Now that the peak of summer has passed, most of us are probably thankful that the heat is going to dissipate and we can live our lives free from ever-present pools of sweat.
For me, the end of summer brings an added joy ¡ª all those menacing-looking insects that pop up across Japan start to collectively pack their bags and bugger off for another year. Bliss.
I know creepy-crawlies aren¡¯t exclusive to Japan, but as a Brit, pretty much all I ever had to deal with growing up were ladybugs and spiders ¡ª and unfortunately for me, I have arachnophobia. I¡¯ve had it since I was about 8, coinciding roughly with the time I watched the ¡°horror comedy¡± film ¡°Arachnophobia¡± for the first and only time. Living in the countryside, spiders weren¡¯t exactly uncommon, and my parents¡¯ house certainly seemed to get its fair share of the big, black-bodied variety. When I go home for a visit, I still hesitate to go into the loft or the garden shed.
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