Ingenuity for Coolness in Japan —Summer Wisdom for Living with Nature—

Introduction

In modern times, the cool air of air conditioning has become the mainstream way to beat the summer heat, but in the past, the Japanese people enjoyed "coolness" by borrowing the power of nature and using their ingenuity. From classical literature to modern lifestyle habits, a rich culture of "taking in the cool" lives on in Japan. Therefore, I have explored these ingenious ways of staying cool in harmony with nature, while also incorporating descriptions from literary works.

1. Utilizing Wind and Water —Incorporating Natural Coolness—

(1) The Wisdom of "Uchimizu" (Water Sprinkling) and Gardens
In the Edo period, townspeople would perform "Uchimizu" in the morning and evening to cool down the road surface. This custom remains today, and it is noted in "The Pillow Book" that the "sound of water" brings coolness. In gardens, small streams called "yarimizu" were created, and in "The Tale of Genji," there are descriptions of aristocrats holding banquets by the water.

(2) Sudare (Bamboo Blinds) and Furin (Wind Chimes)
Heian aristocrats would hang sudare to block direct sunlight and let the breeze pass through. In "The Pillow Book," the scene of "a cool breeze blowing through the sudare" is praised as "pleasant." Also, the sound of furin is cherished as an "auditory coolness" and was even composed in haiku by Masaoka Shiki.

2. Architectural Ingenuity —Houses Creating Coolness—

(1) Deep Eaves and Engawa (Verandas)
The deep eaves of traditional houses block the sun, and the engawa served as a buffer zone between the "inside and outside." Junichiro Tanizaki's "In Praise of Shadows" praises the coolness of dim rooms as the "pinnacle of Japanese aesthetics."

(2) Kawadoko and Noryoyuka (Riverside Dining)
The kawadoko along the Kamo River and in Kibune, Kyoto, are a summer tradition that utilizes the cold air near the water. In Yasunari Kawabata's "The Old Capital," the scene where the protagonist eats sweetfish on a kawadoko is depicted as the "ultimate coolness."

3. Food and Clothing —Cooling from Within—

(1) The Benefits of Summer Ingredients
The "Haikai Saijiki" (Haiku Almanac) notes that watermelon and cucumber "cool the body's heat." In Mori Ogai's "Seinen" (Youth), watermelon chilled in well water is described as a "luxury for a poor family."

(2) The Cool Sensation of Hemp and Yukata
Hemp and cotton kimonos have excellent breathability and developed as formal summer attire. In Nagai Kafu's "A Strange Tale from East of the River," the scene of a woman in a yukata cooling herself with a fan is depicted with great emotion.

4. Coolness of the Mind —The Benefits of Culture and Art—

(1) "Freezing the Spine" with Ghost Stories
Ghost stories became popular in the Edo period during the summer, and supernatural novels like "Ugetsu Monogatari" (Tales of Moonlight and Rain) provided "coolness for the mind."

(2) Coolness in Painting and Poetry
Katsushika Hokusai's "Hyakumonogatari" (One Hundred Ghost Stories) and Yosa Buson's haiku express "visual coolness" using water and the moon as themes.

5. Summer Tradition -Fireworks-

Fireworks are a symbolic summer tradition in Japan, but they are more strongly characterized as "summer fun" or an "extraordinary festival" rather than "coolness," emphasizing the heat source of gunpowder and the heat of the crowds.

On the other hand, it can be said that it contributes to the Japanese culture of "seeking coolness" by being positioned as a way to spend the summer, such as in combination with waterfronts or "evening cooling."

In Yasunari Kawabata's "Asakusa Kurenaidan," the scene of feeling the river breeze in a yukata while watching fireworks is depicted as a "momentary summer coolness."
There are also expressions such as, "The shadows of fireworks and the willows swaying in the river breeze are truly a moment of coolness" (an essay from the Meiji era).

Conclusion —Utilizing "Natural Coolness" in the Modern Age—

Even in the modern age, where dependence on air conditioning is increasing, traditional methods such as uchimizu (sprinkling water) and green curtains are being re-evaluated as sustainable means of cooling. The culture of "seeking coolness" conveyed by literary works is not merely a measure against heat, but the very spirituality of the Japanese people who live in symbiosis with nature.

In this way, could it not be said that Japan's "culture of coolness" is an art of living born from a dialogue with nature?