What does "Summertime" mean to you? What images come to mind? Quintessential summer. Symbolized in beach balls, flip flops and swimsuits, BBQ's in the back yard with a plethora of homemade salads and burgers with all the fixings and beer on ice, sneaking out late at night to go skinny dipping either in the neighbours' pool or the local reservoir (or just Shawnigan in front of our house!), sitting by the camp fire with friends roasting marshmallows and telling stories, fresh strawberries and snap peas from the local farm, afternoon naps on a sleeping bag on the lush, green backyard lawn, sitting by the lake waiting for you turn behind the boat to jump off the dock and take off across the clear calm water at a speed a little faster than what you're comfortable with that excites and exhilarates you, and drinking crisp homemade lemonade on the porch from a giant glass pitcher full of ice and lemons with a big sun hat and oversized glasses on. These are the images that come to my mind, and coincidentally make me miss home more.
Japan in the summer. Early summer is known as the Rainy Season. It is the time of the year for colds and sniffles. Now is the time to get everything packed up and protected against the coming humidity. Just as in the early winter time it is the time to take care of yourself, the same advice and homemade remedies for keeping the flu at bay are shared everyday here.
Fireworks displays begin the end of July. There is no reason other than to enjoy the fireworks. It's like going to the beach for the day. Everyone packs up a lunch and takes a tarp to the local viewing place in the morning and sits and waits for the main show. Many dress up in Yukata (a summer garment that looks much like a kimono only much less binding, cooler, more comfortable and less expensive) for men and women or in a Jimbe which are like long shorts and a wrap top for guys, pretty cool. The event is all about just going and having a good time and then watching a fireworks display just for the sake of fireworks. It is not just a few minutes of fireworks either. These displays put all Canada Day, Independence Day and Guy Fawlkes Day celebrations to shame. They usually last well over an hour and a half, the smallest display of which included 700 fireworks this year in Yokohama. The one in Chiba city is rumoured to have close to 1500.
Watermelon is a staple summer food just the same as back home only it comes in the familiar pinky red, and yellow. Kiwis also come in a familiar colour of green, and in the unexpected yellow.
Street fairs and fairs surrounding the temples and shrines celebrating Matsuri are very common. Some of the booths are familiar with games of knocking down blocks with a cap gun to win a prize, hot dogs and cold pop. Games for the kids include fishing for gold fish and finding prizes in colourful floating balls. There are masks of cartoon characters and heroes, and of course, Kitty Chan (Hello Kitty). There are snow cones and candied apples. Deep fried mochi (rice paste) and takoyaki (Octopus balls, tee hee, I said balls!!)
Umbrellas are an all year necessity. In the summer time they take on a bit of a different form in that they're prettier, but they are still useful for rain in case one gets caught in an unexpected torrential down pour. Fans are also a summer time fashion necessity to keep the temperature down. And yet despite the heat most people continue to wear full business attire. Le gouvernement has been trying to establish more casual attire in businesses through the summer months to get people to turn the business buildings' air conditioner up a few degrees to conserve energy. It doesn't seem to be taking hold yet in a culture that is so concerned with outward appearances, far above environmental concerns.
The Tanabata "Star" Festival kicks off the summer feeling in my area. It is celebrated all through July until the beginning of August, depending on the area. People write their wishes on slips of paper and attach them to bamboo branches along with other colourful decorations that line the streets.
A familiar sight in all the drug stores and corner stores are bug displays. The old-school green mosquito coil that I remember as a child while camping at the Provincial Camp Ground have never been old-school and continue to be indispensable household item. More importantly are the Roach displays with every possible roach killing technology ever known to man, new and old, right out front to remind all that if they find a roach in their house it is their own fault for not taking the necessary precautions to ride their beloved abode of the nuclear winter surviving horridities. Just watch all those pesky little critters die. Die, die, die a quick and hopefully painful death.
This is summer in Japan. Next year, I will miss it.
