Summer (Natsu)

Summer in Japan (Natsu) starts in June and ends in August. But the summer season starts
with rain in the end of June to the middle of July, it often rains and gets chilly as the
temperature drops. This period is called Tsuyu(rainy season). After Tsuyu is over, the
temperature jumps up and full-fledged summer comes and the sunshine gets intense. Most of
July and a little of August are characterized by hot and humid days. Most visitors visiting
Japan around this time head to the beaches, lakes, and rivers. There's a wide variety of summer
activities to do, including surfing, sunbathing, snorkeling, and river rafting.

Other tourists head to the mountains for cooler temperatures. Cities located at higher
elevations offer charming, rustic accommodations where you can stay for a few days. You
will also find various local attractions to beat the summer heat.

If you visit Japan in the summer, the Japanese matsuri (festival) or hanabi taikai
(fireworks display) are two not-to-be-missed summer experiences. There is often dancing,
games, and music at a summer matsuri. On the other hand, the fireworks display is a Japanese
tradition dating back hundreds of years.

Top three spots to visit in the summer:

1. Hokkaido - popular in the winter, but also a beautiful place to visit in the summer because
of its flower fields, lakes, and other nature spots.

2. Kyoto City - a picturesque city near Osaka where you can go on bike tours to see teahouses,
shrines, and Zen gardens.

3. Okinawa Islands - Japan's beach destination. Once the waters start warming in May, you
can swim, snorkel, kayak, and participate in other outdoor activities (it's best to avoid Golden
Week, though, when locals flock to the beach for the holiday).
Seasonal Flowers
Japan is well-known for its beautiful nature, especially its flowers. Most foreign visitors
head to Japan in spring to catch the blossoming flowers, but did you know that there are also
vibrant blooms to enjoy in summer? Aside from being synonymous with festivals and fireworks,
summer is also the season to be bright and colorful, and this applies to flowers as well!

Just as spring in Japan is famous for the cherry blossoms, you can enjoy Japan summer flowers.
There are almost too many to count, e.g. The ajisai (hydrangeas) which bloom in June and July, and
the himawari (sunflowers) which tend to emerge in late July and early August. If you come in late summer
(so, the first part of September), you can also see manjushage or spider.

When you think of summer, which flower comes to mind first? For many people, it is the
bright and cheery sunflower (himawari), isn’t it? Characterized by their large size and bright
yellow color, sunflowers get their name from the fact that they tilt to face the sun during the day,
a phenomenon known as heliotropism. As a quintessential summer flower, many places all over
Japan hold sunflower festivals in summer.

Ajisai (The Japanese Hydrangea)

The ajisai have a long history within Japanese culture as, already during the Nara period
(710-794), they were frequently the subject of haiku and present in the literature of the time.
Furthermore, due to its mutability, hydrangea was honored by the samurai of the Edo period (1603-
1868): according to these fighters, the ability of hydrangea flowers to change color depending on
the environment was an incredible quality that made every unique flower and symbol of
immortality.
June, in Japan, is the month of ajisai, the flowering of which heralds the arrival of rainy
season. Belonging to the Hydrangeas family, hydrangea is a plant native to Japan and China and
its origins are very ancient, as evidenced by the fossil traces dating back to 40-65 million years
ago. Hydrangea is slightly poisonous for both humans and animals:
Based on the color of the corymbs:
White - righteousness, purity, goodness, thoughtfulness and innocence;
Pink -happiness, cheerfulness, warmth, love, affection and sincere feelings;
Purple - calm, calm, long-lasting, understanding and creativity;
Blue -love, adoration, fidelity, sincerity, forgiveness, remorse and spirituality.
 Thanks to its countless meanings, hydrangea is suitable for many occasions and can be a
beautiful gift for joyful moments, thanking a loved one or expressing one's affection.

In Japan, ajisai is a plant linked to the breathtaking landscapes of the rainy season: after
losing all its leaves in the colder season, the Japanese hydrangea regains its natural splendor in late
spring and early summer. Also called "Rose of Japan'", hydrangea is one of the most revered
flowers by the Japanese people. Just think of the various seasonal objects on which it is represented,
such as the fabrics of the yukata, the ceramics or the typical sweets of the tea ceremony, the
wagashi.

As with many other natural elements, Japanese myths and legends are also hidden behind
the ajisai. One of these tells that, to remedy the fact of having neglected it due to work emergencies,
a Japanese emperor gave beautiful blue hydrangeas to the family of the girl he loved. With this
gift he wanted to show all the love and sorrow for the conduct he maintained and even today, in
fact, hydrangea is associated with a feeling of sincere emotion, apologies and gratitude for the
understanding received.

Himawari (Japanese Sunflower)

Although the defining features of sunflowers—tall stalks and bright flowers that rotate
toward the sun remain constant, you can often find sunflower variants, such as mini sunflowers or
sunflowers with a dark red rather than yellow coloring, in Japanese florists and garden centers.

During the season, you can enjoy sunflowers blooming all at once facing in the same
direction in sunflower fields all over the country. Himawari no Sato in Hokuryu, Hokkaido, and
the Kominato Railway, in which the train runs through a field of sunflowers, are particularly
popular spots.
Natsu Matsuri (The Summer Festival)
In Japanese, the summer festivals are called Natsu Matsuri, which is a collective term for
all the festivals that are held from early July to late August. Among all the festivals, Gion Matsuri,
Tenjin Matsuri, and Sanno Matsuri are the three greatest Natsu Matsuri with their long duration,
a huge number of participants, and grand scale. Moreover, they are located in Kyoto, Osaka, and
Tokyo respectively, which are the three most popular tourist resorts in Japan.

Gion Matsuri
Gion Matsuri is a festival held every July in Kyoto and lasts for a month. Featuring Natsu
Matsuri, the Gion Matsuri is considered the largest and most famous festival in Japan. It was
awarded the title of World Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009.

Gion Matsuri originated in 869 A.D. when a plague struck Japan and claimed numerous victims.
Therefore, people held a ceremony in Yasaka Shrine to pray for the deliverance from the disaster.
Since 970, the Gion Matsuri has been an annual event.

Gion Matsuri follows many traditions. For example, a local boy will be chosen as a “divine boy”
to visit the shrine and pray for good luck. From July 13 to July 17, he is carried on a palanquin and
his feet don’t touch the ground.

Various events are held throughout the month during the Gion Matsuri. However, the parade floats
from the 17th to the 24th are the absolute highlight. Each district in Kyoto will design a gorgeous
float to participate in the parade. During the parade, more than thirty giant floats will appear.
Among them, the most remarkable is the traditional float called “Yamahoko” and Geisha in the
parade.

Tenjin Matsuri
Tenjin Matsuri means “the festival of the gods” and was first held in honor of Sugawara
Michizane, a scholar who is regarded as the Shinto god of learning. Since then, the festival has
been held on his death anniversary, from July 24 to 25, in Osaka for 1,000 years. It is the largest
water festival in the world.

The Tenjin Festival is mainly composed of the Yomiya festival on July 24 and the Honmiya
festival on July 25. During the festival, traditional Japanese arts such as kagura (Shinto ritual
music) and bunraku (traditional Japanese puppet plays) are performed in various places around the
city.

The highlight of the festival is the afternoon of the 25th. More than 3,000 people dressed
in traditional attire of the Nara period and Heian period (8th to 12th century) carry a mikoshi (a
portable shrine) through the city. The procession includes ceremonial floats, musicians, dancers,
and costumed characters, who are led through the streets by Taiko drummers. Afterward, the
procession boards boats from the shore of the Tenjinbashi Bridge, and proceed with their parade.
There will be more than 100 boats sailing on the Okawa River. In the evening, there will be
bonfires and fireworks, which mark the end of the festival.
Sanno Matsuri, Kanda Matsuri
Kanda Matsuri, Sanno Matsuri, and Fukagawa Matsuri are Tokyo’s three most famous
festivals. Among them, Sanno Matsuri is held only in even-numbered years, alternating with the
Kanda Matsuri held in odd-numbered years.

The Sanno Matsuri originated in the Edo period (1603-1867). It is held in June and will
last for more than a week, featuring a variety of small-scale events, such as flower arranging,
dancing, and performances and rituals, especially for children. The biggest event of the festival is
a procession of three mikoshi (portable shrines) through central Tokyo in nine hours. The parade
begins and ends at Hie Shrine, which enshrines the guardian deity of Tokyo.

Kanda Matsuri began in the Edo period (1603-1867) to celebrate the prosperity under the
Tokugawa Shogunate’s governance. Kanda Matsuri is presided over by Kanda Myojin Shrine,
which enshrines three gods: Daikokuten, Ebisu, and Taira Masakado. Since Daikokuten and Ebisu
are in charge of the harvest and commerce respectively, Kanda Matsuri has gradually become a
celebration of prosperity and good fortune. Kanda Matsuri is held on Saturday around May 15. On
the evening before the festival, a Shinto ceremony is held to invite the three gods to enter three
mikoshi.

On the day of the festival, these three mikoshi and the accompanying thousand people,
including musicians and monks on horseback, perform the first procession in the morning. In the
afternoon, floats, musicians, and dancers join the procession for a second procession. The next day,
nearly 100 mikoshi of various towns and villages will gather to continue the procession. These
mikoshi carry the local god of each town and village, which is believed to bless his/her people
during the procession.

Summer Seasonal Food

Summer in Japan is a great time to sample the many 夏の旬 (natsu no shun, summer
seasonal) foods.

Anyone who has lived in Japan has noticed the sharp contrast in seasons and the celebration of
those distinctions. One of the many Japanese words related to seasons, 旬 (shun), describes the
peak period of produce, fish and other food in Japan. Each food has its own “shun,” so certain
dishes are more prevalent during a particular season.

Since summer is in full swing, we’ll take a look at some of the 夏の旬 (natsu no shun, or summer
seasonal) foods of Japan.
Summer vegetables
Maximize the most out of the vegetables in season by making some traditional summer
dishes. Goya chanpuru (ゴーヤチャンプルー), for example, is a famous dish from Okinawa
which is a combination of goya (bitter melon), luncheon meat and other vegetables.

While summer in Japan may be sweltering, one of the most exciting events of the season
would be attending summer festivals in the different cities around the country. Roasted corn on
the cob slathered in butter is popular at many festivals in Japan.

For a more refreshing dish, try pairing your order of cold soba noodles with freshly fried
eggplant tempura. If you find yourself at an izakaya or feel like drinking at home, boil some
edamame and sprinkle it with salt to compliment your drink of choice.

Summer Fruit
Satisfy your sweet tooth with a plate filled with the different seasonal fruit that is as sweet
as candy. During the summer, a handful of Japanese people begin to prepare their plum liquor or
梅酒 (umeshu) by steeping plum inside a glass jar, filling it with sugar and some white liquor.

Bringing a whole watermelon (スイカ) to the beach is also a common practice in the
summer. Suikawari (Watermelon Splitting) is a traditional Japanese game seen at beaches and
school festivals. The objective of the game is to slice the watermelon while blindfolded.

Aside from enjoying the fruit on its own, many cafes and ice cream brands also release
limited summer flavors for each of their products. Some can come in the form of yogurt drinks,
shakes and candy.

Summer Seafood

Eating unagi (freshwater eel) is a tradition in late July on a day called 土用の丑の日 (doyo
no ushi no hi). Restaurants and even convenience stores have special eel dishes and obento around
this day. Eating unagi is believed to replenish lost nutrients from sweating in the summer heat.

Unfortunately, freshwater eel is not sustainable and has become an endangered species in
recent years. So, besides the moral dilemmas of eating an endangered animal, the price for unagi
has also soared. An alternative is anago or salt-water eels.

Ayu (sweet fish) is another popular festival food that you’ll notice around summer. The
whole fish is served with a barbecue stick poking out of it. Ayu usually is coated with a thin layer
of salt that complements the fish’s naturally sweet flavor.

While we may have only scratched the surface with the variety of dishes you can enjoy in
the summer, we hope that it gave you some ideas for recipes. By buying foods in season, you can
save money, enjoy their peak flavor and maybe even survive Japan’s hot summer weather.