Now that the rainy season（梅雨 tsuyu）is finally over, the sun is out and shining! It’s a great time to catch up on the laundry and other things you couldn’t do because of the rain. The end of this year’s rainy season is actually the second earliest Kinki area has experienced so far, with it officially ending on July 9th (the earliest was on July 3rd in 1978). Although it’s a relief that there will be fewer chances of flooding due to rain, we will now have to take precautionary measures for the extreme heat as we head into mid-summer.
In the Kansai region, (Kinki area) temperatures sky rocket with all-time highs around 34ºC (~93ºF) after rainy season. Because the temperature rises at such a fast rate, our bodies take time to acclimate to the heat, making us more prone to suffering from heat strokes and dehydration. Please try to manage your health to the best of your ability; stay hydrated, keep replenishing your ions with a sports drink, and try to keep your air conditioner at temperature that’s comfortable but not extremely different from the temperature outside. Otherwise, you may catch a summer cold!

100-yen stores are a good and cheap place to stock up on the essentials. They sell everything, from fans to ice packs for you neck to wipes with menthol to keep you fresh and cool.