this month in japan
June 水無月
June at a glance
- Rainy season on the main islands; for Okinawa, the end of it.
Weather
- Tokyo: 26°C / 19°C. The rainy season usually starts around 7 June.
- Kyoto: averages 23.3°C. Kinki's rains usually start around 6 June.
- Sapporo: 22°C / 13°C. Fresh and comfortable.
- Okinawa (Naha): 30°C / 25°C. Wettest month of the year, but the rains usually end around 21 June.
- Pack: a compact umbrella, quick-dry clothes and shoes that can handle puddles. Hokkaido still wants a jacket at night.
What's happening
- No national holidays in June, so no domestic holiday rush.
- Early June: tsuyu, the plum rains, set in across Honshu.
- Late June: Okinawa's rainy season usually ends, and its summer begins.
What's in season
- Aji, horse mackerel, as sashimi or fried.
- Cucumbers and tomatoes, the first summer vegetables.
- Somen, the thin wheat noodles served ice-cold.
The 72 seasons
| 候 | Romaji | Meaning | From c. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 蟷螂生 | kamakiri shōzu | Praying mantises hatch | 6 Jun |
| 腐草為蛍 | kusaretaru kusa hotaru to naru | Rotten grass becomes fireflies | 11 Jun |
| 梅子黄 | ume no mi kibamu | Plums turn yellow | 16 Jun |
| 乃東枯 | natsukarekusa karuru | Self-heal withers | 21 Jun |
| 菖蒲華 | ayame hana saku | Irises bloom | 26 Jun |
| 半夏生 | hange shōzu | Crow-dipper sprouts | 2 Jul |
Crowds
With no public holidays and steady rain, June has no domestic travel peak. It's a good month for walk-in bookings.
psst,
Head north. Sapporo gets about 60mm of rain in June, against Tokyo's 168. Or go to Okinawa after the rains clear, around the 21st.