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 Welcoming "Shoman": Preparing Your Body and Mind for the Japanese Early Summer

May 21st, the day after tomorrow, marks the beginning of a season called "Shoman." In Japan, we have a beautifully detailed calendar called the 24 Solar Terms (Niju-shi Sekki), which further divides the four seasons into 24 distinct periods. Since we are entering the period of Shoman, I would like to explain a little bit about what it means.

Shoman translates to "all things gradually grow and begin to fill the earth." With trees turning lush green and a pleasant, gentle breeze blowing, it is arguably one of the most beautiful seasons in Japan.

However, let's talk about how these subtle seasonal changes affect our bodies. During Shoman, there is a significant temperature difference between the hot days and cool mornings and evenings. Additionally, the humidity gradually begins to rise as we approach the upcoming rainy season (Tsuyu). As a result, it is common to experience early summer fatigue, such as feeling sluggish or experiencing a decline in digestive functions.

(I plan to write a separate, more detailed article about this later, but) last weekend, my family and I took a trip to Yamanashi Prefecture. Yamanashi is geographically a basin, so heat tends to get trapped, making it extremely hot when temperatures rise. However, we stayed not at the bottom of the basin, but in a mountain glamping cottage.

The elevation there was nearly 1,000 meters. Because of the altitude change, if you bring a beer bought at a supermarket in the valley up to the campsite and open it, the foam will suddenly pop and spill over! If you had bought a bag of potato chips, the bag would be completely puffed up. Spending time with my son in the great outdoors created wonderful memories, and as a father, I was so happy we could have such a fun and refreshing weekend getaway.

I often hear from foreign residents in Japan about how much they struggle with the humidity and the overwhelming summer heat here. Especially in recent years, due to global warming, the intense heat has become quite severe, and I know it can be a real source of distress.

Taking trips to cooler summer retreats (hishochi) and actively taking measures against the scorching Japanese summer have become essential given recent environmental changes. For expats who are already navigating life in a foreign country, taking care of your physical condition is extremely important.

Please don't push yourselves too hard. When you don't have much of an appetite due to the heat, try eating some Japanese summer food like Somen (cold noodles) and just take it easy.