Things I’ve Learned in Japan: The Sun Is Not Playing Around 🇯🇵☀️😂
I thought growing up in the Philippines and living in South Florida had prepared me for heat. Then I visited Japan. 🇯🇵☀️ Between sun umbrellas, long sleeves, summer gloves, and one perfectly timed menopause hot flash, Japan taught me a hilarious—and surprisingly practical—lesson about respecting the sun.
As a Filipina living in South Florida and navigating menopause in my 50s, I thought I knew heat.
I mean, come on. I grew up in the Philippines and now live in Florida, where the humidity sometimes greets you before your neighbors do. 😂
Heat and I are old friends.
I may not make it to the beach as often as I should—and yes, I can already feel every Floridian judging me—but I love being outdoors. One of my favorite things is sitting in my garden with a hot cup of coffee, admiring my plants and orchids.
And yes, I will drink hot coffee outside even when it’s hot.
Menopause has already messed with my internal thermostat. At this point, what difference is coffee going to make? ☕🔥😂
The Hat Has a Job
Whenever I travel, I almost always bring a hat. 👒
Partly for the sun, of course.
But my hat also serves another extremely important purpose: it helps Ted find me.
Crowded train station? Look for the hat.
Busy tourist attraction? Look for the hat.
Lost wife somewhere in Japan? Follow the hat. 😂
Think of it as my personal GPS beacon—with accessories.
So I thought I was pretty well prepared for Japan.
Then I arrived and started noticing something.
Lots and lots of umbrellas.
Except…it wasn’t raining.
Wait. Why Does Everyone Have an Umbrella? 🌂
That’s when I discovered that in Japan, an umbrella isn’t necessarily there to wait for rain.
People use parasols and UV-protective umbrellas for sun protection.
And it wasn’t just umbrellas.
I noticed people wearing wide-brimmed hats, long sleeves, gloves, arm coverings, and face masks—even during hot summer weather.
My first thought?
“Are they expecting snow?” 😂
Meanwhile, there I was, happily walking around in the sunshine like the South Florida woman I am.
Until menopause entered the chat.
🔥 HOT FLASH. 🔥
Suddenly, I wasn’t sightseeing anymore.
I was hopping from one patch of shade to another like I was competing in the international championship of The Floor Is Lava: Menopause Edition. 🤣
Tree.
Building.
Awning.
Tiny shadow from a street sign.
If it created shade, I wanted it.
Meanwhile, people around me were calmly strolling underneath their parasols, looking cool, collected, and completely unbothered.
And that’s when something clicked.
They’re Not Hiding From the Sun. They’re Respecting It.
That was probably my biggest lesson.
I have always thought of sunshine as something to enjoy—and I still do.
I love warm weather. I love sitting in my garden. I love traveling somewhere beautiful and feeling the sunshine on my face.
But Japan reminded me that there’s a difference between enjoying the sun and challenging it to a duel.
And apparently, I had been challenging it. 😅
Sun protection seemed less like an afterthought and more like part of everyday life.
Umbrella? Bring it.
Hat? Wear it.
Long sleeves? Absolutely.
Shade available?
Take it.
Nobody gets an award for being the person who stood in direct sunlight the longest.
Especially not a menopausal woman whose internal heating system already has a mind of its own. 🔥😂
So, Japan, You Win This One 🇯🇵
Will I stop loving the sunshine?
Absolutely not.
Will I stop drinking hot coffee in my Florida garden?
Also, absolutely not. Some traditions are sacred. ☕🌺
And will I continue traveling with my hat?
Of course.
Ted still needs to find me. 😂
But Japan may have convinced me to add something else to my packing list:
A second umbrella.
And if someone in Japan invents a parasol that blocks UV rays, cools down a menopause hot flash, holds my coffee, and comes with a tracking device so Ted can find me in a crowd…
Please send me the link.
I’ll buy two. 🤣🔥☀️
