How to enjoy Japan during the rainy season?
Don't forget your umbrella!
Kenichi Mashiba
Tips for Visiting Japan During the Rainy Season
From mid-June to early July, it is the rainy season in Japan (known as Tsuyu). Wind, humidity, and heat, this time of year is often shunned by visitors. However, it provides a glimpse of an intimate face of the archipelago...
Reconnect with Nature and its spirituality
Due to the benefits of rain, Tusyu is the ideal time to discover the beauties of Nature. Plain, forest, or even mountain, the smell of hard washing just wet combined with the reflections of the early summer sky offers pretty landscapes all around Japan. Especially in the countryside, where the rainy season announces the time to take care of the rice fields.
A moment of communion with the environment, the Tsuyu is also conducive to a spiritual retreat. The bucolic atmosphere of the temples and sanctuaries is soothing there, the reflections of the water coming to dress the wood of the buildings.
Admire the shrines in the rain
Flick/aresio
Amateur of hot springs, the rainy season will finally provide you with pleasant moments of relaxation. With your feet warm and your eyes glued to nature, the sound of rain from a sheltered onsen has never been so soothing.
- Read also: 5 onsens with a view
Enjoy the onsen with a cool mind
Beppu City Official Website enjoyonsen.city.beppu.oita.jp
Savor the daily pleasures
To enjoy your stay in the rain, you don't need to go very far either. The season of Tsuyu also sounds like the return to simple pleasures, and its benefits are appreciated daily.
True symbols of the rainy season, hydrangeas (or ajisai in Japanese ) are found in many metropolises in Japan. Their blue-violet reflections border the entrance of the temples, and it is not uncommon to see them along the railways or at the edge of the small townhouses.
- Read also: where to admire hydrangeas in Tokyo?
The alleys of the Takahata temples are adorned with purple in Hino
Tokyo Weekender
If you hate rain, the Tsuyu will be an opportunity for you to discover Japanese coffee culture. Far from the Parisian cliche of the terrace where you sip your espresso, the Japanese cafe is a little haven of peace where it is customary to go out with friends.
Lunch, brunch, and even dinner, the Japanese cafe looks more like a brasserie than a tobacco bar. It can therefore be very valuable for taking refuge in the event of heavy showers, especially if it overlooks a garden or a panorama.
- D iscover: 5 Instagrammable cafes in Tokyo
Matcha, king of the tea house
Flick/ Sawada Tadashi
Discover unknown customs
An inevitable part of the calendar, the rainy season has brought its customs over the centuries. Cuteness is always interesting to discover during a trip to Japan.
Although they can't go outside to play, the children still find a way to keep busy during the rainy season. And for good reason, this is an opportunity for them to find Mr. "henohenomoheji".
Often drawn on bus windows or classroom windows, Mr. "henohenomoheji" is a friendly foggy man whose appearance follows the pattern of hiragana. His eyebrows as his mouth are symbolized by the letter "he" (へ), while his eyes will be represented by "no" (の) and his nose by "mo" (も). The shape of his face will take on it looks like a "ji" (じ), and building it will only take you a few seconds.
A good way, therefore, to memorize hiragana while passing the time!
- Also read: Japanese writing
Meet Mr. Henohenomoheji
Ph.L
If you are manual, take advantage of the Tsuyu to make teru teru bozu, small rain dolls. Taking the form of white ghosts, the teru teru bozu would serve as talismans to ward off showers. They would then be placed above the windows with the help of a rope, and a little nursery rhyme would be sung to activate their charm.
If the weather is nice and you would like a bit of freshness, the legend also says that it would rain if the teru teru bozu is hung upside down.
Hanging teru teru bozu
shutterstock
How to prepare for traveling to Japan during the rainy season?
Against all expectations, it does not rain continuously during the rainy season. Despite everything, the Tsuyu remains a wet and heavy period that is sometimes difficult to grasp.
Indeed, the humidity can sometimes exceed 70%. It is therefore important to wear airy clothes and waterproof shoes to avoid ending the day inconvenienced.
Since the rain can return at any time, it is also advisable to always have an umbrella on you. Konbini and 100 yen shops sell them at low prices. These are often large and transparent, but there are also very practical retractable models to slip into your handbag.
On a more common measure, the umbrella will never be a problem. Shops and restaurants are often equipped with umbrella stands at the entrance, and you can leave your belongings there before going about your business without fear of seeing them disappear.
Finally, it is important to note that the rainy season does not affect all regions of the archipelago in the same way. And if Hokkaido tends to be spared, the showers will begin in May in Okinawa to end their course in Tohoku at the end of June. If you are cautious about the Tsuyu, it is therefore always possible to arrange the visits to avoid the rain!
A rainy day in Japan
Iso Republic (free image site)
