Uchimizu: Sprinkling Water for Heat Relief

Traditional Wisdom

Uchimizu​ means the sprinkling of water on the ground for relief from the heat. The practice is traditional wisdom dating back to the Edo period (1603–1868). When people scatter water, often on the streets outside their homes or businesses, it lowers the heat of the ground as it evaporates, and has the additional benefit of keeping the dust down.

It is most effective when avoiding direct heat that would evaporate the water too quickly, so is commonly performed in the morning or especially the evening. For this reason, it is also better to scatter water in the shade. Rather than using fresh water from the tap, rainwater or used bathwater is ideal for an environmentally friendly way of reducing the summer heat.

(Originally written in English. Banner photo © Pixta.)