Chasing Math, Manga, and Mountains: Our Summer Family Adventure in Japan

Ever since Japanese Yen started depreciating against Rupiah back in 2021, Indonesian tourists have flocked to Japan in every season. Spring, with its cherry blossoms, and winter have easily been the two favorite times to visit. You can’t hardly visit Japan without bumping another fellow Indonesian.

I’ve been to Japan twice, but both trips were well before 2021: I went to Tokyo in the winter of 2017 and visited Osaka and Kyoto during cherry blossom season. I had long wanted to go back in autumn, but Europe kept taking over our travel calendar—first because my sister was based there, and later because my son started his studies in the Netherlands. As a result, we hadn’t been back to Japan since.

However, over the last two years, Alyssa got really into manga. She started with the Demon Slayer movie and kept exploring from there. Then her brother, who has always loved manga, said he plans to pursue master’s degree and a career in Japan later on, while Alyssa decided she wants to do her undergraduate studies there too. Being a supportive mother to my children’s dreams, I even enrolled Alyssa in Japanese lessons—better to start early if she’s really serious!

Then, earlier this year, Alyssa asked why we couldn’t just take a holiday to Japan. I told her we’d go after Fabio graduates. But the girl wasn’t satisfied; she somehow signed up for the World Math Invitational (WMI) competition and made it to the final round, which took place in Chiba, Japan! And that is how we ended up holidaying in Japan in the absolute hottest month of the year.

Because we had to head to Chiba for the competition anyway, we figured we might as well extend the trip for a family holiday. Fabio couldn’t join us this time because the dates conflicted with his exam schedule, so it was just the three of us. Since this is our third time in Japan, we decided to skip the usual tourist spots and explore places we hadn’t covered on our previous two trips.

Our itinerary, excluding the competition days, looked like this:

1 day sightseeing in Narita
1 day at Tokyo DisneySea (Alyssa’s choice, since the last time we visited, she was still a baby)
Half a day at Asakusa Temple (part of the program)
Half a day at Mother Farm (part of the program)
3 days / 2 nights in Hirayu and Kamikochi
3 days / 2 nights in Hakone
2 days in Tokyo for shopping

What is Summer in Japan Really Like?

I have experienced summer in Europe three times. The first two times came with intense heatwaves, while the third trip in 2024 was actually quite bearable. But summer in Japan is on an entirely different level—it is super hot and humid!

While European summers are generally dry with intense sun, Japan deals with both intense sun and heavy humidity. The sun rises as early as 4:45 AM (shining brightly by 5:00 AM) and doesn’t set until 7:00 PM. That means you will feel the heat already when you leave your Hotel as early as 8am!

How We Survived the Heat

We quickly learned to adopt local survival tactics:

Slap on sunscreen: Essential for the harsh UV rays.
Carry an umbrella or hat: Umbrellas aren’t just for rain; sun-shielding parasols are a lifesaver in Japan.
Bring a portable fan: A must-have gadget to cool off on the go.
Wear sunnies: Protect your eyes from the glaring afternoon sun.
Dress smart: Unlike Euroean summer where people tend to wear no sleeve and short, locals prefer to cover up but they chose the material wisely. Stick to linen or loose cotton and ditch synthetic polyester entirely unless you want to sweat through your clothes in minutes and smell.
Wear comfortable sneakers: You will inevitably log a lot of steps walking around.
Stay hydrated: Bring a tumbler and fill it up with cold drinks. Vending machines are on literally every corner—I would buy cold drinks from them and pour the contents straight into my tumbler to keep the water ice-cold all day.
Escape to the mountains: The weather is noticeably cooler at higher elevations, which is why our stays in Hirayu, Kamikochi, and Hakone were such a refreshing relief.

Essential Tips for Traveling to Japan in Summer

If you are brave enough to plan a summer getaway to Japan, here are a few practical pointers to keep in mind:

Hydration & Electrolytes: The humidity will drain you faster than you think. Keep an eye out for Pocari Sweat or Aquarius at convenience stores and vending machines to replenish your electrolytes.
Portable Cooling Gear: Pick up a pack of Gatsby cooling body wipes or Biore cold-relief sheets at any Japanese drugstore (Matsumoto Kiyoshi or Don Quijote). Wiping down with these mid-day is an instant reset.
Beat the Midday Sun: Plan heavy outdoor sightseeing early in the morning (right after sunrise) or later in the evening. Take a cue from locals and duck into air-conditioned cafes, museums, or department store basements (depachika) during peak afternoon heat.
Smart Air-Conditioning (A/C) Etiquette: Indoor spaces crank their A/C, but moving in and out of the sweltering outdoor heat can shock your system. Keep a light layer handy if you’re sensitive to indoor chills.

Our thoughts

Will we return to Japan in the summer? Most likely not! The heat and humidity are simply too intense for casual holidaying. However, surviving the Japanese summer does cross one major milestone off my list: it means we’ve now experienced Japan in two distinct seasons, leaving autumn and spring still waiting for our future travels.