13 Words for a Perfect Japanese Summer (part 3)

 

Yukata - 浴衣 

If you’re going to a summer festival, you’ll need a yukata! Not to be confused with kimono, yukata are light cotton robes worn in summer. They’re a summer version of the heavy, formal, silk kimono. Yukata can be worn by both men and women. People love to wear them to summer festivals and other summer events!

Yukata are usually worn with an obi (sash), geta (wooden sandals), sensu or uchiwa (foldable or fixed hand fan), and kinchaku (bag).

Uchiwa - 団扇

Photo from https://www.kyo-aiba.jp/

Uchiwa are the flat, round fans used in Japan during the summer. They are traditionally made from bamboo and paper, although nowadays they are often plastic! People use them to keep cool and to fan cooking and barbecues. Also, many traditional matsuri (festival) dances incorporate uchiwa. A lot of companies print advertising messages onto the flat surface and hand them out for free in the summer. Not to be confused with 扇子 (sensu) – a folding fan.

Hanabi - 花火

Hanabi (fireworks) are an essential part of Japanese summer festivals. Almost all towns and cities will have their own fireworks displays in mid-summer. In some towns, the summer fireworks show is the biggest event of the year! The warm nights are perfect for sitting out late and watching the show. Unlike some western countries where we watch fireworks in autumn or at New Year, in Japan, fireworks are very much a summer event.

Oh, and the kanji is pretty cool too: 花 (hana – flower) 火 (bi – fire).

Kakigoori - かき氷

Photo from https://www.kyo-aiba.jp

Kakigoori is a Japanese dessert made from shaved ice with a topping of syrup and condensed milk. Sometimes it’s served with other toppings such as red beans or fresh fruit.  This is a must-try if you are in Japan in summer! You can find kakigoori anywhere, from pop-up stalls at summer festivals to fancy specialist shops. The ice cools you down and isn’t too heavy. You can even buy ice-shaving machines to try yourself at home.

Suikawari - スイカ割り

Suikawari means ‘watermelon splitting’. The word is made of スイカ (suika – watermelon) and 割り(wari – split). It’s a popular summer game where children wear a blindfold and take turns hitting a watermelon with a stick until it smashes open. A bit like a piñata! Suikawari is often played at beaches, barbeques, and family parties.

Source: https://teamjapanese.com/13-words-perfect-japanese-summer/

Read more:

13 Words for a Perfect Japanese Summer (part 1)

13 Words for a Perfect Japanese Summer (part 2)