Yukata In Summer

Japanese summer calls for activities with a cooling effect, such as:

1. spending time in the water, such as public pool, resort pool, beach and river

2. visiting summer festivals, where you can eat "kaki-gori" (or in Bahasa, es serut / in English, shaved ice) with colorful sauce of strawberry, green tea, blueberry and "lamune"　(lemon soda), or a watermelon festival, where you get to break a watermelon with your eyes covered up.

3. taking a stroll in the park, hiking in the mountainside

Unlike in the old days when kimono was a daily wear for Japanese, nowadays the only time you can see many children and adults wearing kimono is during summer. Summer kimono is called yukata, which is worn only during July and August. Yukata has also become a popular souvenier for foreigners to bring home, because they are sold in various size, colorful and attractive, easy to wear and reasonable. (The price varied from 980 Yen to 20,000 Yen).

I used to wonder why the Japanese like to wear yukata in summer, considering the heat. However, I learnt that by wearing yukata you can take the heat off summer. Most Yukata is made of 100% cotton, that absorbs our sweat and it is designed in such a way that allows ventilation around the arms. Its long sleeves actually protects us from getting sunburn. Here is one of Japanese traditional customs that still lasts to these days . . . amazing!

Bon Festival in August

Nowadays, i learnt that although many Japanese do not claim themselves to be Buddhist, they actually perform Buddhist customs with respect to honoring the spirits of ancestors. Mid August is the period where people here celebrates Bon Festival, a festival honoring the deceased, which was originally called the Feasts of Lanterns. In the past during this festival people would dance, called a Bon Odori.

Having said that, such customs are less formal nowadays among the younger people. Rather than going to the cemetery and honoring their ancestors, younger people usually just go to their hometown and meet with their family and relatives. They go to the local summer festival, where they can dance without specifically calling it a Bon Odori. The truth is Bon Festival has become a summer festival in Japan where people wear yukata (a summer kimono) watching summer fireworks, celebrating summer with watermelon party, watching carnivals ride and fireworks, playing summer games with family and friends.

Eventhough it is not declared as national holiday, most Japanese companies close for holidays during Bon Festival, for at least 3 days until about a week. Many activities in the government office also take a slow down during this period. In Tokyo, Yokohama and Tohoku region, Bon Festival is held earlier, which is know as Shichigatsu Bon or Bon in July, that is from July 15th. Others celebrates Kyu-Bon, which is from August 15th. Different region in Japan held the festival on different dates, but in general summer holiday here starts from mid July to mid August.

Personally, I think Bon Festival is an important period, where we can remind ourselves of our precious life through remembering the deceased, and celebrate it with those beloved people around us.

For more pictures of local celebration during Bon Festival, click below, from Akita Prefecture:

http://www.ugomachi.com/e_ugo/bonodori/e_index.html