A fair warning...

If there's one thing you should know about Japan....one thing that is slightly different than how we live our lives in the United States, but not knowing this fact could really cause you some discomfort....

The Japanese like their ambient temperature to be a few degrees warmer than we do.

Most Japanese homes don't have central heat and air....most places of business don't either. So in the summer indoor areas are uncomfortably hot and in the winter they are uncomfortably warm with body heat. If you could understand Japanese (and I can somewhat), you'll hear Japanese women most commonly saying inside our American facilities on base, "Samuiiiiiii...." or "It's cold!!!!" Often when they say this, the temperature feels perfect to me.

I wouldn't have said something about this, as it's easy to overlook. So what if it's hot inside all year round.....it's just how it is....BUT one place you're going to be the most uncomfortable is on buses and airplanes.

Buses:

This category includes the buses that go to/from the airport from the American base. The Outdoor Rec buses, the MWR buses....all buses that are contracted out to Japanese companies are going to be HOT on the inside....especially in the winter. The bus driver will often disable the indvidual seat air vents, so you have no choice but to silently smolder in your seat.

Airplanes:

This one surprises most Americans....but Japanese based airlines (Japan Airlines, ANA, Air Asia, etc.) DO NOT have indvidual seat vents (the fans above each seat) in their airplanes. The ambient temperature in the jet is set to "summer sun", I swear. I flew 9 hours on Japan Airlines with no overhead seat fan, the airplane cabin temperature was set to "nursing home hot" and I thought I was going to pass out from heat stroke.I had to ring the attendant and ask for some ice. Meanwhile, the Japanese people around me slept soundly and comfortably under several airline blankets.

We flew to Sapporo on ANA airlines, and once again there was no indvidual overhead seat fans. The Americans with us on the trip didn't anticipate this and dressed in their tightest winter clothing that couldn't be easily removed. They complained, and complained, and COMPLAINED and then searched for the seat fans (which clearly weren't there) and then proceeded to get snippy with the flight attendants because they were too hot.

My advice.....

• Wear layers than can easily be removed and added. I usually start with a tank top, t-shirt, hoodie, and then a jacket. In the summer just a tank top and t-shirt. 
• Bring a fan. In Japan you can find paper fans on plastic handles in almost every store. Spend the 100 yen on one and bring it with you when you travel.
• Don't search for overhead fans in the airplane when they're clearly not there. I promise the fans aren't hiding inside the ceiling or under your seat. They're simply not there.
• Don't complain. Yes, it is hot inside the airplane and bus, but look around you. The Japanese people are comfortable. They're not going to bring down the temperature for special little you because then they'd have hundreds of other people complaining about how cold it is.
• Prepare your children. Children tend to naturally run hotter than adults. It might be worth it to invest in an electric hand held fan for your child. Bring cold water or ask for ice to help with any heat issues.
• Don't fly a Japanese airline. Now that I know that the Japan-based airplane will most likely not have overhead fans, when traveling back to the US, I try to avoid flying Japanese airlines as I'd prefer to pay a little more for a ticket and be comfortable.