Tsuyu, the rainy season in Japan

If you are traveling to Japan around June or July we highly recommend packing your raincoat and boots as these months are known to be the rainiest in Japan. Tsuyu or also known as Baiu is the rainy season starting from early June and lasts until mid-July and it signifies the start of summer. Every region in Japan expects the rainy season to start on different dates, in Okinawa from early May to mid-June, Kyushu from the end of May to mid-June, Kanto from early June to mid-July and Tohoku from mid-June to the end of July.

What is Tsuyu in Japan

Tsuyu is the annual rain season in Japan which signifies the change of seasons. During the months of June and July, you can expect a lot of grey skies, but this is also time for fruit ripening and nature becoming alive. While the tourists enjoy these months because of lower prices and fewer crowds Japanese on the contrary tend to complain about laundry never drying, mold, and frizzy hair, but if you can find the beauty in rain this travel season is just for you. When it is pouring rain it doesn’t mean that you have to stay at home, grab an umbrella and head out to see the beauty that is around you, the flowers and trees become the ripest and luscious during these months, there are some flowers that only bloom during this time. If you are visiting Tokyo in June join the Bunkyo Hydrangea Festival held at the Hakusan Shrine gardens and be mesmerized by the colors and stunning flowers.

Remember that carrying an umbrella at all times is an absolute necessity, we recommend purchasing an umbrella with a clear cover so you are able to see what is happening around you especially in big cities where you have to watch out for the traffic.

The Teru Teru bozu doll

The handmade Teru Teru Bozu is traditional dolls made in order to prevent rain. As Japan welcomes strong rainfall every year in June and July you will see many of these little ghost-looking dolls hanged outside of Japanese household windows and doors. There are many legends behind these dolls, the most popular one tells a story of a Good Weather Monk who upon his death cursed Japanese villages by rain that will never stop.

The dolls are made in a really simple way by taking two same-sized squares of tissue or cloth, one square is made into a ball which is wrapped up by the other square and secured with a rubber band creating the head of the ghost. Today the internet is full of tutorials on how to make your own Teru Teru Bozu and they come in many styles and designs. Once your doll is ready you place it outside of your window or doors and wait for the next day, if the next day is sunny you draw a smiley face or if the next day is rainy a sad face is drawn on the doll.

Travel to Japan in June

When we think about the holidays we normally imagine beaches, clear skies and sunbathing, unfortunately, you will most likely not experience this if you visit Japan in June and July. Surprisingly, even though these are the rainiest months, Japan still welcomes thousands of tourists as the hotel prices and transportation tend to be lower than during other seasons.

Japan’s main holiday season starts in April and lasts until May, after this period you can expect for the prices to drop and if you are not afraid to get your feet wet you might catch some great deals. You have to keep in mind that it does not rain daily during Tsuyu and you can still catch a little bit of sunshine, these months are especially great to travel because all the crowds have cleared out. If you have not been convinced yet, imagine walking through the rainy Koyasan wooden temple woods, watching the full bloom of hydrangea flowers at Hakone, and relaxing in one of the hot springs while the rain keeps pouring down.