Long sleeves/long pants keep your skin safe from sun damage. Depending on the heat sometimes I feel like I’m getting way hotter with short sleeves and shorts, since the sun is cooking my skin.
Wind can pass through pants too, you know. They also stop sunlight, which reduces heat. They also create a layer of air between your skin and the fabric, which combined with wind passing through, cools down the sweat on the skin, causing a cooler feeling than bare, sweaty legs baking in the sun.
Also, it’s “wear.”
Doesn’t want to become tanned, or just because it’s proper business attire
It was odd but i found it was hotter and sweatier the more bare skin I had. Having a breathable long sleeve shirt in the heat was preferable to me than sweat forming in my elbow crease and armpit and dripping down lol sorry for the unpleasant imagery.
There is an overall aversion towards tanning and getting sunlight over your skin. For women it is more about skincare, but for men it is probably related to how getting tanned may make you look like a “bad boy” or a “gyaruo”, which on business settings may look intimidating and it is also associated with people who hold a lower standard of life (tanned skin=has to work under the sun, so it is associated with construction, agriculture, etc.)
Then there is not much offer if you go to a retail shop. At best you will find sportswear but you will have a hard time finding short jeans for instance.
Long, loose pants are actually better than short pants. It’s much better to cover your skin as much as possible to protect it from strong sunlight.
Loose breathable fabrics are cooler than less fabric. Look at MENA people in the hottest parts of the globe, they wear long, loose fitting flowy garments.
39 today here in Nagoya. Saudi temps
And why does everyone wear all black? Im curious, i never saw anyone wearing colorful clothes especially women. Whyyyy
37 is light jacket weather bro
lots of rational explanations here, but a major reason of course is that people don’t wear shorts because other people don’t wear shorts. Japan being relatively (maybe a bit more than relatively) conformist society, people like to dress similarly to one another. Wearing shorts seems to be an easy giveaway that you’re a visiting foreigner, in case you care.
What’s interesting to me is that Japanese people used to wear shorts, unless I’m totally misremembering Japan from 20 years ago. So I tend to think it’s all about fashion trend (which could stem from practical reasons, like wearing rashguads at the beach to avoid UV)
The vibe I got early on is that short pants are for schoolchildren and weekends, basically. I’m from California, but I tend to adhere to that and just wear shorts on the weekend.
A Don doesn’t wear shorts.
Is this a regional thing? I’m visiting family outside Okayama. Here most men and women below the age of 40 are wearing t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops.
I often see Japanese people with short pants nowadays
For me, the pants catch my sweat drops 🤣
To avoid mosquito bites
By the way, even on high mountain trekking routes, Japanese people prefer long sleeves and long pants, while foreigners, especially Caucasians, seem to prefer short sleeves and short pants. I am Japanese and wear long sleeves and long pants to prevent insect bites, sunburn, and injuries.
Trekking in the Japanese Alps in the fall, it is obvious that Caucasians are more resistant to cold than Japanese. Even when we are shivering in the cold, they are fine in light clothes.
I like to think that most Indoor area have AC on full blast. People spent most of their time in AC room anyway so shorts might not cut it.
I wear pure linen trousers and I don’t feel any difference in temperature whether I’m wearing linen trousers or shorts
Has the Same question when I moved. Combination of business, dont want get hit by UV, work, no tanning, tradition
They don’t want dark skin.
I also never wear shorts. It just doesn’t look good in my opinion and offers more opportunities for insect and sun burn.
Plenty of people wearing shorts where I live in Chiba.
Lots of good answers here, but I believe the biggest reason is because Japanese think shorts are for kids and not adults.
Japanese kids are literally forced to wear shorts all year even in winter, and it’s become something of a thing to represent the age group.
Of course it’s an exception in special cases like going to the beach or something. But Japanese men basically think they shouldn’t wear shorts as an adult.
Showing off hairy legs is considered quite icky by Japanese standards.
Sorry, 37 C!? As a Canadian citizen this sounds absolutley insane. I actually can’t imagine how miserable a 37 C day would be. I can barely function on a 30 C day.
I stayed with a friend in Sendai this week and asked the same question. They said the Japanese are just more acclimated to the hot in the same way I, as a US midwesterner, am more acclimated to the extreme cold.
I didn’t even see the locals sweating in Japan, and they were wearing layers. Meanwhile, I looked like I’d just gotten off Splash Mountain 5 minutes after stepping outside.
mosquitos
When I was living in Thailand you’d put on long pants and long shirt for business or formal events in 45c. There it was to block the sun from getting on your skin, cause being tanned makes is seem like you’re lower class.
Because cultural values and norms can be different.
‘Cause they’re stylish…すてき、おしゃれ。。。
I am now convinced they are just legally crazy. Everyone around me is. They are all crazy. Can’t be me
Shorts are unfashionable. There is a reason it a stereotypical tourist outfit.
It also protects the skin.
Shorts are like pajama pants in the states, some people wear them outside but usually just to go to Walmart.
Shorts aren’t fashionable.
American here: I NEVER wear shorts. I also think that most men who wear them, look silly.
My female students mostly tell me it’s because they’re afraid of tanning.
39 comments
Long sleeves/long pants keep your skin safe from sun damage. Depending on the heat sometimes I feel like I’m getting way hotter with short sleeves and shorts, since the sun is cooking my skin.
Wind can pass through pants too, you know. They also stop sunlight, which reduces heat. They also create a layer of air between your skin and the fabric, which combined with wind passing through, cools down the sweat on the skin, causing a cooler feeling than bare, sweaty legs baking in the sun.
Also, it’s “wear.”
Doesn’t want to become tanned, or just because it’s proper business attire
It was odd but i found it was hotter and sweatier the more bare skin I had. Having a breathable long sleeve shirt in the heat was preferable to me than sweat forming in my elbow crease and armpit and dripping down lol sorry for the unpleasant imagery.
There is an overall aversion towards tanning and getting sunlight over your skin. For women it is more about skincare, but for men it is probably related to how getting tanned may make you look like a “bad boy” or a “gyaruo”, which on business settings may look intimidating and it is also associated with people who hold a lower standard of life (tanned skin=has to work under the sun, so it is associated with construction, agriculture, etc.)
Then there is not much offer if you go to a retail shop. At best you will find sportswear but you will have a hard time finding short jeans for instance.
Long, loose pants are actually better than short pants. It’s much better to cover your skin as much as possible to protect it from strong sunlight.
Loose breathable fabrics are cooler than less fabric. Look at MENA people in the hottest parts of the globe, they wear long, loose fitting flowy garments.
39 today here in Nagoya. Saudi temps
And why does everyone wear all black? Im curious, i never saw anyone wearing colorful clothes especially women. Whyyyy
37 is light jacket weather bro
lots of rational explanations here, but a major reason of course is that people don’t wear shorts because other people don’t wear shorts. Japan being relatively (maybe a bit more than relatively) conformist society, people like to dress similarly to one another. Wearing shorts seems to be an easy giveaway that you’re a visiting foreigner, in case you care.
What’s interesting to me is that Japanese people used to wear shorts, unless I’m totally misremembering Japan from 20 years ago. So I tend to think it’s all about fashion trend (which could stem from practical reasons, like wearing rashguads at the beach to avoid UV)
The vibe I got early on is that short pants are for schoolchildren and weekends, basically. I’m from California, but I tend to adhere to that and just wear shorts on the weekend.
A Don doesn’t wear shorts.
Is this a regional thing? I’m visiting family outside Okayama. Here most men and women below the age of 40 are wearing t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops.
I often see Japanese people with short pants nowadays
For me, the pants catch my sweat drops 🤣
To avoid mosquito bites
By the way, even on high mountain trekking routes, Japanese people prefer long sleeves and long pants, while foreigners, especially Caucasians, seem to prefer short sleeves and short pants. I am Japanese and wear long sleeves and long pants to prevent insect bites, sunburn, and injuries.
Trekking in the Japanese Alps in the fall, it is obvious that Caucasians are more resistant to cold than Japanese. Even when we are shivering in the cold, they are fine in light clothes.
I like to think that most Indoor area have AC on full blast. People spent most of their time in AC room anyway so shorts might not cut it.
I wear pure linen trousers and I don’t feel any difference in temperature whether I’m wearing linen trousers or shorts
Has the Same question when I moved. Combination of business, dont want get hit by UV, work, no tanning, tradition
They don’t want dark skin.
I also never wear shorts. It just doesn’t look good in my opinion and offers more opportunities for insect and sun burn.
Plenty of people wearing shorts where I live in Chiba.
Lots of good answers here, but I believe the biggest reason is because Japanese think shorts are for kids and not adults.
Japanese kids are literally forced to wear shorts all year even in winter, and it’s become something of a thing to represent the age group.
Of course it’s an exception in special cases like going to the beach or something. But Japanese men basically think they shouldn’t wear shorts as an adult.
Showing off hairy legs is considered quite icky by Japanese standards.
Sorry, 37 C!? As a Canadian citizen this sounds absolutley insane. I actually can’t imagine how miserable a 37 C day would be. I can barely function on a 30 C day.
I stayed with a friend in Sendai this week and asked the same question. They said the Japanese are just more acclimated to the hot in the same way I, as a US midwesterner, am more acclimated to the extreme cold.
I didn’t even see the locals sweating in Japan, and they were wearing layers. Meanwhile, I looked like I’d just gotten off Splash Mountain 5 minutes after stepping outside.
mosquitos
When I was living in Thailand you’d put on long pants and long shirt for business or formal events in 45c. There it was to block the sun from getting on your skin, cause being tanned makes is seem like you’re lower class.
Because cultural values and norms can be different.
‘Cause they’re stylish…すてき、おしゃれ。。。
I am now convinced they are just legally crazy. Everyone around me is. They are all crazy. Can’t be me
Shorts are unfashionable. There is a reason it a stereotypical tourist outfit.
It also protects the skin.
Shorts are like pajama pants in the states, some people wear them outside but usually just to go to Walmart.
Shorts aren’t fashionable.
American here: I NEVER wear shorts. I also think that most men who wear them, look silly.
My female students mostly tell me it’s because they’re afraid of tanning.
Shorts are way too casual.
What are you, a Filipino?