Rain - Water, mist and mystery
There are many words for rain in the Japanese language. To describe rain (ame) or a shower (niwaka-ame), the Japanese language has an abundance of one word nouns. For example, samidare (五月雨) is used for light rain that lasts for a long period during the rainy season and saiu (細雨) for drizzling rain. Tsuyu (梅雨) means the season of rain that begins in June and ends with Kyoto’s giant Gion Matsuri in mid July. Translated literally, the kanji for tsuyu mean “plum rain”, which comes from the fact that plums (for umeshu plum wine and sour, but healthy umeboshi pickled plums.
During tsuyu, Kyoto greets the visitor with a special mood. For people new to the rainy season, be prepared for days and days of rain, and high humidity after the rain has ceased. For a really good time, visitors will have to learn to love an umbrella, while exploring the city with a rain escape plan always in mind. For an even better time, consider all the things that are wonderful about rain.
As a start, without the rainy season, Japanese civilization as we know it would have been impossible. Indeed, it could be said that Asian civilization would be impossible without the rainy season, since huge amounts of rain are essential in the early stages of rice cultivation.
Sanzen-in Temple garden on a rainy day
In the same way, the heavy rains of June and early July create the conditions that bring moss gardens to their much loved maximum lush deep or bright greens. In the same season, bamboo shoots up so quickly that you can literally watch it grow (bamboo reaches its maximum size in one season and then does not grow higher).
Rain also has special advantages. It is the perfect excuse to be lazy and lie around at home in bed, reading and dreamily listening to the steady beat of the rain on the roof tiles and the occasional metal object or container. Rain can also turn the most famous tourist spots into the quiet places they were meant to be.
For one of the most awe-inspiring sights, venture into one of Japan’s narrow valleys after a good hard rain. From the right vantage point, you can watch strange animal shapes, especially dragons, rise up from the slopes in lazily moving ghost-like ways.
Remember rain is wonderful and, in many ways, you can learn so much more from rain than sunshine. Try and learn to appreciate the mysteries and pleasures of rain this month in Kyoto.