The first thing you notice when you arrive in Japan in July is the humidity that makes your shirt stick to your skin and your pants to your knees. Under the sun, the 30+ degree heat feels unbearable. And even on a cloudy day, the heat sneaks up on you, feeling somewhat manageable at first until you realize that your backpack has now stuck itself on your back. This was pretty much the daily experience over the two and a half weeks I spent in Japan this July.
It’s feels like an immense privilege to travel to Japan at this time. Tourists are still banned from entering the country (except as part of closely supervised tour groups), but one can still get a visa for various reasons – for exchange studies, an internship, or to visit family. Once you get your visa in order, the immigration process upon arrival is surprisingly smooth: I’ve had more questions asked about my purpose for visiting the country when coming on a tourist visa.
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Eero Tuorila 