Fun ways to enjoy summer in Japan like a local!

Although Japan is famous for its adorable four seasons, visiting Japan in the summer sometimes can be a pain in the neck.

Japan’s weather during the summer (late June – August) sometimes is not friendly – it’s hot, muggy, and sweaty (in a bad way).

It takes time to get used to it, so instead of adjusting yourself to the weather, why don’t you enjoy summer in Japan like a local?

Today we introduce various fun ways to enjoy summer in Japan like a local, which you can try when spending summer holiday in Japan!

Eat kakigōri: Japanese-style shaved ice

Find a store that sells kakigōri (Japanese-style shaved ice) when it’s hot outside!

Kakigōri is one of the most popular summer treats in Japan, and many Japanese visit kakigōri shops to enjoy the soft and sweet shaved ice!

Crack the watermelon!

Follow the Japanese summer tradition and crack a watermelon! A chilled watermelon is the best thirst-quencher during summer!

If you have a Japanese friend, make sure to ask your friend to do watermelon cracking (suika wari, スイカ割り) with you.

When doing the watermelon cracking, you’d be cracking watermelon with a wooden stick while blindfolded, quite similar to the game of piñata we’re familiar with!

Visit the haunted house

In Japan, visiting a haunted house, or obakeyashiki (お化け屋敷) is one way to cool down during the hot summer, and this is the reason why some haunted houses only open in summer, particularly in July and August.

You can find these haunted houses at amusement parks, and sometimes you need to pay an extra fee to enter them, so make sure to bring extra cash if you want to join the trill at the haunted houses!

Try nagashi sōmen

Nagashi sōmen are Japanese thin noodles that are eaten in particular style. Instead of served in a bowl or a plate, the noodles are washed down a bamboo flume with water and ice.

To enjoy the sōmen noodles, you have to pick up them from the flume with your chopsticks and dip them into the tsuyu (sauce) before eating them. Only available in the summer, make sure to not miss the opportunity to try it!

Watch the fireworks!

Summer is the season of fireworks in Japan!

There are a lot of fireworks festivals held all across Japan in the summer, and make sure to join one of the festivals to enjoy the elaborative fireworks shows, which apparently only exist in Japan!

Eat hiyashi-chuka

Don’t miss the cold noodles when visiting Japan in the summer!

Try hiyashi-chuka noodles, or chilled ramen noodles, which are only available during the summertime only!