by Jen Ruhl
Before arriving, many of us never had to deal with the kind of prolonged, intense humidiity that blesses Japanese summers. How will we ever survive?
The key to any battle is to know your enemy. In your apartment, the enemies are mold and cockroaches. The battle plan: Keep your tatami especially clean in the summer (moist air + dirty tatami = roach heaven). Vacuum! Also, don't leave things sitting on the tatami all day. If you have a futon, fold it up in the morning, and make sure to hang it outside on sunny days. This will prevent mold from forming on the tatami and on your futon.
Get desiccant boxes (shikke tori) for your closet or wardrobe and check them regularly - they will fill up! You can get them at any supermarket, and they usually come in a pack of 3 or 6. They cost about 100 yen apiece, and the directions are often accompanied by pictures on the box. These boxes suck the humidity out of the air in your closet, keeping your clothes mold-free. If possible, you should hang up all of your clothes, since it's harder to keep folded clothes dry.
Your air conditioner can also go a long way toward keeping humidity in the apartment under control. Keep it set to the "dry" function, especially if you have laundry hanging up inside. You can also get a small fan at any department store for about 1500 yen. While you're away and the air con is off, you can keep the fan on a low setting to keep the air in your apartment stirred up. Of course, that's not terrific for energy savings, so I'd only suggest it if you find that you have a problem with mold.
If your school isn't air-conditioned (in other words, if you're teaching in Japan), take a look at the heat survival strategies of other teachers. Pick up a free fan from from one of those annoying "onegaishimasu" people at the station. A good 100 yen shop will have a hand-held battery-operated fans, and a variety of those little sweat rags. Look around your school for the air-conditioned rooms, too. Usually it's only the computer room, but there is a conference room at my base school that is kept free for teachers during the summer!
Finally, make sure you take care of your health by drinking lots of tea and water. Soda (the word is POP) and alcohol will dehydrate your body. For other advice about heat and humidity, and general tips about life in Kanagawa, don't forget to check out Kanagawa at Your Fingertips (received at Kanagawa Orientation every year).