Japanese summers are now so sweltering that the Meteorological Agency created a word to describe a whole new category of hot.
The term ¡°kokushobi¡± (literally, ¡°cruel hot day¡±) was coined to describe the brutal heat of temperatures 40 degrees Celsius and above. In previous years, ³¾¨²õ³ó´Ç²ú¾± (¡°fiercely hot days¡±) of 35 C or higher had ranked as the hottest, but by July, cities across Japan had already experienced multiple consecutive kokushobi days.
With dangerously hot summer days now a fact of life, my kitchen repertoire during August focuses on ²õ¨³¾±ð²Ô ¡ª the chilled, thread-thin wheat noodles that have refreshed heat-weary Japanese since at least the eighth century.
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