暑いね！
It’s been incredibly hot (あつい) lately, hasn’t it?
Years ago, people would be surprised and say, “Wow, it’s over 30°C today!” (about 86°F). But these days, we often hear new terms such as 猛暑日 (mōshobi) (days when the temperature reaches 35°C or higher) and even 酷暑日 (kokushobi), or days when it reaches 40°C or higher. At least in many places in Japan, even after the sun goes down, the heat often lingers, making it difficult to sleep. How do you cope with hot summer nights?
In general, some popular ways to beat the heat involve eating watermelon, ice cream, or other cold treats. Watching fireworks and visiting summer festivals are also classic ways to enjoy summer in Japan.
But there’s another (maybe unusual) way that Japanese people have traditionally used to cool down: Telling ghost stories!
Wait, ghost stories? Why?
Well, in Japanese, there’s an expression that literally means “a chill runs down your spine.” It describes the feeling you get when you hear something frightening: Your skin tingles, goosebumps appear, and you suddenly feel cold. Traditionally, people believed that this chilling sensation could make them forget the summer heat, even if only for a moment.
On summer nights long ago, people would gather in a dark room, light candles, and take turns telling scary stories. This game was called 百物語 —Hyakumonogatari — which means “One Hundred Ghost Stories.”
One hundred candles were lit, and after each story, one candle was extinguished. As each flame disappeared, the room grew darker and the atmosphere became more eerie. According to legend, when the very last candle went out, a ghost (or some other supernatural being…) would appear.
Of course, no one knows whether that ever really happened.
However, Japan has many famous ghost stories, including Oiwa from Yotsuya Kaidan and Okiku from Banchō Sarayashiki (The Dish Mansion at Banchō). I’ll introduce these famous ghost stories another time!
Although very few people practice Hyakumonogatari today, the idea that summer is the season for ghost stories is still very much alive in Japan today.
It looks like tonight will be another hot one.
So, will you have some ice cream…or would you rather listen to a ghost story that sends a chill down your spine?
…Just don’t blame me if you can’t fall asleep afterward!
Vocabulary
・夏（なつ） summer
・怖い話（こわいはなし） scary stories/ghost stories
・怪談（かいだん） ghost story
・幽霊（ゆうれい） ghost
・妖怪（ようかい） yōkai (Japanese supernatural creature)
・百物語（ひゃくものがたり） Hyakumonogatari (One Hundred Ghost Stories)
・背筋（せすじ）がぞくっとする to send a chill down one’s spine
・鳥肌が立つ（とりはだがたつ） to get goosebumps
・ろうそく candle
・お化け（おばけ） ghost / monster / apparition
