[Summer Art Festivals] Beat the Heat! 13 Essentials You Must Bring

Summer Art Festival Essentials

During the first week of August 2019, when the Japanese archipelago was blanketed in extreme heat, I spent a week visiting the Reborn-Art Festival, the Aichi Triennale, and the Setouchi Triennale. The heat was simply overwhelming. With heatstroke even claiming lives, it was truly dangerous, abnormal weather.

Outside of buildings, it stays hot constantly from morning to evening. For ordinary modern people accustomed to air conditioning, an art festival where you may end up moving around nearly all day is a bit like intense ascetic training. It’s not so different from an outdoor summer music festival held in the peak of summer.

Here I’ve compiled the items I became convinced, over the course of that week, that you absolutely want to bring to a midsummer art festival.
I hope this helps make for an enjoyable art-viewing experience despite the fierce heat.

A Julian Opie work near Takamatsu Station. Even past 5 p.m., the western sunlight made it intensely hot.

Essential Packing List

Below is my personal list of “13” essentials.
Please adapt it to your own needs and use it as a reference.

1) Cash

Modern city dwellers have grown accustomed to electronic money and credit cards.
If you take advantage of that convenience and skip carrying cash, you’ll find yourself in trouble on the islands of Ishinomaki or Shikoku.
The stalls you happen upon, local buses, drink vending machines, merchandise shops, restaurants — many of these places only accept cash. For any “just in case” situation, please make sure to bring cash.

Having cash on hand really matters for those "just in case" moments. — Having cash on hand really matters for those “just in case” moments.

2) Drinks

The first thing to watch is staying hydrated.
Everyone knows drinks are essential in midsummer, but a single 500ml bottle is not enough. You’ll want to carry at least two 500ml plastic bottles.
Some convenience store freezers even sell frozen plastic bottles. You can press one against your neck to cool your body down, so it’s a good idea to tuck one into your bag.

3) Thermos / Insulated Bottle

Even a cold drink you just bought quickly loses its chill in the extreme heat.
I recommend transferring your drink into an insulated bottle like a Thermos to keep it cold.
You can also ask for ice at your hotel in the morning and carry ice water with you. An ice-cold drink is refreshing in the searing heat.

Naoshima port, with the strong sunlight of the seaside.

4) Salt Candy

Drinking only water throws off your body’s balance.
Sports drinks contain the salt and minerals you need, but if you’re only drinking water or barley tea, you also need to replenish the salt lost through sweat. Salt candies are a great aid against heatstroke.

My recommendation is Ennetsu Supple. It replenishes the salt you need, and the tablets are tasty.

There's one convenience store on Naoshima, a Setouchi Triennale venue. You can withdraw cash and stock up on all kinds of su… — There’s one convenience store on Naoshima, a Setouchi Triennale venue. You can withdraw cash and stock up on all kinds of supplies — it’s a vital base.

5) Sunscreen

Forget your sunscreen and you’ll literally get badly burned.
The go-to among my fair-skinned female friends is Shiseido’s Anessa — a sunscreen with extremely powerful protection.
It has an Aqua Booster function where the UV-blocking film becomes more uniform when it comes into contact with sweat or water — perfect for the harsh heat. Apparently it’s also hugely popular with Chinese bulk buyers. (I promise I’m not on Shiseido’s payroll…)

Meanwhile, according to a medical professional I know, L’Oréal-brand sunscreens are highly regarded.
A patented ingredient called Mexoryl is said to be extremely effective, and it’s used in their sunscreen products.

6) Hat

Fight the heat with a wide-brimmed hat.
A straw hat might feel a bit embarrassing on city streets, but at art festivals in Ishinomaki or Shikoku, it feels wonderfully liberating.
You might even be able to find one at a local convenience store.

A slope near Teshima Art Museum. On the islands, there's almost nothing to block the sun. — A slope near Teshima Art Museum. On the islands, there’s almost nothing to block the sun.

7) Sport Sandals

Since you’ll be walking a lot at these festivals, you want shoes you’re used to.
When entering exhibition rooms, an surprising number of venues actually require you to take off your shoes.
I went with sport sandals from the outdoor brand KEEN — a well-known maker that also sponsors Fuji Rock Festival.

These days you can even try them on for free through Amazon and other online retailers.

8) Portable Battery

You’ll use your smartphone constantly on-site.
In the strong summer sun, the screen automatically brightens, so the battery drains faster than usual.
There are also very few places to recharge on-site, so you’ll want to carry a portable battery at all times.

9) Sweat Towels and Handkerchiefs

You’ll sweat a lot, so pack a sweat towel and handkerchief.

There are also cooling towels with carabiners now — you often see young people at summer festivals using them.

I went with a compact towel-style handkerchief.
Thick pile fabric feels great pressed against your skin, and it seems to help sunscreen last longer.
Sweat-wipe sheets are also an option, but they can wipe off your sunscreen, so be mindful of when you use them.

10) Umbrella (Parasol)

At rural festivals with few places to shelter from rain, you can get caught in sudden showers or downpours.
My recommendation for a lightweight folding umbrella is one from the outdoor brand Mont-bell. It’s also useful in everyday life.

A parasol will also come in handy. At rural festivals there’s almost nothing tall to block the sun, and shade is extremely scarce. A rain umbrella can also double as a parasol.

11) Sunglasses

Definitely bring some to shield your eyes from strong sunlight. UV rays entering through the eyes can apparently affect sunburn on the entire body.
Given the sweaty, blazing-sun conditions, sport sunglasses might be lightweight and easy to use.
Popular among runners is an LA brand called “goodr.”
Fans are growing across genders.

12) Insect Repellent

At rural festivals, many works are placed in forests or mountains.
You’ll probably be dressed in shorts and short sleeves with plenty of skin exposed, so insect repellent is one of the items you’ll want to bring.
I’d recommend a small bottle with a refreshing fragrance.

13) On-Site Guide Map

Official guidebooks, official apps, and magazine features are all fine, but the official guide maps distributed on-site are dense and reliable — a must-have.
Maps, bus and ferry schedules, and information about works are all conveniently gathered together.
They’re also far more usable and functional than viewing things on a smartphone.

As a supplementary note, at festivals like the Setouchi Triennale where you frequently show your passport, a lanyard-style pass holder around your neck makes it easy to present.