SUMMER in Japan vs UK!
Now that the heat wave seems to have cooled down, Kokoro and I wanted to share what we miss most about summer in our respective countries, including typical food and activities we enjoyed in the warm weather.
You can read more about Canadian summers here (in Japanese), but for now, here are some highlights from Kokoro’s summers growing up in Japan.
*DD = DanDan; KO = Kokoro
DD:
First of all, do you actually like summer?
KO:
Oh yes, it’s tied for my favourite season with spring and autumn!
DD:
What happened to winter?
KO:
Well, first come those three, then there’s a huge gap. Then there’s another gap beyond that. And then you might finally see winter on my list.
DD:
Laughs. Seems like you really miss those Canadian snowstorms. But anyway, this is about summer! What are some things you’d consider ‘typical summer events’ in Japan?
KO:
Hm, typical activities are probably visiting your family during your vacation [if they live in different prefectures] and while you’re back in your hometown you can also visit your ancestors’ graves, bringing water and flowers for example.
DD:
I remember we did this last summer, I was happy you could see everyone. What about festivals or other typical summer events we experienced last year?
KO:
Oh, yes, of course. We love to watch the fireworks that happen throughout the summer – sometimes we even wear a yukata, as you’ve seen. Plus on top of this, there are so many small local festivals that happen all over Japan in public places such as parks! You can find so much delicious food and fun mini games there.
DD:
Yes! I love how each season has its own events; it really makes you appreciate everything so much more and enjoy season-specific occasions – it reminds me of growing up in Romania but that’s a story for another time.
KO:
Exactly, and I didn’t mention this, but of course we also love to go to the beach if we can, or just to a swimming pool. And there are so many opportunities to have barbecues with your friends and family…
DD:
Oof, yeah, BBQ and summers are such a good pair. But speaking of food, are there any foods or drinks that you’d consider ‘summery’.
KO:
So many of them! We have ice cold beer (like actually ice cold), fruity cocktails (we call them chūhai), cold sake, cold barley tea – seriously though the barley tea replaces water in the summer.
DD:
What about food then? Besides the BBQ of course.
KO:
Well, first you have vegetables that are in-season, like cucumbers, tomatoes, aubergines, green peppers, you know, the usual things. But, if you mean specific meals, then cold udon, somen, hiyashi chūka [cold ramen] are probably the most popular. As you know, it’s so warm in Japan that we try to eat as much cold food as possible!
DD:
Mmm, I miss udon…Right, sorry. What about summers in the UK, what do you think about them?
KO:
My favourite thing is probably the fact that we have daylight from 6am to at least 9;30pm every day, even though it’s often cloudy. Also, I love the fact that the air is much drier than in Japan, so even during the heat wave last week when it was 35 degrees, it felt like much less. It’s also much cooler in the morning and at night than in Japan, where it can be 30 degrees throughout!
DD:
Heh, it’s funny because I actually really enjoy the humid, warm weather. Even in Canada, those were my favourite days! Though, I’m sure we’re both happy that there are far less storms here. But besides the temperature, is there anything else you noticed about summers in the UK?
KO:
Well, honestly, sometimes it’s hard to tell it’s summer! The temperatures in July were so low and also when you walk into a supermarket, you can never tell what season it is. Normally, in Japan there would be big advertisements about what fruits or vegetables are in season, but here there are barely any differences year-round.
DD:
I’ve noticed that too, but I’m sure it’s different in markets for example, but there are very few around us to verify. Alright, so last question then. Is there anything that you miss from Japanese summers? Probably not the heat I’d assume…
KO:
FRESH. COLD. NOODLES. And also barley tea. Oh, and the sea and its yummy seafood!
DD:
Well now I’m hungry…this was supposed to be about summer, not food…
KO:
You kept asking about food!
DD:
…