A definite benefit of working as an ALT in Japan is the long summer holidays. Yes, most schools in Japan have a long summer holiday starting around the 20th of July and going all the way through to the beginning of September. This comes close to a month and a half and is a good chance to rest and recoup after all the early morning starts during the working weeks.
Most ALT staff take the opportunity to head back home and catch up with family and friends, many try to pick up extra work during the summer and some use the time off to see parts of Japan that are difficult to get to during other times of the year.
One difficulty in the later is that most people in Japan have the same idea about seeing the country and the main destinations are usually very busy during the summer holidays with many families traveling. Of course, the popular destinations for families are the usual Tokyo Disney Land and Sea in Tokyo or Universal studios in Osaka but the big family destinations during the summer are usually dominated by the many water theme parks and places that provide a chance to cool down and escape the heat.
The best places to escape the heat are the local shopping complexes and mall centers that are recently more popular than ever in Japan. They provide all you need for surviving the hot summer days. Many including cinemas and entertainment complexes with food court style family dinning and more fashionable restaurants available to suit everyone. Most of these places are giant and can keep the average family entertained for the day. Go in the morning and step out in the early evening when the heat dies down a little and surviving the summer heat is not so much of a pain.