4-meter-tall thermometer installed in Kumagaya — Japan’s hottest city

The Yomiuri Shimbun

A 4-meter-tall thermometer is installed at the Yagihashi department store in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, on Friday. The outsized heat-measuring device is a summer landmark in the city, which is known as the hottest urban location in the country.

Workers put the finishing touches to the structure amid light rain. Due to Kumagaya’s soaring mercury, the phrase “Be wary of mask-induced heatstroke” has been added to the thermometer’s exterior since 2020. The installation is scheduled to remain in place until the end of August.