JSランゲージスクールブログ | Summer Activities
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Since this Monday was Marine Day (海の日) in Japan, I thought I would write about going to the beach and other summer activities. I think going to the beach is very similar in all countries but there are some very minor differences in going to the beach in the U.S. and in Japan.
In the U.S., many people who live near the beach like to have bonfires at night. A bonfire can be small or large, but it is bigger than a campfire. Usually people sit around a bonfire and talk and drink and sometimes play music. You can also roast marshmallows and make S’mores (a campfire or bonfire snack that is very popular in the U.S.). You can have a bonfire anywhere, it doesn’t have to be at the beach, but they are very popular in summer and fall. Bonfires are one of the things I miss most from the U.S.
In Japan, I don’t think it is possible to have bonfires on public beaches, but I’m not sure. I haven’t been to the beach yet in Japan, but my friends told me they don’t usually have bonfires. I know there are some beaches near Tokyo, but I don’t know much about them. If you have any recommendations, please let me know!
Another thing that is very popular in both Japan and the U.S. in the summer is shaved ice (かき氷). In the U.S. during summer many roadside stands appear which sell shaved ice. You can only see these small stands in the summer. Usually they appear in parking lots of stores that are on big roads. That way many people see them. In Japan, shaved ice is also very popular at festivals and other public places. There is also a store in Harajuku, near Meiji Jingu Mae Station called ‘Ice Monster’. I have heard that it is very good. It is also very famous. There is always a long line in front of it. If you have time this summer and want to cool down, you should try it!
