Japanese people really can’t stand the cold!

“How are you today?”

“I am cold,” my student replies.

I smile and say good, but in my mind, I am shaking my head. It is seventy degrees in the classroom, how in the world can he be cold? But he is. 

The first morning with a touch of chill I walk into a classroom full of students in layers.  Underarmor, their usual long sleeve uniform shirts, school sweater or other light weight jackets, and school blazer on top. They say they are freezing. I keep a straight face, but inside I am giving them the raised eyebrows of disbelief.

For a country that has yet to embrace the concept of central heating, I find it baffling how intolerant Japanese people seem to be when it comes to the cold. And it is not just my students. I saw scarves and light jackets already out when I was still trying not to sweat through my thin t-shirt in the last days of summer. Now, with autumn clearly knocking on the door, the stares have increased when I walk around my neighborhood in shorts. Aren’t you cold, the neighbors ask (in Japanese). No! I think the weather feels great. I am just excited not to be drenched in sweat from just sitting and doing my best not to move. Soon it will be time for a light jacket, then winter will be here and I will be just as layered and freezing as my students, but for now I plan to enjoy every moment of fall before pulling out my sweaters.