Braving the Summer Heat in Japan: Playing Pickleball at Tokyo Tower

Attractions at Haneda Airport: Godzilla, Torii gate with Edo painting, and Tanabata Display

BritishProf has been on his travels, first to the UK, and more recently to Karuizawa, the mountain resort town famous for escaping the summer heat. For the UK, I flew from Haneda Airport, just south of central Tokyo, MUCH more convenient than Narita. Haneda has expanded and developed substantially in recent years, and was recently named the World's Best Domestic Airport and recognised for having the World's Best Accessible Facilities at the World Airport Awards. The new Terminal 1 North Satellite is set to open in September 2026 boasting Japan's first hybrid wood-steel terminal structure and promising to improve passenger flow and reduce bus gate usage for domestic operations. In short, if you're flying to or from Tokyo, domestic or international, Haneda is by far the best option: not to mention it also has interesting displays such as the world's largest indoor Godzilla monument, artworks (the picture features the 17th century Cooling Off or 納涼図屏風 by Kusumi Morikage), and seasonal events (such as the interactive Tanabata festival corner which encouraged travellers to write their hopes and dreams on colorful strips of paper called tanzaku).

 

Japan has certainly heated up considerably since I first flew out from Haneda, and despite temperatures in England reaching record highs, they are nothing in comparison to the consecutive 35 degree plus days and 80% humidity which has become the norm in Japanese summertime. The Cooling Off sketch mentioned above, featuring a family of three enjoying an evening breeze and gazing at the moon, makes one yearn for the end of summer, and the painting itself does indeed hint at the coming autumn with its rising full moon and the ripening gourds growing on the vines on the trells. For now, though there is nothing to do but brave the heat but one can at least enjoy some of the delightful summer blooms such as the water lily, properly known as the Indian/Sacred Lotus (Hasu in Japanese) , with its gorgeous pink flowers.

 

Keeping fit in the dog days of summer is tough, but for a light workout at an interesting venue why not try pickleball at Tokyo Tower? The white and red lattice communications tower was famously inspired by the Eiffel Tower: at 333 metres it is just 3 metres taller than its French rival! It was the tallest tower in Japan and one of Tokyo's main tourist attractions until the opening of the 634 metre Tokyo Skytree in 2012. Tokyo Tower's two observation decks remain popular though: the two-story 150 metre Main Deck (¥1500) and the smaller almost 250 metre Top Deck (¥3500). A final tourist attraction is the five-story base building known as FootTown which houses a number of restaurants, gift shops, and other attractions, including two pickleball courts at the top (RF). Pickleball is unique mix of tennis, badminton, and table tennis and is played with a solid paddle and a perforated plastic ball on a badminton-sized court with a lowered net. While first introduced to Japan only in 2014, it enjoyed a surge in popularity following a 2024 tournament held at Ariake Tennis Park; the Tokyo Tower Pickleball Court opened in July 2025 and in 2026 the two leading organisations in Japan merged to form one governing body, Pickleball Japan. It was my first time playing, but it was easy for beginners to pick up and not too strenuous. The only problem was the wind, with the ball - essentially a light plastic ball with holes - really being affected by the gusts. Maybe playing half way up Tokyo Tower was not a good idea after all! Any experience with interesting or unusual sports inside or outside Japan? Let us know in the COMMENTS!

Dog-Friendly Travel in the Izu Peninsula and Praying for Pets' Health at Jingi Shrine

Here in Tokyo, the rainy season is over, and the brutally hot summer heat has hit with a vengeance. Shizuoka reached 40℃ on July 7th and its pretty much certain that the 2020 record of 41.1℃ will be broken at some point this year. The Japan Association for Acute Medicine (JAAM) seems to think so too, and has added a new "special heatstroke alert" (熱中症特別警戒アラート) level to its heatstroke index; the Ministry of the Environment publishes a daily map showing which areas are under heat stroke or special heat stroke alerts (pictured). This is based on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WGBT), a measure of the heat stress in direct sunlight; anything over 31 is classified as dangerous and exercise outside is not recommended. Special cooling shelters (クーリングシェルター）have been set up in community centres and shopping malls and parasols have become ubiquitous, among both men and women.

As well as keeping hydrated, as I have written before, one of the ways to prevent heat-stroke, avoid natsu-bate (heat fatigue), and generally survive the fierce Japanese summer heat is to eat nutritious, stamina-boosting foods. Traditionally, foods beginning with "u" are said to be good and one of the best is unagi or eel. In fact, there is a special day for eating eel known as doyō no ushi no hi (土用の丑の日) or "day of the ox", traditionally the height of the summer. This year doyō no ushi day fell on July 24th, though there is also a second "eel" day on August 5th (for a full explanation see here). Personally, I also love deep-fried eel bones, crunchy, salty, and guaranteed to shake off the summer blues - though every single one of my British friends found them utterly repugnant when I brought them back as souvenirs on my last trip back!

Looking for a little respite, we headed to the Izu Peninsula (伊豆半島) which, despite being in Shizuoka Prefecture, is a good three or four degrees cooler than Tokyo. I highly recommend the Odoriko (踊り子) special train which runs from Tokyo, via Atami, to either Shimoda (stopping at Kawazu) in the south or Shuzenji on the west coast. I have already written about Atami, the traditional Japanese sea-side resort and hot-spring paradise. I would also recommend Kawazu, famous for its 850 cherry blossom trees along the Kawazu River in the spring. In this extreme heat though the best thing about Kawazu is the hour-long trail in the mountains along the “seven waterfalls of Kawazu,” (河津七滝) which is deliciously refreshing and cool to walk along. This area is also the setting for Nobel Literature Prize Winner Yasunari Kawabata’s famous novel of first love, “The Dancing Girl of Izu” (伊豆の踊子) from which the special train gets its name. Kawazu is also famous for wasabi (Japanese horseradish) grown in the streams of Amagi, and local wasabi dishes, such as buckwheat noodles and even ice-cream, are widely available.

We stayed near Ito City not far from the coast since we wanted to take our much-loved dog, Jaz (Jasmine), to the beach where she loves digging holes in the sand - but adamantly refuses to go near the water! The whole area is amazingly dog-friendly, both in terms of restaurants/cafes and accommodation. Jaz is a "shelter dog" (hogoken=保護犬) who was found abandoned and dangerously mal-nourished in Saitama in spring 2011; she was taken to a government shelter (保健所) where she was due to be put down but was saved by a local animal rescue organisation and we adopted her in October of that year (see here for an older post). Two years ago, she was diagnosed with leukemia (白血病) and has been undergoing treatment at a university hospital in Musashino City since. Not knowing how much time we have left together we wanted to spend some quality time with her - and also take her to the famous dog/cat shrine at Jingi Shrine (神祇大社) in Ito to pray for her health.

Climbing up the steep stairs to Jingi Shrine, one is greeted by a magnificent view of the coast and refreshing sea breezes. After entering the shrine through the Torii gate and before praying at the altar, it is customary to purify yourself by washing your hands in a water trough with a ladle and in a nice touch there is a small stone water bowl where pets too are invited to purify themselves, a practice known as okiyome (お清め). We prayed at the shrine and then went over to the shop to buy an omamori (lucky charm or protective amulet) for Jaz; the priest also performed a purification (oharai=おはらい) ritual to drive evil spirits away by chanting and shaking bells (see the video below and note Jaz' reaction!). One can also buy a wooden wish plaque known as an ema (絵馬）in the shape of a dog or cat's head on which you draw your pet's face, write a wish, and hang up with hundreds of others. This (Japanese) post gives a great step-by-step description of one dog lover's trip to the shrine with her two dogs. Anyway, enjoy the video and look forward to hearing your COMMENTS!

Heaven and Hell in Hakone

Before being enveloped by the madness of the new academic year, I took the chance for a brief visit to Hakone, the last opportunity to re-charge the batteries (jūden suru =充電する) before classes begin. Hakone is a mountainous resort area a couple of hours west of Tokyo famous for its hot springs - and by association its volcanic activity. For most Japanese it also brings to mind the 100-year-old Tokyo-Hakone ekiden (long distance relay race) which is staple viewing in the New Year. Broadcast in its entirety on January 2nd (Otemachi to Hakone) and January 3rd (Hakone to Otemachi), the race has become a cultural institution which sees millions of Japanese glued to their screens as the university students complete their individual legs (20km~23km). Usually nothing much happens but now and again there is a show of individual fighting spirit or grit (konjō) which captures qualities which Japanese tend to value like perseverance, endurance, and team-spirit.

My trip was a much more sedate affair which involved a small minpaku (lodge, like a B&B) in the Gora (強羅) district, quite a few baths, and walking around Owakudani Valley and Lake Ashi (including the lovely Hakone Shrine, giant cedars, and famous torii gate on the lake's edge). Being up in the mountains, the heavenly cherry trees were still in bloom, in contrast to Tokyo where they had long finished. 

Taking the ropeway to see the boiling Sulphur springs at Owakudani Valley (the old crater of Mt. Kami) is quite an experience, not least because of all the signs warning of volcanic activity and the health risks due to the volcanic gases. Even riding up in the gondola, "people lacking confidence in health" are encouraged to cover their mouth and nose with the wet cloth provided! Arriving at the top, I found that the trail around the crater was closed off (due to increased volcanic activity); certainly, the smell was rather overpowering and the various warning signs, including one warning us to run into a building if the volcano erupts (!), were just a touch disconcerting. With this in mind, I decided to take shelter in the Geomuseum which gives great bilingual descriptions about the history of the volcano (a small explosion occurred in 2015), shows how the spring water is drawn and pumped, and discusses the mystery of the black eggs which turn that colour when boiled here (something which reportedly occurs only at Owakudani!).

 After the fumes - and bone-biting chill - of Owakudani, it was something of a relief to come down to Lake Ashi. Forgoing the pleasure of a trip across the lake on a full-scale pirate galleon (?), I headed towards Hakone Shrine, first founded in the 8th century, following a cedar pathway which shadowed the old Tokaido (Kyoto to Edo) Highway. The shrine itself is protected by a rather marvellous pair of moss-covered komainu (guardian lion dogs). As mentioned earlier, the torii or entrance/gate to the shrine is located on the shore itself, reminiscent of the famous "floating" vermilion torii at Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, Hiroshima. Gazing out over Lake Ashi through the torii gate, the hell-like scenes in the Owakudani Valley (short video below) seemed like a world away.

Praying for a Better - and Healthier - 2021 at Toshogu Shrine, Ueno's Hidden Gem

As 2020 draws to a close most Japanese are getting ready for hatsumōde (初詣), the first shrine visit of the year when people pray for good fortune. After a 2020 to forget, it is not to difficult to imagine what people will be wishing for this time round but if you're looking to avoid the queues - Meiji Shrine typically sees some three million visitors in the first three days of January - I recommend the much quieter and older Toshogu Shrine (東照宮) in Ueno - established in 1627 and dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, previously one of the "Great Unifiers" of Japan but now a powerful deity that visitors can pray to for good luck.

Not only is Toshogu Shrine less crowded than many others, it is also noticeable for its fusion of different styles: while the shrine itself is obviously a Shinto monument it is located on the premises of Kan'eiji (寛永寺), a Buddhist Temple and features a 32m 5-storied pagoda built in 1631. As I wrote  earlier in my post on the old capital Kamakura, until the 1868 Shinto and Buddhism Separation Order (神仏判然令), the two religions were freely mixed and combined. In Meiji, the pagoda was only spared demolition because it belonged to Kan'eiji Temple. The Buddhist influence can also be seen in the golden Chinese-style gate (karamon＝唐門) on the main shrine building, decorated with hand-carved flowers and birds and protected by two dragons - ascending and descending - carved into the gate pillars (these dragons are said to go to the nearby Shinobazu Pond every night to drink!).

A third  pointer to the Chinese influence are the 50 unique copper lanterns (tōrō=灯籠) lining the approach to the shrine (red dots in the map above). While such lanterns were originally used only in Buddhist temples mainly for illumination purposes, here they are not used for lighting but rather for purification: as we have seen before, purity and impurity are key elements in Shinto. As well as the copper lanterns there are also many more stone lanterns which begin when one walks through the stone torii gate which marks the entrance to the shrine (blue dots on the map). 

A final unusual feature of the shrine is the monument holding the eternal flame of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, decorated with thousands of paper cranes. As detailed in a previous post, the cranes come from the story of Sadako Sasaki who developed leukaemia after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and folded more than 1000 cranes in a futile attempt to prolong her life. While today they have become a symbol of peace they are also a broader reminder of the sanctity of life. As such, they may well serve as a potent reminder to visitors who come in the early days of 2021 to pray for health, longevity, and recovery from illness - things I wish for all of my loyal readers in the coming year.

"It's just Behaviour": How Acting more Japanese Could Help Defeat the Coronavirus

In my earlier post on the coronavirus situation in Japan (updated daily!), I suggested that one of the reasons that the virus may not have spread to the extent it has in Western countries could be cultural. I wrote that Japan is a hygiene-obsessed country at the best of times and hand-washing, gargling, masks, and hand-sanitiser - not to mention social distance and bowing instead of hand-shaking and hugging - are part of everyday life (especially during the influenza season which coincided with the start of the crisis). I also mentioned the plethora of anti-bacterial or kōkin (抗菌) goods on sale, from pens and slippers to bags and leg-warmers.
While it is true that Japan has conducted fewer tests than most other countries – at the time of writing WHO data gives a figure of 1.03 per thousand in stark contrast to its neighbour South Korea with almost 11.22 per thousand – it is also true that the number of deaths has remained extremely low: Japan's mortality rate was 2.5% as of April 23rd compared with 13.56% in the U.K. Moreover, hospitals have not been overrun. So could adopting Japanese cultural traits help us defeat the Coronavirus - and save lives? This seems less of a stretch if we remember that culture is simply the customs and behaviour of a particular people or society. Indeed, governments across the world have been encouraging us to change our daily habits. "It's just behaviour," said Dr Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, "each of our behaviours translating into something that changes the course of this viral pandemic."

Starting with the ideas and values that drive behaviour let's look in a little more detail at the Japanese focus on cleanliness and hygiene in Japan. In one of my earliest posts, I discussed Japanese high-tech toilets and the "clean/pure" inside (uchi =内) vs "dirty/polluted" outside (soto =外) divide. In the home, for example, this is evidenced by both the genkan (porch or entrance hall) where shoes are removed before stepping up into the house and also the toilet itself where household (often anti-bacterial) toilet slippers need to be worn. The distinction between clean and dirty is rooted in Japan's indigenous religion, Shinto; the torii gate to the shrine, often festooned with shide purifying paper, marks the boundary between the sacred (pure) and the profane (impure).

Overall and hat for school lunch duty

One consequence of this concept of the outside as dirty (kitanai=汚い) is that the importance of removing shoes, hand-washing, and gargling is drilled into youngsters from an early age. In schools, children change into indoor slip-on shoes (uwabaki=上履き) at the entrance. In public schools, school lunch (kyūshoku) is typically provided and everybody washes their hands thoroughly before eating. Students take turns to dish out the food and the student on duty (tōban) for that day will typically wear an overall or apron, hat, and mask (pictured). Given this cultural background, recent songs by Arashi  and (below) Pikotaro imploring everyone to wash their hands seem unnecessary.

Another Japanese (indeed Asian) habit that can save lives is the wearing of masks. As I discussed in detail here, Japanese wear masks for a variety of reasons, from covering the face when there was no time to make-up and preventing a sore throat to stopping hay fever and the spread of cold/flu. Part of the culture of mask wearing is consideration for others: it is safe and reassuring for others if you are wearing a mask. This is a point that was not well understood by WHO and most Western governments who initially said that masks were not recommended. In contrast, countries such as Korea strongly recommended masks as a way to limit the spread of infection. In other words, the Western perspective was that masks were unlikely to prevent an individual catching the virus; in contrast the Asian perspective was that masks were effective in stopping the spread of the virus to others (especially relevant since around 10% of cases are asymptomatic). Belatedly, we are now seeing a change in the WHO position to one condoning the wearing of masks.

In conclusion, there is a lot of evidence that acting more Japanese can help protect both ourselves and others. In Japan, as outlined in this Japan Times article, there has been a flood of tweets and blog posts arguing that Japanese cultural practices have contributed to the low number of infections. Cell biologist Hironori Funabiki, for example, mentions washlets on high-tech toilets, lack of speaking on public transport and at ceremonies, few religious assemblies, and the fact that few foods are eaten with bare hands (most snacks are individually wrapped). The article cited above does finish with a word of caution, though, introducing one Japanese cultural trait that could actually increase the spread of the virus: shame. Japanese are for the most part very sensitive about causing trouble or inconvenience for others (the word for this, meiwaku, is frequently used to admonish adults and children alike) and this could make people reluctant to get tested for fear of embarrassing their company or in-group. Indeed, there is a underlying feeling that health is "all in the mind" (yamai wa ki kara) and anybody who has fallen ill must be at least partly to blame for not taking proper care of their health (kenkō kanri). Of course this can also work to encourage people to take more care. In the final analysis, whatever culture we hail from we all need to take a little extra care - and be a little more considerate - if we and those around us are to survive these difficult times.

End of an Era at Meiji Shrine: Giant Torii, Sacred Sake, and Horns of Jealousy

Blossom for soon-to-be-empress Princess Masako

Here in Japan, as the sakura bloom, many are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the new era name as the current emperor prepares to abdicate (Just announced - the new name is Reiwa=令和). As well as the Western calendar, Japan also has its own calendar known as the nengō (年号) system; in modern times this has corresponded with the name of an imperial era. So the Heisei era (as the current period is known) started with the accession of the current emperor Akihito in January 1989 and will end on April 30 2019 - the 31st year of Heisei - when he abdicates in favour of Crown Prince Naruhito. Interestingly, during his reign the emperor is never called by his name but only as emperor (ten'nō=天皇); after his reign he will be referred to as Emperor Heisei (平成天皇). Thus, if you ask a Japanese the real name of a current or former emperor most will not know.

The custom of posthumously naming an Emperor after the era during which they ruled began after the death of the Emperor Meiji in 1912 (film buffs may remember the very young emperor portrayed in The Last Samurai). The Emperor Meiji is enshrined - but not buried - in Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingū=明治神宮) which boasts 100,000 trees right in the centre of Tokyo, just a stone's throw from Harajuku Station. The shrine was finished in 1920, burnt down during World War II, and rebuilt in 1958. The giant torii gate at the entrance to the shrine complex must be one of the most photographed places in Tokyo. As you walk into the shrine, there are more of these imposing gates, including the Ōtorii (大鳥居) Grand Shrine Gate which at 12m tall is the biggest wooden torii in Japan. It is made of 1500 year old Japanese cypress (hinoki) and if you look carefully, you will also see branches with sakaki leaves tied to the bottom of the gates, a species of evergreen sacred to Shinto.


Talking of things sacred to Shinto, sake (rice wine) is high on the list. Walking through the shrine precinct you will come across a giant wall of refined sake (seishu=清酒) barrels wrapped in straw which are given as offerings every year by the Sake Brewers Association. A little further on you will come to the Meiji Memorial Hall where the Meiji Constitution was signed; Shinto weddings (shinzen kekkon =神前結婚) are also performed here (if you have enough money!). (Ceremonial) sake drinking is a key part of the ceremony, specifically the drinking of three cups three times (nan-nan-san-ku-do). The evergreen mentioned earlier also features, with the priest offering some to the altar near the end of the ceremony.

These two giant 'husband and wife' camphor trees planted in 1920 at the time of the enshrinement of the emperor have become a symbol of happy marriage and harmonious life within the family

The day I visited I was lucky enough to see a wedding procession headed by the Shinto priests (note the amagutsu footwear) followed by two shrine maidens (miko) and the bride and groom. Note the bride's white paper headwear, known as a tsuno-kakushi (角隠し) or "horn hider". The meaning of this is rather unclear, but in Japan if someone is angry people often gesture with index fingers making horns on the head. Thus, the "horn hider" seems to mean that wives should suppress any anger/jealousy and be obedient to their husband! For those of you who assume this is the 'traditional' gender role, be careful: the Shinto marriage ceremony and indeed many of the social norms relating to how wives and mothers 'should' act are recent inventions, created after the beginning of the Meiji era.

Guardian Lion-dogs: The Beginning and End of all Things

Komainu pair with torii gate and fox pair in background

One of the ideas behind the blog is to observe the everyday, to stroll the streets of the metropolis noticing the little things that are missed by most and examine them with a view to gaining a deeper understanding of Japanese society (in this sense, I am very much influenced by the notion of the flâneur or flâneuse). A good example are the tiny red torii gates (discussed here) strategically placed to deter passers-by from urinating or dumping rubbish.

Left komainu (mouth closed) at Yamagata Gokoku-jinja

Today's object of interest are komainu (狛犬) or lion-dogs, pairs of wooden, stone, or metal animals typically guarding and protecting the entrance to a shrine or sometimes temple. In this sense, they are similar to the pairs of foxes (introduced in a previous post) which are a common sight at temples and shrines dedicated to the Goddess Inari across Japan (including the most famous of all, Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto). Sometimes these komainu can be enormous. In Yamagata City, a new pair of komainu made from metal were unveiled to guard the Shrine for the War Dead (Gokoku-jinja=護国神社) produced using a local cast/mould technique in the aptly named Dō-machi (literally "Bronze neighbourhood"). It is said they will last "18,000 years."

A small pair of komainu on the gate of a house

Shīsā in Okinawa

Unlike foxes, komainu are also seen (in miniature) at the entrance to regular houses and even rooftops, especially in Okinawa where they are called shīsā (シーサー) and are found all over the place (often made of red clay). One interesting feature of these beast pairs is that the lion-dog on the left typically has its mouth closed while the one on the right has its mouth open. The open mouth is said to be pronouncing the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet (a) while the closed mouth one is pronouncing the final letter (um/n), giving the sacred sound "Aum/n" (sometimes written Om) which is said to represent the beginning and end of all things. In everyday conversation, this has a positive meaning: if a couple or group perform an action together seamlessly, almost telepathically, for example in sport, it is refered to as aun no kokyū (あうん[阿吽]の呼吸).

Unfortunately, the word Aum has a different, darker connotation for most Japanese: Aum Shinrikyō (オウム真理教) is the name of the doomsday cult which carried out the 1995 sarin Tokyo subway attack which killed 12 and injured nearly 1000. 23 years on, speculation is rife that preparations are now being made to execute the 13 members who were found guilty of the crime, including blind guru Asahara (yes, Japan still has the death penalty). What was particularly shocking for Japanese was that many of the perpetrators were young elite post-graduates from Japan's top universities. There was much soul-searching over why this was and reasons posited included the post-war spiritual vacuum, alienation from an overly-materialist society, and loneliness/lack of community due to rapid urbanisation.