Kokusho Bi & Shower （酷暑日とシャワー）-2

(in the style of the Guardian by ChatGPT)

Japan has been gripped by sweltering, life-threatening heat, with temperatures climbing to 40°C in some areas during kokusho bi – Japan's so-called "extremely hot days". Coping without some form of defence is all but impossible.

By nine o'clock in the morning, my room has already reached 31°C. The first line of defence is a circulator running at full blast. It offers a little relief, but not for long. Within an hour, the temperature has climbed to 33°C, signalling the start of the next stage: gel ice packs.

Until last year, wrapping a long ice pack around my neck was enough. This summer, however, I have reinforced the strategy by placing two additional packs beneath my arms. The difference is remarkable, though frustratingly short-lived. By around eleven, the packs have begun to lose their chill, while the circulator merely pushes warm air around the room.

Eventually, there is only one reliable solution: air conditioning. The moment it is switched on, the oppressive heat disappears, replaced by cool, breathable air. My energy returns almost instantly, along with the motivation to tackle the day's routine.

The comfort, however, comes at a price. Leaving the air-conditioned room feels like stepping into another world. The heat engulfs me within seconds, my thoughts become sluggish, and beads of sweat quickly gather on my forehead. Even a trip to the bathroom becomes something to postpone for as long as possible.

Until recently, I would head out for a walk at around half past eleven, enjoying some fresh air before lunch. That routine has become impossible during this relentless heatwave, forcing me to postpone my walk until early evening, when the worst of the heat has finally begun to subside.

The change was not an easy one. Walking so late in the day felt oddly unnatural, and each evening demanded a conscious effort to overcome my reluctance. Yet the hesitation always vanishes once I set off. Every walk ends with the quiet satisfaction that comes from keeping a promise to myself.

Unexpectedly, the new routine has brought its own reward. Returning home in the early evening and stepping into a cool shower is far more refreshing than anything I experienced after my former pre-lunch walks. The sensation reached its height one afternoon after I returned from hospital in 37°C heat. Standing beneath the shower, I realised that this simple ritual had become one of the day's greatest pleasures. Since then, it has settled naturally into my early-evening routine.