Long ago when I first came to Japan, one thing that surprised me was how nearly all women used parasols throughout the summer. Coming from the U.S., my image of parasols was limited to Victorian ladies — an affectation long gone, or so I thought. I didn’t realize the practice was alive and well in the land of the rising sun.

But alive it was, and is. Women in Japan typically avoid the sun, keeping their skin as pale as possible, which is a long-held beauty ideal here. It may seem odd at first, but you get used to it. After all, considering pale skin beautiful in Japan is no stranger than considering tanned skin beautiful in the States. Just a cultural difference.

What I almost never saw, however, was men using parasols. While Japanese men usually don’t chase a tan, neither did they go out of their way to avoid one. About the only men I’d ever see carrying a parasol were really old guys.

But with the brutal heat of the past few years, that might be changing.

Climate change has hit Japan hard. Recent summers have hovered around or just above 40℃ (104℉), and with Japan’s typical 90% humidity this makes for sauna-like conditions. On top of that, summer seems to be expanding at both ends — starting in late May and running well into the end of September. That’s a long time to be drenched in sweat.

Heatstroke cases are climbing across age groups. Even middle-aged folks who used to tough it out are feeling it. The heat and humidity sap your energy.

So perhaps it’s no surprise that more and more men are now carrying parasols. It’s no longer unusual. A recent survey on nippon.com shows a clear uptick in parasol use among men of all ages:

The main reason given? Avoiding heatstroke. But simply feeling less hot was a close second.

And I can attest: it works.

Actually, I started using a parasol years ago. I never brought my own, but if I was out with my wife and she set hers down for a moment, I’d steal borrow it.

I don’t know if it prevented heatstroke, but it definitely made the sun feel less oppressive.

Anyway, check out the full article here: → More Men in Japan Opening Up to Parasols Amid Heatstroke Concerns

What do you think about this new trend? Would you carry one?

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David is an American teacher and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. He blogs here and at laspina.org. Write him on Bluesky. 【Support @dbooster with Hive SBI】