Rain, rain, go away......The month of June signals the beginning of the rainy season in Japan. During this time of year, umbrella and blue tarp merchants are sure to make a killin'! For those who plan to visit Japan during this time of the year, the good news is that plane tickets are usually cheaper in June. The bad news, the humidity will be so high, you'll wish you had paid a higher fare for another time of the year!

During June (ROKUGATSU) in Japan, you are bound to hear the words MUSHI ATSUI. These translate to "humid", "hot and muggy", or just plain "miserable"! When speaking these words in Japanese, be sure to accent them with a moaning, groaning sound for the full affect! Most every Japanese person you see will be carrying a fan, wearing a hat, wiping sweat from their brow with a handy handkerchief, and looking very tired! Of course, the good thing about Japan is that it is an island....so a swim is close by for most Japanese citizens and sticky tourists!

TSUYU (the rainy season) can be a troublesome time of year for more reasons than the heat and humidity. The numerous amounts of rainfall often wreak havoc on Japanese homes and hillsides. After the heavy rains, mudslides and landslides frequently terrorize the Japanese people. The blue tarps, mentioned above, are used to cover the roofs of Japanese homes that have been damaged by the heavy rains and aftermath.

I recall, in the small village I once lived in, that the local temple was almost destroyed by the torrential rainfall. The shrine sat atop a hill that overlooked the valley. The heavy rains created a mudslide that caused the hillside to tumble into a small creek running along the road. There were actually branches and cars floating down the stream near my apartment!

Another site a tourist in Japan will see are numerous mountainsides that are covered in concrete. While definitely less than pleasing to the eye and what I would consider a scar on the natural beauty of Japan, these do have a purpose. For without the refortification by the local authorities, most of the Japanese islands would now be lying on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean!

So, if you plan to travel to Japan this time of year, be sure to take an umbrella. Better yet, you might be sure to purchase a SUDOKU puzzle book for the airplane flight and the hotel room, because you may be indoors most of the time!

Read more about Japan at www.tenchi.us and find some easy, free, and delicious recipes to bring a little of Japan into your home and life!

Troy S. Hogg
http://www.tenchi.us