You Can Stand Under My Umbrella

Many Japanese women carry UV protection umbrellas to protect their skin from the bright sun.
One trend that comes along in Japan ever spring/summer season is the UV protection umbrellas. If you didn’t know, Japanese women care for their skin like crazy and the majority hate the thought of getting a tan. (Well, besides those yamambas that I talked about a long time ago and beach lovers.) Some of my Japanese friends use SPF 50+ sunscreen! I usually only use SPF 15 or 30, so I was shocked.
UV protection umbrellas are mostly used by 30 year old women and up, but every now and then I see a young teenager or some 20 something year olds using these umbrellas. Some think the use of umbrellas is a sign of getting old, but I think that their just becoming more aware of their skin and protecting it from wrinkling and skin diseases.
Although I dislike the thought of lugging around an umbrella everywhere I go, it is a great way to always stay in the shade. The umbrella’s are pretty cute and come in many colors and designs, but some turn out to look really old-fashioned which doesn’t always match the outfit.
Do I use these umbrellas? Nah. For now I think I’m going to stick with sunscreen lotion and maybe when I start getting “old” I might think about using one of these umbrellas.