How to survive summer in Japan! (Tips & Product Recommendations)

I’m sure you’ve heard about Japanese summer — it’s hot, it’s humid, and there’s a bajillion summer festivals! All three are true, but I’m here today to talk about the first two!

We live in Okinawa, which is the southernmost prefecture of Japan. Okinawa is an island prefecture, so we’re surrounded by the gorgeous ocean!

The ocean waters do help to regulate the summer heat and the cold winters, making the weather here milder than mainland Japan. However it still does get VERY hot and VERY humid! On average, temps in Okinawa go between 30-33 degrees Celsius during the day, with humidity levels averaging about 70-80%.

Also, it just feels like the sun shines much brighter here in Okinawa than in mainland Japan! It might be because the sunlight reflects off the sand and the waters right back at us.

Since we are working in a wedding photo studio where 90% of our photoshoots are on the beach, we are exposed to the sun for 30~90 mins everyday. My coworkers and I need to protect ourselves from the sun and from heatstroke.

So how do we combat the sometimes unbearable summer heat?

“UV Cut” UV Protection Clothing

The best way to prevent heat fatigue and sunburn is to cover up! Japan has a HUGE variety of SPF/UPF clothing, or “UV Cut“. The materials these clothing are made of are designed to block excess UV rays from hitting your skin.

Recommendations from Japan

Sunblock / Sunscreen

I’m sure you’ve heard of Japanese sunscreen — famous for being ultra wearable, lightweight, and yet still very protective!

Because Japanese women are very conscious about UV damage on their skin, Japanese sunscreen is more of an essential beauty product rather than something you reluctantly smear on your skin when you go to the beach.

Here are some recommendations that we ourselves use in our studio!

Cooling Wipes & Sprays

When we get all sweaty, nothing feels better than wiping it all off with a cooling wipe! These are no ordinary wet wipes — usually infused with menthol, they’ll leave you feeling cool and refreshed.

Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it! These guys can be found at any Japanese convenience store or supermarket!

Cooling Ring

It’s a ring that you put around your neck so your body can stay cool and/or cool off quicker! Just stick it in the freezer before going out, then put it on your neck right before you step outside!

These are increasingly available everywhere! From ¥100 stores like Daiso to supermarkets, department stores.

Electrolyte Drinks

With the high humidity, your body will sweat a lot! It’s important to replace the fluids in your body with not only water, but liquids that have a balance of the salts that you have lost as well!

Pocari Sweat & Aquarius are two brands you will see everywhere in Japan: From convenience stores, to even the random vending machine next to the beach! You can even get them frozen in stores to they stay cool for longer.

Ice Cream!

Finally, we have reached my favourite summer treat! The most perfect thing ever to eat to cool down on a hot summer day: Ice cream!

In Okinawa, of course you have to cool down with Blue Seal! Originally an ice cream chain from the US, Blue Seal is now proudly Okinawan. ♡ Some original Okinawan flavours include Chinsuko Salt Cookies, Beni-imo Purple Potato, and Shiikuasa Lime!

If you’d like, you can even add on a Blue Seal photoshoot to your wedding photoshoot session with us!

What are you waiting for? Book a summer wedding photoshoot with us today!