How to Survive Kumagaya Summer

Posted on 05/31/2022 Last updated on 05/31/2022

あついぞ！熊谷 or “Very Hot! Kumagaya!” is the catchphrase of the city in which I live. Kumagaya in Saitama Prefecture is known for being the hottest city in Japan. Just to give you an idea, in August 2007 Kumagaya broke the 74-year record for the highest temperature recorded in Japan, 40.9C (105.6F).

In July 2018 it broke this record again with a temperature of 41.1C (106.0F). Needless to say it gets very hot here in summer, so hot that heatstroke is a very big problem here. I’ve lived in Kumagaya for the past seven years so I’ve managed to pick up a few things on how to survive the blistering heat! With another summer fast approaching us, let’s dive right in!

Cool Towels

If you go anywhere in Japan in Summer you will see people with towels around their necks. Not only are they great for wiping the sweat from your face and neck, but recently you can get towels that when wet are very very cool! You can get these towels from a lot of different store, even Daiso has them!

The ones that I am currently using are fruit themed and I got them from my local Threppy (300 yen shop)! All you do to use them is wet them in some water, wring out the excess (because if you don’t your shirt will get very very wet) and then wrap it around your neck and embrace the cool cool escape!

Personal Fans

Photo Credit: ユミミンさん on PhotoAC

Fans are amazing in summer, but did you know you can get personal ones? And no I’m not talking about a desk fan! I’m talking about a fan that you can hold in your hand! Or even put around your neck to wear on the go!

I first saw these about two or three years ago; back when summer festivals were still a thing! I was very skeptical at first but boy are these things amazing! I mean I’m not going to lie, they look very silly, but when you have your own personal cool bubble… who cares?

Throat Lollies

Heatstroke. As I mentioned above, heatstroke is a very big problem in summer. If you’re unaware, heatstroke is caused by your body overheating. A big cause for heatstroke is becoming dehydrated by not drinking enough water to replenish fluids lost through sweating. More on drinks below, but another way you can help your body is to suck on some throat lollies.

And no I’m not talking your sore throat lollies. I’m talking, lemon and plum (ume). You can get these from your local supermarket, pharmacy or even the conbini! They are very cheap and now that we have to wear masks, no one at your work will even notice! My personal favourite is the 塩分チャージタブレット sports drink flavour. They melt very quickly though, so I tend to have a lot of these in a day.

Sports Drinks

Photo Credit: akizouさん on PhotoAC

Heatstroke. We meet again, but not this time! Let’s face it, sometimes water just isn’t enough! If you’re like me and you sweat a lot, but even though you drink a ton of water you still come home with a headache, get some sports drinks. Aquarius, Pocari Sweat to name a few are amazing!

You can buy a box full of premade bottles, or you can just get the powder and make your own like I do! Looking on Amazon Japan, you can get a box of Pocari Sweat for 1782 yen with 1500ml of deliciousness. Or you can go the powder route and get a box of aquarius powder for 2560 yen (currently on sale) which is 48g x 25 packs. One pack typically does 1 liter of sweet sweet goodness.

When in doubt, AIRCON!

Lastly, the best way to beat the heat in Japan, just stay indoors and turn on your aircon! I tend to turn my aircon on at about 25 degree and I’ll leave it on all day. Recently the local news have said it’s actually cheaper to run it constantly than to turn it off and on, but the choice is yours. Either way, be prepared to pay more for electricity in the hot summer months, especially if you live in Kumagaya!

Photo Credits:

Top Image: creampastaさん on PhotoAC

1 – ユミミンさん on PhotoAC

2 – akizouさん on PhotoAC