subject: Take A Mosquito Trap On Your Next Trip To Japan [print this page] When I was living in Japan I discovered that the mosquitoes there were definitely partial to the taste of my blood. Just as sushi is a special treat for me, 22-year-old American girl blood seemed to be a very appetizing foreign delicacy to them. I spent the summer and early fall months wishing that I had some kind of Mosquito trap that could save me from the pests that found so much joy in making sure that I never found solace from their torment.
I was staying in a small apartment in a city called Urawa. There was a small lake at a nearby park that made a perfect breeding ground for all of my blood sucking friends. Within days of my arrival there, my body was covered in bites that formed huge welts on my skin. It looked like I was suffering from some kind of disease. When I sent photos home to my family they were worried about whether there were any serious side effects of having that many bites at the same time.
One morning I decided that it would be fun to count my mosquito bites so that I could tell my family back home exactly how bad my situation was. Well, we'll just say that I got up into the hundreds with my counting, and I was nowhere close to accounting for all of the bites on my legs, not to mention my arms and my face. The worst part was that somehow the mosquitoes were getting into our apartment and it seemed like they were constantly buzzing in my ears and eating my face.
Even though it was really hot, I'd get down deep into my blankets with as little skin exposed as possible. I always kept a bottle of bug repellent next to my futon, but it didn't seem to make any difference. My roommate would wake up in the morning and tell me that she had heard me spraying bug repellent and slapping my face in an attempt to squish the annoying bugs all night long. Ironically, she hardly ever had even a bite.
I absolutely love Japan. I love the people. I love the culture. I love the food. I even love the idea of trading in my car to spend my days riding around on a bicycle, but one thing that I definitely don't love is the mosquitoes. I hope that I can make it back to that beautiful country again someday, but the next time I go I'll be prepared with some kind of Mosquito trap so I can sleep through the nights and enjoy itch free days.
