Summer - Umbrella used to block the sun

When you visit Japan during summer season, you may see some odd culture. Unlike in states, Japanese sees the beauty by keeping white skin as possible, while US prefers light to dark tan to look healthy. But please keep in mind that this stays to woman only!!

In order for Japanese women to stay white, they utilize UVA/UVB protection cream all over their body and other cosmetics. You may see many Japanese people wearing light long sleeves even though they're sweating like a pig. But again, this is to protect from the sun.

The oddest sight you will see is that every woman is using Sun-umbrella which doesn't even looks like a parasol. From year 2006 or so, they even had a trend where they all believed that black one will be the best way to avoid the sun (Yeah, it sounds contradicting, yet it is proven by the scientist... even Michael Jackson used it several times at the interview). Yes, it's a major fashion statement in Japan.

Let me post some of the pictures for you to have some idea. 2 are the major parasol / sun-protection umbrella during summer. To follow, 2 Japanese umbrella (like you may have seen in Kabuki ).