🌺Bright and Intense Sunshine Morning in Minatogawa, Urasoe, Okinawa｜Clear Skies and Daily Life

## ☀️ **The Air in Urasoe, Okinawa This Morning**

This morning in Urasoe, Okinawa, it’s **a sunny day with intense sunlight**. With temperatures around **30–31°C** and humidity at **80–90%**, the air is thick with the muggy heat typical of midsummer. The southwesterly wind is light, and with almost no air movement, it feels as though the heat is seeping into the room even from early morning. At this time of year in Okinawa, the combination of strong sunlight and high humidity means that daily routines tend to be dictated by the weather. Today, I’ll be documenting the morning scene in Minatogawa and my daily life, which centers around caregiving.

## 🌞 **The Midsummer Stillness That Envelops Minatogawa**

Now that summer vacation has begun, the mornings in Minatogawa are quiet, with few children’s voices, and a sense of stillness hangs in the air. Amidst this, the sounds of the junior high school brass band echo from afar, blending with the chirping of cicadas to create a scene that makes you feel, “Summer in Okinawa has truly arrived.” The intense sunlight streams onto the balcony, and even with the windows open, hardly any breeze comes in—it’s so hot that a fan alone isn’t enough to keep up.

## 👵 **Breakfast for My Mother and the Reality of Rising Prices**

My morning starts by running the washing machine and hanging the laundry out on the balcony. The forecast shows sunny days ahead, so it looks like we’ll have good laundry weather for a while.

After that, I prepare breakfast for my mother. We’ve been having bread for breakfast lately, but my mother has been complaining, “I want rice.” However, on days when I haven’t cooked rice, we have no choice but to make do with bread. If I prepare a traditional Japanese breakfast—including rolled omelet, grilled salmon, bacon, and tea—the workload increases dramatically all at once.

It’s a relief that rice prices have stabilized, but with the cost of other goods skyrocketing, the burden just keeps growing for someone like me who’s juggling caregiving and housework. Every day, I’m torn between wanting to take it easy in the morning and the realities of daily life.

## 🥭 **Mango Season Is Here and the Farmers’ Market**

Okinawa is currently in the middle of mango season. My mother says she wants to send mangoes to her friends, but since they’re just starting to come out, the prices are still a bit high. Every year, it’s a family tradition for us to drive out to the farmers’ market in Nago to buy them; mangoes from the northern part of the island are very sweet and popular.

On the main island of Okinawa, Tomigusuku is the largest producing area, followed by the area around Motobu. Since mangoes from the north hit the market a little later than those from the south, **the best time to buy is in early August, when Keitt mangoes start appearing**. Because this coincides with the tourist season, farm stands and farmers’ markets are bustling with activity.

## 🌿 **Seasonal Living Wisdom: Tips for Surviving Okinawa’s Midsummer**

Midsummer in Okinawa brings a combination of “heat, humidity, and strong sunlight.”

Here are three tips for getting through this season:

– **Get your morning chores done early** (get moving before the temperature rises)

– **Replenish fluids and salt regularly** (to prevent heatstroke)

– **Postpone shopping until the evening or later** (to avoid direct sunlight)

For households providing care, “room temperature management” is especially important. On days with little breeze, a fan alone isn’t enough, so turning on the air conditioning early and lowering indoor humidity can help prevent physical exhaustion.

## 🌈 **Summary**

It’s morning in Urasoe, Okinawa, under the blazing sun.

Life as a caregiver, the reality of rising living costs, and the arrival of mango season.

As the seasons change, our daily lives gradually take on new forms.

Today, too, I’d like to take things slowly while savoring the summer in Minatogawa.