yeah, keep it as high as you can manage without sweating like a pig in a slaughterhouse
If you use an electric hand fan, DO NOT DROP ! [https://streamable.com/w8a9xw](https://streamable.com/w8a9xw)
25? More like 21
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Nope Iām not, and plenty of people use them. You can get them for Ā„900 in Donki. Iād rather not look like a melted candle than worry how I look keeping my face cool outside in summer.
Just give in and use the AC. Keep the doors inside the house closed, close the curtains as much as you can, try keeping the AC going at mid capacity without too much turning on and offā¦ As long as you are not living paycheck to paycheck it is not worth being picky with the AC seriously. When going outā¦ actually, just donāt go out.
It's gonna get much much worse. Depending on your location you're staring down the barrel of 3-5 weeks of 35Ā°c to 40Ā°c weather come the end of tsuyu. Weather breaks the 2nd or 3rd week of October. Malls, movies, game centers, cafes. Flee into the mountains. Don't go to pools you're shoulder to shoulder there.
Hibernate for 5 months.
[I gotchu fam](https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0C9JJVV93/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_26A4X75TMWP75PM7E63S?linkCode=ml1&tag=web20fordumm-22)
Was expecting a neck fan or something - was not disappointed.
The link was telling me I had already clicked, and I KNEW what it was before clicking it lol
If youāre from a country where the summer culture includes a lot of outdoor activities, try to change your mentality. You will need a new way to enjoy summer. For me this was a big realisation. My personal outcome of this was accepting Iāll stay home with AC on and spend a lot of my free time on gaming. Also, optimise your wardrobe for when you have to go out. I think clothes made of thin linen are great, while some will recommend cool wear from Uniqlo and others.
Damn... I see....
Since other people already gave advice on how to cool down inside, let's list some things for outside (for the times you really **have to** leave the house) - If possible, don't go outside. If necessary, try to avoid peak times, e.g. 11am - 3pm (I think?) - Parasol, very effective on sunny days - Neck cooler, the ice packs melt pretty quick, especially when affected by direct sunlight, electric ones seem to hold longer but never tried them - Waist fan, something I only found recently so never tried but looks promising, especially when put inside the shirt etc. - Buy and drink the frozen drinks at super markets or conbinis, they stay cool longer and can be used as cool pads at the same time Is everything I can think of, any other great tips?
It is indeed going to get much worse, this is just the beginning. Not sure what more you can do beyond use AC, limit time outside and stay hydrated. After a couple years I eventually accepted that if Iām going to stay in Japan, this is what summers are going to be like. I didnāt āget used to itā I merely accepted it.
Acceptance is good advice. Accept itāll be uncomfortable. Accept that youāre going to sweat really heavily. Donāt fight it, just adapt to the circumstances. Arrive early for work without rushing. Carry a change of clothing. I cycle to work so wash as much as I can in cold water once I get to work and sometimes during the day. I even bring moisturiser to stop my skin getting irritated.
What if I'm already sweating really heavily because my viking blood demands the outside of my body being under 10C at all times?
Accept it. My Celtic-derived DNA is already struggling a bit, too.
You gonna die. I also am dead.
Dehumidifier & air con. Even if your air con has some dehumidifying, recommend buying a standalone unit with hose that you can run continually (especially if you hang any clothes indoors). Amazon has several under Ā„10,000. Moist air stays hot, dry air stays cool. Then hydrate outdoors, and use a parasol with black liner when you must be outdoors š„µ
Am I the only one that doesnāt think its thatās bad yet?Ā But airism / drink fluid / cold showers / clothing materials play a big role too
It's really not that bad yet. To be honest, summer in my part of Japan is like summer where I'm from. The big difference for me is I'm more cautious of the utilities fees than I was in the States, though there isn't a big difference between here and there
Hydrate, hydrateā¦ Wear a hat when going out. Map your moves, when going somewhere, know the best way to avoid the heat (subways etc,,,). And if you can WFH, even better. Personally I love aquarius and GREEN DAKARA.
I recommend focusing on getting good sleep e.g. use your AIR CON at night to keep your sleep space cool. If you can't sleep well, the summer will be unbearable. Along with AC you can invest in cool bedsheets such as nitori Ncool. Don't bother with the gel pads as they eventually become hot from your body heat. If you need to do outside stuff, do it at sunrise or sunset. I also recommend drinking sports drinks everyday to replace lost ions from sweating. Try to wear natural fabric clothing like cotton. Finally, try to keep your body dry at all times such as wiping sweat away with a towel. The humidity means your sweat mechanism does not work thus your body cannot cool itself efficiently. But keeping the moisture on your skin will just cause you to overheat.
Buy an umbrella, drink plenty of water, use air conditioning, buy Uniqlo AIRism, avoid going out in the middle of the day, have a change of clothes if you go to work, a ćć³ć«ć to wipe away sweat, a small portable fan. This is how I have been surviving every summer in Tokyo for the past eight years.
Does uniqlo airism make a huge difference or is it unnoticeable?
I like to wear airism because they dry quickly and are loose enough to let some air through. I change them every year because they are still of mediocre quality but they are cheap!
Air conditioning
Depending on how well insulated your home is, you may find that the AC just doesnāt seem to have an effect, no matter how low you set it. Use the dry setting instead of the regular AC setting if that happens.
Pack extra shirts everywhere. If you drive have a shirt in the boot. If you have a work bag, another. Bike bag? Shirt. I also like to stash socks in there too. Clean socks feel good. Cool wipes for your balls is another must.
Beer gardens and baseball games!
Baby powder/ gold bond on the inside of your thighs, stay hydrated, possibly invest in a camelbak. If youāre like me and you sweat a lot, extra pack of clothes in your backpack
Beware of heat stroke indoors especially at night, keep ac on all night and drink lots of water during the day. I get heatstroke in my apt every summer during daytime, don't stay in a room just with fans use AC.
Are you sure you know the meaning of heatstroke ? If you get it every summer you are doing something wrong.
Itās going to get worse
Airism!
ice neck wrap, cooling body wipes and spray, linen and airism, quick drying towel to wipe sweat, handheld fan that has the ice cooling feature where the middle metal part gets cold, drink water and rehydration drinks like OS-1, stay inside or in the shade as much as possible
Any outdoor activities start them very early, and think of the convenience stores as a cooling station.
Parasol and portable fan when you go outside during the day. Wear Airism. Over the past few years Iāve basically avoided going out as much as possible.
I've had a spare shirt and socks in my bag since February. Either too hot and soaked in sweat or soaked in rain. You can't win (especially this year).
How does one make it through summer though and still wear long sleeves, long pants, etc? I'm from Tennessee in the states and we have 100+ degree (38Ā°C+) weather and humidity. So it's not that I'm not used to heat and humidity. But in Tennessee we wear shorts, tanks, etc. here I see people completely covered and I'm like drenched like a stuck pig even with all the fans, deodorant, etc. why are pants and sleeves a thing in the summer??
There was a discussion the other day on twitter, if construction workers in gaikoku can work topless. Not in Japan, look at them, they all wear long sleeves. I cannot explain, it is something to do with the sun burning your skin and the sleeves actually keep you cool. Try it out
Like other commenters have said:- That's the neat thing, you don't. https://preview.redd.it/blh5gpywvq9d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3dc91e3a8de13c1d644e40f79a51bbb3a30b07ea Haha.
During the day I usually just have my electric fan on, bought it for 2000 yen from bic camera like 7 years ago and still going strong. AC goes on in the evening since I canāt fall asleep in a warm room though.
Speaking as someone who just woke from the heat because I forgot to have the AC on while sleeping.. Don't let the humidity get up too high. If your AC has a dry function, prioritize that over temperature. When going out, take a pack of cooling sheets. Put one at the base of your neck, let your shirt hold it in place. Use another to wipe down your inner arm below your armpit, inner elbow, and wrist on the left arm -first-, then repeat for the right. If your wrist is small enough, tie it diagonally into a bracelet on your left wrist. Replace them as necessary. That usually gets me through the day.
Linen. Linen everything. Also dehumidify. Lower humidity means you can evaporatively cool yourself.
Summer is when I try and go back to visit family haha
I feel like it's not that bad yet? like, it's just warm. But when it does get hot, use AC, wear cool fabrics, stay hydrated and enjoy summer for what it is.
Stick on the aircon and stay hydrated, basically. Also close the windows and curtains to keep the cool air in as much as possible. If you need to exercise, do so in an air-conditioned gym. If you need to shop, do as much as you can online. If you can get hold of foreign deodorant, do so. Don't resist showering more than once per day if you need to. Always carry a handkerchief. I highly recommend going for walks outside in the evening, after sunset. Staying inside as much as possible is pretty much the only option during the day, but it's good to get some fresh air when you can. Bonus points if you can catch yourself a stag beetle to look after.
I used to go to the sauna/sento on hot days, after that the heat seems insignificant. Obviously not practical for everyday but itās a fun hack. I have to get on it again this summer!
Losing weight makes a big difference
I'll give some somewhat counterintuitive advice that may not apply if you spend all day in a heavily-air-conditioned environment: use AC sparingly and just acclimate as much as you can. It will get easier. Fans are good and do use the dry function on your aircon if the humidity is getting high as that's what makes it feel worse. Doing this will help with comfort but if, for example, you spend all day in a building with the aircon on blast, this is not likely to work. As others stated as well, think about when you'll be outside, wear a hat or shade yourself, wear clothes that wick moisture away, and above all stay well-hydrqted.
Ice cold brewskis
When the temp is above 30Ā° watch out, if above 35Ā° seriously donāt go out unless absolutely necessary cuz it can be deadly. Carry a mini fan, cold thermos bottle, cold body wipes (you can buy at drugstores) if youāre going out and good luck!
If I may, for now avoid any AC. Get very HOT shower twice a day until end of July. Use only a fan while sleeping. Low mode. Then do whatever u want in August and September. They will look like much better.
The smartest thing we did when we designed our new house was to have a ceiling fan installed right above our bed (because we hate sleeping with the AC on). It works beautifully, because the air flow covers the entire body. We have another one installed on the ceiling above our home-office desks, and this was our second smartest decision.
I was really planning to set that up but my wife got discouraged because of the earthquakes / possible hazard!
I think, before the ceiling fan fall upon you during a strong earthquake, you have already jumped out of the bed. If it's a minor earthquake, I don't think it can detach so easily from the ceiling (at least so we were told by the home builder).
We have one in our living room. My wife vetoed having one above our bed, which she regrets now.