つゆ ( 梅雨 )

Rainy season

From around early June to mid-July, as spring gives way to summer, most of Japan is subject to a period of rainy weather called つゆ . Day in and day out, the sky remains gloomy, and temperatures and humidity rise. It is probably the least pleasant time of the year.

The rainy season; why??The rainy season is caused by the collision of cold northerly and warm southerly air masses, which results in a relatively stable bad weather front over the Japanese archipelago for several weeks.

The table shows the average starting and ending dates of the rainy season for selected regions of Japan, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency

Region Start End

おきなわおきなわ May 8 June 23

きゅうしゅうきゅうしゅう May 29 July 13

おおさかおおさか June 6 July 14

とうきょうとうきょう June 8 July 20

とうほくとうほく June 12 July 27

During the rainy season it does not rain every day. In fact, Tokyo registers only an average of 12 rainy days in June, while 120 hours of sunshine are recorded. As for the amount of rainfall, it varies from

days with intensive downpours to other days with occasional sprinkles.

Rain is important!

The early summer rain has many positive aspects, of course. It helps plants grow and flourish, and it's a valuable source of drinking water. Insufficient rainfall during つゆ usually means water shortages in mid-summer.

Rice planting is the act of transplanting rice seedlings from the seedbed to a rice paddy. In Japan, it usually takes place from around the end of April to late June, depending on the region.

The fact that mould grows easily in humid weather is a big plus in making certain foods, such as miso, soy sauce, and sake, which are important parts of the Japanese diet.

あじさいあじさい (hydrangea)

あじさいあじさい (hydrangea) is one of the symbols of the rainy season in Japan. The flower changes its colour slightly depending on the time or climate of the day. Kamakura and Hakone are famous for あじさいあじさい flowers.

Japanese children make dolls calledてるてるぼうず with tissue paper or white cloth and hope to have a sunny day the next day