Hot Summer is Hot

The poor staff of J-List is sweating in Japan this summer as temperatures climb above 40°C/104°F, with correspondingly yucky humidity. This year the high temperatures have claimed at least 12 lives, mostly elderly Japanese who didn’t remember to drink lots of extra water and avoid doing extraneous activities outdoors. Happily, most homes and offices in Japan have strong air conditioning units to combat the hottest part of summer, though there are downsides to this, including the sore throats I always seem to get when sitting in an air conditioned room for too long, as well the “air-con wars” I have to have with my wife, as we battle to set the appropriate temperature for the living room. (Naturally, the closer to freezing, the happier I am.) If you want to enjoy summer Japan style, we recommend drinking authentic Japanese mugi cha (refreshing barley tea), using these various innovative ways to keep cool, plus authentic jinbei kimono-pajamas for keeping comfortable at night!

Japan is having a very hot summer this year.