You will find lots of fans around our house, the plug-in ones and the wave-your-arm ones. I, along with most Japanese, carry a folding fan everywhere. These cloth fans are beautiful and come in an array of styles, colors and prices. I am always on the look out at the end-of-the-summer-sales for a pretty back up. Men carry these fabric accordion fans as well. The flat fans (pictured below) have a different name in Japanese than the folding ones. They are traditionally made with bamboo and paper, although plastic advertisement ones are given out by stores, companies or restaurants.
Besides a fan in my bag, you will find a mini thin washcloth to discreetly dab the sweat (I mean "glow") on my face. These mini terrycloth handkerchiefs come in all colors and styles, even browns and blues for men. Japanese also use these for drying their hands as many public bathrooms do not have paper towels.
To help keep our living/dining/kitchen room cooler we, along with most Japanese, use bamboo shades. Some of these are inside so that they be easily opened and some of these hang outside the window and stay put all summer. These thin woven mats let in a hint of light, but still help block the heat and can cost as little as just a few dollars. I love the rich texture they bring to a room, plus their oriental appeal.
I have to admit that I am glad to have almost survived another hot and humid Tokyo summer. The other day I was looking forward to a forcasted typhoon because it brought hopes of cool winds and rain. We were sorely disappointed though and instead got even more sticky humid days that made me long even more for autumn days to come.
