summer Archives - Unseen Japan

Sumida Fireworks in Tokyo set against the backdrop of Skytree

Hanabi Taikai: A Traveler’s Guide to Japan’s Summer Fireworks Festivals

Japanese summer is impossible to imagine without hanabi taikai, the riverbank fireworks displays that pack millions onto seawalls every July and August.…

Dancers performing Bon Odori, Japan's traditional summer circle dance

TRAVEL

Bon Odori: Inside Japan’s Soulful Summer Dance Tradition

Every summer, neighborhoods and remote mountain villages across Japan ring with taiko, flute, and shuffling feet. Bon Odori is Japan's quietly extraordinary…

TRAVEL

Where Japanese People Actually Travel in August (And Why Foreign Tourists Don’t)

While inbound tourists mainly clog up the Golden Route, domestic Japanese travelers make full use of hisho-chi, highland summer resorts.

TRAVEL

Surviving Summer: A Traveler’s Guide to Japan’s New Era of Extreme Heat

You CAN travel to Japan during the summer. It just takes a little preparation. Here are some tips for where to go…

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

As Summers Heat Up, Smelly Customers Challenge Japan’s “Omotenashi”

A user at one game center in Japan reeked so badly that customers complained, and employees said they "wanted to vomit." As…

LIVING IN JAPAN

As Japan Temps Rise, Are The Trains Too Damn Hot?

Japan's train companies keep some of their cars hotter than others. As climate change advances, riders on social media debate: are the…

NEWS

Beat Toyko’s Heat With These Hidden Underground Train Passages

Trying to stay cool in the blistering Japan heat? Good news! You can get around in Tokyo without leaving the cool confines…

SOCIETY

Why Japan’s Kids Just Aren’t That Into Drinking Water

With heatstroke season upon us, Japan abounds with reminders to stay hydrated. However, kids here these days are refusing to do the…