Summer

I used this opportunity to ask my co-workers what they associate with summer in Japan.

These were their answers:

Fireworks
Matsuri (Street Festivals)
Beer Gardens
Splitting Water Melons
Kingyo sukui (fishing goldfish)

I was surprised to hear that there are beer gardens in Japan as well. I didn't expect that answer at all. But that's probably just me (I don't know much about beer because I don't drink it).

In Germany summer means:

Going to the Beach
BBQs
Beer Gardens & Beach Bars
Summer Holidays (= traveling somewhere)
Lots of Ice Cream

I shocked my co-workers a little when I told them that going to the beach also includes swimming in lakes. It seems Japanese people only swim in the ocean? Going to the lake every day after work to hang out with friends and cool down a little is definitely one of the things I miss most about summers in Japan.

Of course there's much more one could mention, and many aspects of summer are probably pretty similar in both countries. What's your experience with summer in Japan? And what is summer like in your country?