Summer travel in Japan 夏の日本旅行
Mount Fuji Sunset
©manjik / 123RF
Summer in Japan is a season of simple beauty and deep cultural significance. It embodies the time of year when the Japanese celebrate both the summer heat and their cultural heritage through matsuri, traditional festivals.
Wearing light kimonos called yukata, geta, wooden clappers and a beautiful uchiwa fan, the Japanese gather in the streets at dusk to share a festive moment. It's during these 3 summer months that the festivities are most numerous and spectacular. However, summers in Japan are also particularly humid and stifling, with temperatures regularly climbing above 30°C. So it's best to get away from the scorching asphalt of the cities and enjoy the fresh air of the countryside. From the northern mountains of Hokkaido to the paradisiacal beaches of the south, all the way to Okinawa, there's always a place to enjoy the season, ice cream in hand!
Summer between mountains and seaside resorts
Less than 2 hours away by train, the Izu Peninsula and the 5 Lakes region offer spectacular scenery at the foot of Mount Fuji. Let's discover these popular summer destinations!
Izu Peninsula
Renowned for its superb sandy beaches, picturesque resorts and surfing spots, the Izu Peninsula is one of the most popular places for Japanese people, especially Tokyoites. Shimoda, a charming coastal town in the south of the peninsula, is probably the largest seaside resort. A unique blend of immense white-sand beaches, historic lanes and lively neighborhoods, vacationers love to soak up the summer sun and go surfing. Shimoda was also very popular with Emperor Meiji himself, who had a resort built here, the Suzaki villa, which is still in use today.
Not far away, in Kawazu, tourists come mainly for the hot springs and the lovely views they offer over the river or the sea.
La ravissante petite rue de Perry Road à Shimoda
paylessimages
The charm of the city of Shimoda
Clemence Leleu
Shimoda's beaches attract a lot of people
Idikula Mathew
Heading inland, you can continue on to the Seven Cascades. Located in the center of the peninsula, the charming spa village of Shuzenji offers a timeless escape. Its temple in the heart of the town and its picturesque architecture immerse visitors in an apparent tranquillity. Stroll through Shuzenji's gardens and bamboo forest, visit historic temples, enjoy onsens and local crafts. In summer, the Shuzenji fireworks display is a popular event!
To get away from the hustle and bustle of the summer season, it's best to cross the peninsula to its western coast. This is less frequented by tourists and therefore more peaceful. The west coast also offers the best view of Mount Fuji. The panoramic Nishiizu Skyline road offers spectacular views of the sea and Mount Fuji, as does Cape Toda, a popular spot for photographers. Last but not least, the best way to admire this volcanic coastline is to take the short cruise from Dogashima, which also leads to a little-known sea cave with an enchanting light. You can also visit Toi's former gold mines, where you'll find the world's largest gold ingot, weighing in at 250 kilos!
Grotte de Dogashima sur la péninsule d'Izu
©Zairon
Around Mount Fuji
Situated between Mount Fuji and the Izu Peninsula, the 5 Lakes tourist region offers a charming array of natural sites. Offering probably one of the finest views of Mount Fuji in the country, the lake-surrounded towns of Hakone, Fujigoko and Kawaguchiko are must-sees for walkers. With bike paths all around the lakes, hiking trails overlooking the valley, or boats floating peacefully, there are a myriad of ways to enjoy the region and admire Mount Fuji!
Also read: Views of Mount Fuji: 5 places to see it best
The charming, mountainous town of Hakone is renowned for its onsen, hot springs and a wide variety of art museums, including the Chokoku no Mori open-air museum, as well as its torii at the foot of the water and cruises on Lake Ashi from its pirate ship! Visitors can take the cable car up to the Owakudani volcanic site for a breathtaking view of Mt. In Fujigoko, you can admire the magnificent fields of brightly-colored flowers that carpet the foot of Fujisan. Last but not least, Kawaguchiko is probably the most popular observation point on Mount Fuji. Under the summer sky, forest paths and historic walkways bear witness to a harmony between art and nature. Kawaguchiko is also the starting point for climbing Mount Fuji via the 5ᵉ station.
Kawaguchiko by bike
Mt Fuji from Kawaguchiko
Lake Kawaguchiko Sakura Mount Fuji
Midori
Kawaguchiko Music Forest
By xiquinhosilva from Cacau - 67319-Fujisan, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74574665
Climbing Fujisan is a very popular activity in summer. The hiking trails are only open for two months of the year, from July to August, so it's often a case of climbing in single file. Mount Fuji fascinates both at the foot and at the summit, where the enchanting panorama unfolds with every step.
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Matsuri and Haanabi, the festivals that punctuate summer
Matsuri, the summer festivals
On the menu for summer matsuri: religious processions, fireworks and yukata (light kimono). Traditional festivals are very important moments for the Japanese, and provide a good opportunity to get together with family and friends. Matsuri often have a religious character, but are also simply an opportunity to have fun, watch fireworks or sample food from the many stalls. Summer and its climate are, of course, very conducive to these outdoor festivities. Here are some of the archipelago's most famous matsuri and traditional summer festivals!
The Gion Matsuri is a major event in Kyoto. This ancient celebration takes place throughout July, but the most important procession is held on July 17 in the city center. The 33 huge Yamahoko floats are paraded, and the Japanese joyfully take to the streets, dressed in yukatas and geta (wooden clappers). A few days later in Osaka, the Tenjin Matsuri is held near the Tenman-gû shrine. It's a boat festival: 3,000 people in Edo period costumes (1603-1868) take to the water on boats at nightfall, and a huge fireworks display takes place. A true immersion in Japanese culture!
Char du défilé de Gion Matsuri
©japan experience
Gion Matsuri
©japan experience
©JapanExperience
In August, we celebrate the stars with the Tanabata Matsuri. In Sendai, the festival is spectacular, with giant decorations floating all over town. Dances, musical performances and fireworks are also on the program!
- Discover also: Summer music festivals in Japan
Hanabi, the fireworks
Summer in Japan wouldn't be complete without the famous fireworks, hanabi taikai. With hundreds of festivals from north to south, summer fireworks are a veritable institution in Japan. Meaning "flowers of fire" (hanabi), they explode in the sky and are reflected in the night waters, watched by a compact crowd. These fireworks are renowned for their colorful and impressive displays. Every year, the fireworks engineers take up the challenge of dazzling spectators even more.
Combined with the mildness of the season and the relaxed atmosphere that accompanies them, hanabi are an unmissable ritual of the Japanese summer. Spectators love to don their yukata, as they do during the matsuri, and stroll through the streets filled with food stalls and games for young and old alike.
The Sumidagawa Hanabi, the fireworks display on the Sumida River in the heart of Tokyo, is one of the oldest and most famous. The fireworks are fired from boats near the Asakusa district, and can be admired from the riverbanks or surrounding parks! In Hiroshima, on the shores of the island of Miyajima, the fireworks display is one of the most important events of the year. With the famous red torii as a backdrop, you can enjoy an exceptional evening in an extraordinary setting. Finally, if you want to leave with stars in your eyes, head north to Akita for the Omagari no Hanabi. In fact, it's a national competition for the best pyrotechnicians to show off their finest creations!
- Also read: Top 5 summer fireworks in Tokyo
The Hanabi are a real institution and thus form an unmissable ritual of the summer period.
DR
Fireworks in Japan
flickr.comphotosmi-ki
Summer gastronomy
Japanese summer is hot. Very hot! While indoors the many air-conditioning units offer a moment's respite, outside it's sometimes hard to find a shady spot. Fortunately, a few sweet treats can add a touch of freshness to your stay: watermelons and Japanese peaches are the season's great favourites! More than a simple refreshment, watermelons are an inseparable part of Japanese summer, and suika wari are a regular feature on the beaches. This is a family ritual in which a watermelon is hit, blindfolded, with a baseball bat until it breaks and can be eaten. Japanese peaches, known as momo, are another of Japan's little gems.
Particularly large, with juicy white flesh, peaches are associated with positive symbols such as good fortune, health and longevity. They are sometimes given as gifts to express wishes for prosperity and happiness. In addition to these fruity classics, here are two refreshing specialties to enjoy in summer!
- Also read: Summer gastronomy
Kakigori, Japanese shaved ice
What could be nicer than crushed ice under the blazing sun?
Once a dessert reserved for Japan's elite, the appearance of kakigori dates back to the Heian period (794 - 1185). The Japanese had already grasped the importance of enjoying ice cream in summer to ward off the archipelago's heat. Today, kakigori has become a popular and inexpensive product that can be made at home. A variation on granita, kakigori are finely grated cups of ice cream, similar to freshly fallen snow, which melt under the palate. These delicate ice creams are then molded into the shape of a small mountain and topped with the syrup of your choice. Among the most popular flavors are cherry, blueberry, lemon, green tea and melon... It is then accompanied by toppings such as fresh fruit, red bean paste, azuki or mochi, small sticky rice cakes.
Nagashi somen, catch them all!
You'll love these noodles! Delicious, fresh and fun, sharing a meal of nagashi somen is a sure way to spend a convivial moment with family, friends or colleagues!
These are very thin, white noodles made from wheat flour. In Japan, they are usually eaten cold, soaked in a cold broth. The nagashi-somen can be grabbed with the tip of a chopstick as they scroll past you on a bamboo waterslide. In some of Japan's must-visit locations, you'll find restaurants serving this somewhat original culinary specialty. If you're passing through Kyoto, in Kibune, we recommend the Hirobun restaurant in a breathtaking setting, right in front of a waterfall!
Un enfant essayant d'attraper des nagashi sômen.
©Antoine Legastelois
