The rainy season began in the Shikoku region two weeks ago, and in Kochi Prefecture, rain is finally falling as usual, with more and more cloudy days. We will introduce some items that will be useful not only during this humid season, but also when the rainy season ends and the summer really hits. There are some items that you can use every day!
The first place we visited was the Workway Main Store, a working shop located in Shioshincho, Kochi City.
This year, the rainy season in the Shikoku region began on June 9th, 11 days later than last year, so rain gear sales here have been sluggish for several days. However, the store is lined with casually designed goods that will ease your worries when it rains.
(Announcer Yashiro Endo)
“This is actually a raincoat. Raincoats tend to be monochromatic, but there are some that are as stylish as this one. The fabric is polyester, which repels water easily, and it’s also very light.”
According to Workway, rain suits with this type of design and stretchability are a trend this year.
This umbrella. At first glance it looks like a normal umbrella, but when you open it, you’ll see that one part of the umbrella is wider.
It helps prevent bags and other items you carry from getting wet in the rain.
(Announcer Yashiro Endo)
“This is the waterproof shoe section. It says, ‘No need to be afraid of rain anymore.’ These shoes are just like sneakers. Ah, even at this stage, I can feel the shoes sticking to my feet. When I tie them, they tighten around my ankles and it looks like water won’t get in. When I try walking in them, they’re very light and have good cushioning. They’re not slippery, and I’m no longer afraid of rain.”
Furthermore, Femme., a sister store for women, which reopened next to the main store in April this year, also sells waterproof shoes for women.
This item also has a casual design, so it can be used not only as rain gear but also for everyday use. Workway’s main store hopes that people will feel better by wearing items that are different from others and spend the rainy season comfortably.
Next we went to Best Denki Kochi Main Store in Chiyori-cho, Kochi City. Mr. Sasaoka introduced us to some products that are useful during the rainy season.
(Best Denki Kochi Main Store, Daisuke Sasaoka)
“First of all, this futon dryer. Of course, I use it for futons these days, but during the rainy season, I come home with wet shoes, and they’re still wet the next day. This is a product that can dry your shoes as well.”
By changing the dedicated attachment, you can dry both your futon and shoes. Next is a portable air conditioner that can be used anywhere in the room with just one outlet. This air conditioner does more than just cool the room.
(Best Denki Kochi Main Store, Daisuke Sasaoka)
“There’s a warm breeze coming from behind.”
(Announcer Yashiro Endo)
“Oh, you’re right. There’s a pretty strong warm breeze coming out.”
(Best Denki Kochi Main Store, Daisuke Sasaoka)
“You can also use it to dry your laundry, so it’s a product that kills two birds with one stone.”
This air conditioner served two purposes: to prevent heatstroke and to prevent the smell of damp laundry.
Finally, there is a circulator that circulates air in the room.
Although air circulators are often thought of as something to be used only in the summer, they can actually be used all year round depending on how you use them.
(Best Denki Kochi Main Store, Daisuke Sasaoka)
“In the rainy season, place it near the laundry, and in the summer, place it under or near the air conditioner to blow the cold air farther away, which will circulate the cold air around the room and help save electricity. In the winter, warm air tends to accumulate at the top. So if you blow the air from a distance, around the middle, towards the top of the air conditioner, it will circulate better.”
Using home appliances wisely can also lead to energy savings! Currently, the prefecture is running a campaign to encourage the purchase of home appliances that have a large energy-saving effect, and according to Sasaoka, more and more people are replacing their home appliances sooner than expected.
(Best Denki Kochi Main Store, Daisuke Sasaoka)
“There are subsidies available, so I hope you will consider replacing your home appliances with energy-efficient ones. I hope that the products I have just introduced will help you to be comfortable even during the rainy season.”
Why not try out some trendy items that will be a great help to get you through the rainy season and the full-fledged summer that follows?
Source: Japanese