Summer in Japan is in full swing and that means at least two months of extreme heat and humidity. Before moving to Japan I had been warned about the hot and humid Japanese summers. But somehow I wasn’t able to fully grasp the meaning of those words until after actually having lived through the experience myself for the first time.
Allow me to elaborate for all of you ‘Japanese summer virgins’ out there. Here are the numbers: Nagoya has temperatures of about 30° C and an air humidity of around 80% in July. The combination of heat and humidity makes for weather that descends on you like a stifling blanket. In this weather, breathing is enough to make you break out in a sweat. But by far the worst of it, as far as I’m concerned, is what the humidity does to my hair.
Frizzy doesn’t even begin to describe it. No matter what amount of styling products I use, as soon as I leave the air-conditioned sanctuary of our apartment, my hair looks as if several small birds have been nesting in it. Even plastering all my hair to my head and tying it up in a bun is no use. I still look like I have been recently electrocuted.
But hey, if there is nothing to be done about it, I might as well laugh about it, right? That is why I was particularly pleased when I came across this picture of a fluffy animal (possibly a rabbit) that gives a good idea of how I feel about my Japanese summer hair.
The Japans 
heh, yup. I’m lucky that I have only short hair to maintain. But even if it doesn’t frizz up, I’m sweating so much that nothing I do can keep me and my hair from looking like a sopping mess after my bike ride to work in the morning. Thank goodness it’s now summer break!
Aargh, bike ride to work, I don’t even want to think about it. Taihen!
Enjoy your summer break! Any travel plans?
I hear you! But in my case it’s more the drizzly rain during the rainy season that makes my hair go voluminous on me. ^^
Voluminous… That’s a nice way to put it! I will try to think of my own hair as voluminous from now on, rather than frizzy 🙂
I always think that how high humidity Japan has!!A hygrometer at my apartment always shows about 75-80%.It’s almost “water”!!As of my hair,it will be wetly…I don’t like it!!
I always feel I want to escape from Japan in this season 😦
Thank you for commenting Yuko-chan! I know what you mean about escaping. I’m kind of happy that I won’t be in Japan in August.
Happy Japanese July to you! ;P Really makes you appreciate the beauty of being able to grab a cold Pocari Sweat from those vending machines found in odd places along the route, eh? ;D Have fun, enjoy the various summer matsuri, and try to stay cool under your summer umbrella (you HAVE invested in one, right?) 🙂
Which reminds me – Oiden Festival in Toyota shi happens in July. Great opportunity for taking some fun photos to post to the blog.
You have a good point about those vending machines. When I first saw them, I wondered why there were so many of them. But actually it is great to always have a cold drink at hand.
I have indeed invested in a summer umbrella, a very convenient lightweight foldable one. I have also bought two summer hats. The hot weather is a great excuse to shop 🙂
I am eagerly looking forward to Oiden Festival. Last Saturday we unexpectedly walked in on the local preselections in our neighbourhood. It was great to hear the Oiden song again. Actually I posted some pictures and videos from Oiden Matsuri last year. Click here to see the post about Oiden 2011.
There, there 🙂
I can imagine all the frantic effort and fun frizzy hair can be– haha!
I get the occasional perm-lookalike too! 😀
What kind of climate do you live in? Is it also a hair-unfriendly one? 🙂
In Belgium my bad hair days are usually limited to one or two days in a row, but here it’s non-stop for several months. I guess under those circumstances, embracing the frizziness is the only thing I can do 🙂
Indian monsoon being what it is, can be*very* humid, and at times like these, my hair decides to stand up and pose 😛
I just let my hair loose and let the sexiness ooze 😀
Hihi , een goeke