Souvenir suggestions: disposable toe warmer!

Hi everyone!

I don't know whether disposable body warmer are available anywhere in the world, but I had never found such things in Europe. Do you know what I'm talking about? Often called by a brand name "Hokkairo" (not Hokkaido!) here,  they are small pouches containing iron powder, salt and some water that heat up when exposed to Oxygen in the air.

In Japan these disposable body pads are very popular, almost indispensable items for many women sensitive to cold. I usually don't use them, but last weekend when east Japan was hit by an unexpectedly heavy snowfall, I really thought they are great inventions...

In the Tokyo metropolitan area it snows twice or three times every year, but not much -- normally 5 centimeters at most. But this time, don't be surprised,  27 centimeters of snow accumulated in the center of the capital. In general, densely populated areas like Tokyo are relatively warm; therefore, it does not snow so heavily.

This is the photo I took from my place. I'm living in Yokohama, about 30 min. away by train from Tokyo. My little container garden on the balcony was totally covered with snow. It kept snowing after I took this photo so you can imagine it was like...

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency it was the third heaviest snowfall since World War II. Weather forecasters repeatedly warned people to stay home if possible, but unfortunately I had to go out in the midst of the violent winter storm, as I had bought a theater ticket for that day.

The temperature stayed very low and I was so reluctant to go outside. But I suddenly remembered that I had bought some "disposable toe warmer!" They are a pair of thin adhesive pads you can stick to your socks and keep you warm for 8 hours.

    
 If you are looking for a nice souvenir for your family or friends from snow countries, I would strongly recommend this toe warmer. You can find them at any drugstores and maybe at convenience stores as well. The one shown in the photo is 500 yen, containing five pairs. Pretty reasonable, isn't it?

さて、ここからは日本語で。

先週末、東日本は珍しく大雪でした。例年は、２，３回、５センチ程度降るだけなのですが、今回は東京の中心部で２７センチ！

東日本　（ひがしにほん）　east Japan
珍しく　（めずらしく）　　rarely
例年　（れいねん） the average year
～程度　（ていど）　　about
降る　（ふる）　 to fall

私の家の窓から写真を撮ってみました。私は横浜に住んでいます。渋谷から電車で３０分ぐらいのところです。バルコニーの私の植物たちも真っ白・・・。

窓　（まど）　　window
撮る　（とる）　to take (photos)
横浜　（よこはま）　Yokohama City
渋谷　（しぶや）　Shibuya

気象庁によると、この積雪量は戦後３番目だそうです。テレビでは不必要な外出はしないようにと呼びかけていましたが、私は演劇のチケットが買ってあったので、出かけましたよ。寒かったー！

気象庁　（きしょうちょう）　Japan Meteorological Agency
積雪量　（せきせつりょう）
戦後　（せんご）　after the war (normally WWII)
不必要 （ふひつよう）　unnecessary
呼びかける　（よびかける）　to warn
演劇　（えんげき）　theatrical play

そのときに、使い捨てカイロが買ってあったのを思い出しました！使い捨てカイロとは、中に鉄の粉と、塩と少量の水が入っている小さい袋で、空気中の酸素に触れると発熱するのです。

使い捨てカイロ　（つかいすて）　disposable body heater
鉄　（てつ）　iron
粉　（こな）　powder
塩　（しお）　salt
少量　（しょうりょう）　little
袋　（ふくろ）　pouch
酸素　（さんそ）　Oxygen
触れる　（ふれる）　to touch (but in this case "to be exposed")
発熱する　（はつねつ）　to heat up

私が持っていたのはつま先に靴下の上から貼るタイプ。８時間温かさが持続します。持っててよかった！コンビニやドラッグストアに売っています。日本のお土産にどうですか？

つま先　（つまさき）　toe
靴下　（くつした）　socks
貼る　（はる）　to stick
温かさ  （あたたかさ）　warmness
持続　（じぞく）　maintain
お土産　（おみやげ）　souvenir

Some advice to prevent heatstroke in Japan

Hi everyone!

I don't know if I can call it a good news or bad news. Well, 梅雨 (pronounced "tsuyu"), or the rainy season for this year ended in most part of Japan. It was an unexpectedly early end. Normally tsuyu continues till around July 20. 

Having rain everyday is annoying, but the end of the rainy season means that hot, sweaty uncomfortable summer has come!!! I hate summer of this country!

Yesterday the temperature topped 35℃ in more than 50 locations around the country, and in Koshu City in Yamanashi Prefecture it rose as high as 38.6℃, higher than body temperature!!

Every summer we hear sad news of the people who die from heatstroke during their sleep, as well as outdoor activities, such as sports and gardening.


When I was a child, summer was not that bad. We had several steamy hot days, but we could somehow manage without air-conditioners. At least it was cool in the evening and early morning and nice breeze came in from the open windows.

These years, however, it is almost impossible to sleep without running your air-conditioner all night long. When the outdoor temperature does not drop below 25℃ at night, many people find it difficult to sleep well. We call such an evening a "tropical night" here. It might sound a little romantic but it really is just a muggy uncomfortable evening, and the problem is, we have this tropical nights much frequently than before. 

Many people believe using an air-conditioner during sleep is not good for their health; however, not using it can risk their lives. Japanese summer is not only hot but also humid, and when the humidity is too high, perspiration does not evaporate and the heat is not taken from the body. When your body cannot keep itself cool, your temperature rises and you become ill. That's how heatstroke occurs. 


If you plan to visit Japan this summer, you really have to be careful of heatstroke. Yesterday (July 7) only, 1,183 people showing the symptoms of heatstroke were taken to hospital across Japan, of which four were in very serious condition.

Here's some advice to prevent heatstroke.


1: Don't move around during the day too energetically.

2: Drink a lot of water. Take some salt too, because when you sweat, sodium (salt) is lost with moisture. Eating a 塩飴（shio-ame), candies containing salt, has been popular since some time ago as one of the ways to prevent heatstroke.  You can find a great variety of shio-ame with different flavors especially in summer.

 "Mineral Salt Milky" 

new version of the long-selling milk candy Milky

 "Sekai no Kitchen kara" (from the kitchens of all over the world) 

This is not a movie title but the name of salt candy. 

 
3. Don't think of sleeping in a tent in cities. In big cities where almost all the road surface is paved with asphalt and green space is scarce, the roads and buildings heated by the sun during the day often emit the heat in the evening; therefore, the temperature often remains high.

4. When you feel ill, take refuge in a cool place. In Japan convenience store is everywhere and always air-conditioned. If your friend falls unconscious, ask someone to call an ambulance, saying "Kyukyusha o yonde kudasai" (=Please call an ambulance).

Rainy season has come in the Kanto area. Oh no! Too early!!

Today the Japan Meteorological Agency announced that the rainy season (it is called tsuyu) has started in the Kanto region, in Tokyo. Unbelievably early! According to the agency, this is the third earliest start in 62 years.

My friends and I were thinking of having a drink at an outdoor beer hall in Shibuya this weekend, but we probably have to change the plan.

Normally tsuyu begins in mid-June and lasts about a month. The weather forecast says that tsuyu of this year will end around July 20 as in other years. Ummm.... this means we'll have at least 10 more rainy days than usual.

If you are planning to visit Japan during the rainy season, don't forget to bring an umbrella! Though I know some of you don't like carrying it around, but if you are walking in the pouring rain without an umbrella, soaked to the skin, people might think you are weird and feel like staying away from you. (Be careful!)

Generally speaking, Japanese hate getting wet even a little bit, and many of them use an umbrella until it stops raining completely. Actually, so do I. When I go out without an umbrella and it suddenly starts to rain, I rush into a convenience store or a supermarket to buy one.

If you don't have an umbrella, why don't you buy a simple transparent plastic umbrella for 100 yen at Daiso or other all 100-yen store chains? You can throw it away or give it to someone before getting on the train.

But I want to strongly recommend women to get a 500-yen folding umbrellas that you can easily find at "all girly things" stores. They are compact, good quality, light-weight and come in a great variety of colors and patterns. They can become good souvenirs for you and your friends. The photo below is the one I got three years ago, and I'm still using it.

By the way, when you bring your wet umbrella into shops or buildings, you are required to pick one of the plastic bags found at the entrance and put the umbrella in it, to prevent the floor from becoming  wet and slippery, and throw it away in a garbage can when you leave.

You might think it is not eco-friendly (I think so too), but it is a kind of etiquette to do so. If it is against your policy, use your own water-proof bag.

Today's useful expression:　ねふだを　とってください。　Nefuda　o totte kudasai.  (Please cut off the price tag.)