Comments on: On Turning on the Japanese Air Conditioner

By: So grossed out « An Easy Distance

So grossed out « An Easy Distance — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 04:58:52 +0000

[…] At our schools, air-conditioning isn’t typically available (one or two rooms might have it), but it is required that you wear a suit until June 1st. How can the Japanese retain the belief that depriving air-conditioning from children in school is necessary to “toughen them up” when 1,488 people in June were recently admitted to hospitals in Japan for heatstroke? Answers to these questions have been posited by others with more education and cultural sensitivity than I. If you are interested in some answers, here’s a great place to start. […]

By: Archana

Archana — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 07:33:29 +0000

the problem with the heat is its so humid and sticky. if it was a dry heat – all you would have to do is drink water and find a shady spot – the humidity makes the built up nature of japan unbearable. then you get the air – which is hot – and wet – gross!

its hotter in india but because its mostly dry heat – its not as bad – just keep well hydrated and all is fine. if we ever go back – will avoid the summer completely.

By: On Being Sick in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です

On Being Sick in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:31:10 +0000

[...] and the country has a fondness for extreme temperature changes (hot-and-cold onsen baths, for one, air-conditioned subway cars that open into heated subway platforms, for [...]

By: renmi86

renmi86 — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 01:38:53 +0000

Yeah, I noticed that too. Last summer was really about energy conservation and the “ganbatte” spirit. A lot of places even turned off the air completely (often making the statement, “Well, those in Tohoku…”)

By: staff

staff — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 11:06:31 +0000

Interesting post. I enjoyed reading it very much. Myself, I have always admired efforts by humans to influence or change the natural world, to fly into the face of all-powerful Mother Nature, whether that be eliminating our experiencing seasonal change or chemically killing off some stinging bug whose extinction then starves off a species of bird whose droppings feed a weed that has a chemical that can be extracted and used to cure split ends. We almost always end up leaving the environment a little worse off than before, but you have got to love the plucky spirit behind it all.

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 22:45:43 +0000

On a lighter note, if your lucky enough to get one of the hot days off from work – you could always stand infront of the freezer ;)

By: Ashley

Ashley — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:41:43 +0000

Surprisingly, I’ve had a completely different experience with the whole aircon thing (aside from the strict date rules – that seems to always apply…). When I first arrived in Japan four years ago, though “cool biz” was indeed something, the air conditioner was still turned down to 22 or 23 degrees C, all the time at my workplace (school). Same with my second school I transferred to the next year. As well as my husband’s and a few other people I had talked to about the situation. If I was alone in an air conditioned room, I’d turn it off or turn it up to 27 or 28, and when someone would come in, they would turn it back down to 22 or 23. So I always had to wear a sweater and sometimes my thick fleece at work. Except when I was teaching in an non-air conditioned classroom, of course.

It seems that more people became conscious of the aircon being set higher after March 11 last year, but I’m sure it depends on the workplace also. I’m only noticing more so this and last summer that stores, shopping malls, trains, etc., are warmer than the first two summers I was here (when I had to wear something warm while shopping or on the train).

Anyway, that aside, it’s a well-written post and an interesting way to look at why things are the way they are here! (And seriously, why can’t Japan just adopt daylight savings… I would love it. My laundry would love it as well.)

By: Ἀντισθένης

Ἀντισθένης — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 08:12:04 +0000

I hate the date/rule-obsession here. Reminds me of the American fighter pilot who became an ace (three kills) in his first combat flight in the Pacific: three ‘green’ Japanese pilots were told not to deviate from their flight plan under any conditions. So the American came close behind one, opened up his cannons until it spiralled down to the jungle floor, couldn’t believe the other two made no evasive or combat manoeuvres, so on to the next…

By: x_stei

x_stei — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 04:35:40 +0000

My dad has always asked to explain my fixation on Japan. I never quite understood it myself. Reading your blog has made me understand why I really like Japan. It feels like I have a deep and intuitive understanding of its culture, and only upon reading you write about the idiosyncrasies of its culture could I seriously understand why I love it so much. Thank you! (I know it’s an odd post to reply this to… haha)

By: Japan Australia

Japan Australia — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 04:15:41 +0000

Japan is governed in most things by a strict set of rules and procedures. There is usually a defined start and end date for most things. I love the fact one year they declared the rainy season had officially ended but it still carried on rainy for the next two days :)