Things I love about summer in Japan: the fashion

In a lot of places around the world, fashion over function seems to rule the roost. Looking good sometimes comes at the expense of useful attire, but I think summers in Japan manage both function and fashion in a healthy way.

BigFamJapan wrote that one of her must-do summer experiences is wearing yukata, and I think it's such a beautiful way to embrace summer fashion here. I love that they are so stylish and colorful, but also have that element of practicality: they're usually made of lightweight cotton (points for breathability), they keep the sun off your skin, and the flowy nature of them helps keep you cool.

Ladies I saw wearing colorful yukata on a trip in Kyoto several years ago

I'm also a big fan of jinbei, and my kids have worn them since they were small. There are so many cute kids types (even with fun characters on them) that my friends back home ask for me to mail sets for their children -- I guess there is some universal appeal there!

If you want your own yukata, you don't even have to leave your house to search for one: Amazon Japan has a lot of options to choose from, and it could be a good way of using some of your City-Cost points! There's one I want to buy this month that has a navy striped background with sunflowers on it -- it's so summery-feeling that I think it will be perfect for some upcoming festivals!