As of this writing, all I can think about is the summer heat enveloping my body. Since the sun decided to show its full hot glory last Monday, I have been sweaty, sticky, sleepy and just going crazy with the temperature. I wish I could hibernate in a human freezer and go out after summer. This weather is draining my energy everything seemed surreal for the past days. To emphasize the heat further, here's a report from Japan Today:
Children try to cool off as they run through water fountains in Tokyo, on Tuesday.AFP
TOKYO —
Sweltering temperatures and scorching sunshine have killed three people and sent more than 2,500 to hospital across Japan in a week, the government said Tuesday.
The mercury hit 39.1 Celsius in Yamanashi Prefecture on Tuesday, while dozens of other spots recorded temperatures of 35 Celsius or more.
A total of 2,594 people were hospitalised in the first week of July due to the effects of heat, with three of them dying, the fire and disaster management agency said in a report.
More than 42% of them were aged 65 or older, the agency said.
Incidents of children being hospitalised after outdoor school events were also recorded.
News reports feature frequent reminders to drink plenty of fluids and avoid prolonged periods outdoors, in what has become a regular feature of the sticky summer months.
The heat wave struck nationwide this week with high-pressure systems sitting over the Japanese archipelago, bringing an earlier than usual end to the rainy season.
With the scorching heat as early as July, I'm not so looking forward to the full blast of summer on August. Japan is a furnace in summer. I need to get out!
Hamamatsu welcomes summer with big blasts of fireworks. For the past three consecutive Saturdays, Bentenjima hosted more than an hour long of fireworks display. This is part of several Fireworks Festival in Japan. Last Saturday was the last for this year in Bentenjima. I almost missed that but thanks to a friend who invited me to tag along, I was able to witness one of the biggest Firework Festivals in Hamamatsu.
It really is a big festival considering the long snaking lines to trains bound for Bentenjima. In fact, the JR trains scheduled special trips on that day to accommodate the crowd. Traffic was unusually heavy.
My friends and I decided to meet at 530 pm even though the fireworks will start at 730. Based on their experience last year, if we leave past 6 pm, we won't be able to find a space and transportation will be horrible.
True enough, it took us a while to ride a train and more time to find a patch of land spacious enough to sit on.
Families and groups of young people brought mats and had picnics while waiting for the fireworks.
At exactly 730 pm the fireworks display started with a loud bang. A flash of red then yellow lit the skies. The scene was like alien invasions in the movies. From that moment on, we were bombarded with a spectacle of lights for more than an hour.
There were the usual colorful fireworks.
Then there were fireworks of various shapes- hearts, squares and smileys.
There were also fireworks that made me think of moving atoms. Once they exploded the remaining lights moved in a specific angle before finally dissolving into the air.
We're glad we stayed until the final hoorah. For the finale, a continuous explosion of lights lasted for four minutes. It was a mosaic of vivid colors in the sky. The sky was so bright that the street lights turned off.
The downside of staying was the crowd of people waiting for the trains. Even though the station was just across Bentenjima, it took us more than an hour to ride the train because there were just so much people.
Nonetheless, it was quite an experience especially for a first-timer like me.
I think there are Fireworks Festivals in other places.
Click here for the Fireworks Schedule around Hamamatsu
PS: The fireworks pictures are not from the festival but they are similar. I didn't bring a decent camera cause I wasn't really planning to go.
After months of indecision, I finally bought a DSLR Camera. The model is Nikon D3200. I got a really good deal from Bic Camera Hamamatsu. For only 53,000 Yen (530 USD), I have a camera body, kit, lens, accessories- 8GB SD Card, bag and lens protector.
I compared this with the ones in Amazon and Yamada Denki and I am happy to report that I saved a few thousand Yen. The last time I looked at Amazon, the cheapest brand new Nikon D3200 was worth 546 USD without accessories. In Yamada Denki, it was 54000 Yen without accessories too.
my new Nikon D3200 worth 53000 Yen with bag, SD card and lens protector
camera bag
Here's how to get a good deal at Bic Camera:
1. Canvass for goods.
I've been to several camera stores comparing prices. When I went to Bic Camera, the printed price on the camera model I was eyeing was 57000. An English-speaking guy approached me and I told him that the camera of the same model at Yamada Denki is cheaper (54000 Yen). He asked me if I'm buying on that day because if I was, he'll give me a discount. I asked for the lowest possible price and quoted 49000 Yen.
Apparently, Bic Camera has this promo that if you can find a cheaper product in another store, they'll give you a discount so as not to lose you as a customer. An excellent marketing strategy, I believe. You have to take pictures though of the prices for proof.
2. Wait for a product with 10% point rebate.
Aside from the discount I got, the product I was buying has a 10% point rebate. Since I bought a camera worth 49,0000 I have almost 5000 Yen worth of products. It was my lucky day! I used my points to buy the SD Card, bag and lens protector. Since I also decided buy everything on the same day, the salesguy gave me discounts on the accessories. The SD Card from 3000+ Yen to 1800, the bag from 5000 Yen to 3770. He can't give me a discount on the lens protector which cost 2300. All in all, the accessories cost me 7000 but because of the points I got, I only added 2000.
3. Get a Bic Camera Card
To avail the points, you have to have a Bic Camera Point Card. I got mine last year when I bought something. I haven't used in a while until I bought this camera. It's really easy to get, you'll just fill up an application. No fees and no waiting. You'll get it after you fill up the form and you can use it on the same day!
If you're planning to buy gadget and appliances, consider buying it at Bic Camera. I hope you get good deals too!
Children try to cool off as they run through water fountains in Tokyo, on Tuesday.AFP
Children try to cool off as they run through water fountains in Tokyo, on Tuesday.AFP
