Japan Blog Matsuri:June 2010: Hot fun in the Summer Time!
Welcome to the June 2010 edition of the Japan Blog Matsuri! This month’s theme is:
So, you’re looking for some cool things to do this summer? Well. you’ve come to the right place! Even if you’re just curious about how some of the people here in Japan spend their summer, you’re at the blog to be. The answers are here!
By the way, as you check out these submissions please take notes. After you’ve peeped them , vote for your favorite on the poll provided at the bottom of this post. You can leave a comment too if you’re so inclined.
So, are you ready? Cool!
1-The first submission is from Muza-chan, over at Muza-chan’s Gate to Japan. A piece about a festival where you can cool yourself and have a lot of fun at the same time known as the Mizudome-no-Mai (Rain-Stopping Dance)
2-This next piece is from the Humor-us Guide to Japan. They’ve submitted a piece about Shiraishi Island, in the Inland Sea. I don’t know about y’all, but it’s on my short list of travel plans this summer.
3-This next submission comes to us from Budget Trouble. A piece about summer festivals and events in Tochigi. What can be cooler in the summer than Yukata? A festive fundoshi, of course (-:
4-And, up next, a warning of a big FAIL on the Hanabi in Sumida from our good friends at Spam From Japan. He’s also generous enough to recommend some Hanabi that are worth the time and effort. Thanks, yo! You saved me at least one trip to Tokyo this summer!
5-Here’s a piece from Surviving in Japan (without much Japanese) advising us where to chill out in Shizuoka this summer! I love Hot Springs myself but I’ve always gone in the winter for obvious reasons, but maybe I’ll give this a shot!
6- Here’s a piece from the man I’ve deemed the Notorious IG, better know as the Invisible Gaijin, IMHO the funniest blogger in Asia. And this post, on 10 ways to enjoy a hot summer in Japan, exemplifies why. Enjoy!
7- Our man Caught Red-handed was On tour in Tokyo this summer (sorry I missed him) and offers us some of his thoughts and pics from his epic adventure.
8- How would summer in Japan be without cold brews, beaches, and bikinis ? Well, fortunately, and thanks in part to my man Reesan over at lonleeplanet, I can’t answer that question. Cuz we got all three, and how!
9- What do summer, BBQ and a pig have in common? And, I mean a whole pig! The original Hawaiian Badboy himself shows us (and his students over at his English school) how to BBQ righteously in this gorgeous pic-filled submission from Chris’ English School!
10-They say Music has charms to sooth a savage beast. That’s all well and good, but what about the sweltering masses on a jime jime (muggy) day in Yokohama? Well, Shoujiki Shindoi (great name btw—means “Frankly, I’m beat!”) tells us certain songs can have a cooling effect. Call them Natsu no uta, (summer songs) and a number of them are provided here. Maybe I’ll learn a couple. (-; Thanks Rene.
11-Politicomix, a site by a fellow New Yorker doing his thing over here outside Tokyo (his thing just happens to be political comics) submitted this next piece, a short comic about the relationship between the Japanese early summer rainy season (known as Tsuyuu) and warm toilets. A must read.
12- This next entry comes from that connoisseur of the finer things Japan has to offer like Sake and Jukujo: McAlpine over at The Soul Of Japan. He offers up some great ideas on how to have some Summer Fun if water parks and fireworks just aren’t your thing. I’m with you there, bruh!
13- Arlene & Akira, Fefu and Poo brought us this next short piece about their adoration of spending those summer weeks playing with fireworks and trying to photograph spirits! I think they caught a couple, too!
14- Japan Style shows us a traditional Japanese way of keeping cool: Furin, or Wind Chimes. Check out the pics and Furin performers in the video. They are pretty chilling, actually.
15- Being a big fan of Fuji-kyu Highland myself, I’m betting I’ll run into Shana on a roller coaster while she’s out living the Life of a Banana in Japan. She offers up a number of other tips for adventure seekers to get into this summer because, like it or not, it’s official, baby: Summer’s here!
16- Japan Dave offers the simplest of all the ways to keep cool in the coming Dog Days: Refreshments anyone?
17- And last, but certainly not least (and submitted exactly at the deadline), we finish with a post from Vania over at Otaku Hime. Though she is not in Japan, her enthusiasm about Japan has brought her into contact with a number of people, nihonjin and foreigners alike, and through them she shares with us some of the great things about summer in Japan. Very Creative!
That’s aboout it for the June 2010 Japan Blog Matsuri. Thank you all for participating–otsukaresama deshita–and a thanks to you readers for stopping by to check out the submissions.
I also want to send out special thanks to Ken Y-N of WhatJapanThinks.com for founding the Japan Blog Matsuri, to Nick over at Japansoc for reviving it. And to all of you who re-tweeted my announcement and reminders, thank you too!
Next month’s Matsuri will be hosted by Mokudekiru. I’m sure it’s gonna be alldat so stay tuned! For more information on participating in or hosting the Japan Blog Matsuri check out the FAQ page here.
Well, here’s the poll! And, once you’ve finished voting, why not drop a line or two in the comments and let us know what you think of this month’s matsuri.
I guess my break is over. Back to our regularly scheduled programming. Next episode of Live from Locohama, the reality show, is on the way!
Loco
great work on this month's matsuri loco! i am reading the entries with great envy as it is winter time on the side of the world that i'm at.
Well, Loco, you've done us all proud. There's a mammoth amount of posts and as the subject was so strong, all of them were great to read. Looking forward to the next matsuri next month now!
Thanks for hosting this collection of summer-related posts. Great idea and a very interesting collection
thanks exotic! glad you liked it (-:
Hey Reesan! Couldn't have done it without the support of people like you, so thank you!
Thanks Red!
Thanks for the shout and for hosting this Matsuri
Definitely one of the best Japan Blog Matsuri, it was an excellent subject and this lead to many good posts.
Thank you, Loco-Sensei! ^_^
Thanks Muza-chan, you're too kind
Thanks Chris! My pleasure….
Thanks Franzi (-: I was trying to do it up nicely. I wish I knew HTML Flash and all that jazz. But, I did the best I could with my limited skills and time. Thanks again for your support as always
Loco
You already know it, but you did a really good job on this matsuri, Loco
So many great entries that give a vivid picture of what Japanese summer is like. It's hard to decide which one is the best… I think I'll stick to the first one although I'd like to vote for some others as well.
I know it's too late to add these for any kind of vote, but I've been writing some short how to's for my friend who is going to be visiting Japan in a month.
http://www.ablogabroad.com/?p=692 <– How to: Beat the Heat in Japan
http://www.ablogabroad.com/?p=570 <– How to: Dress for Asian Summers
Just thought I'd add them to the list in hindsight.
“Japan Blog Matsuri:June 2010: Hot fun in the Summer Time!” blog post is really nice.
This is one of the best blog in japan.
Thanks for sharing with us. Keep it up!!