Shiga Kogen
Japan · Asia
The water
31 mg/LSoft
Source: GEX MeGreen (Japan Water Works Association statistics) · Published figure. Hardness counts dissolved calcium and magnesium in the water; it is the number your hair meets in the shower.
What soft water does to hair
Very little gets between your shampoo and your hair here: lather is easy, rinsing is clean and build-up barely features. Fine hair may go limp or flyaway, and heavy conditioning weighs it down faster.
The washing routine for Shiga Kogen
Keep your normal rhythm; soft water asks for no detox routine. Go lighter on conditioner, which feels heavier in soft water, and if fine hair goes limp, reach for volume at the roots rather than more product through the lengths. A clarifying wash now and then is plenty.
Climate, from recent records (Open-Meteo, ERA5 2015-2024): August is the warmest month, averaging 22°C by day, and humidity peaks in August at about 89% on average. In the humid months, frizz is the main event; anti-humidity styling matters more than wash frequency.
Local note: Served by Yamanouchi town supply; headline is the mean of seven town plants reading 15-42 mg/L; plateau accommodation may sit on a local system within the same range.
Plugs and power for your tools
Sockets: Type A and B. Supply: 100 V, 50 Hz.
Japan runs at 100 V, lower than almost anywhere else: a dryer wound for 230 V only will barely warm up here, and one bought here can burn out on 230 V back home. Check the label for dual voltage (100-240 V) before you plug in.
Plug, voltage and frequency: IEC World Plugs and national standards.
Plan Shiga Kogen properly
The trip planner turns this water profile into a wash plan for your hair type, a chosen kit and a packing list, month by month.