Hello, I am owner of FEEL TOKYO.

The rainy season has been started in Japan.

Rainy days will continue until the middle of July.

梅雨の時期になりました。

I often see non-Japanese people do not use umbrella in the little rain, but Japanese people tend to always use umbrella in the rain whatever heavy or little because we hate to be wet.It might be one of unique Japanese culture.

外国の方は少しくらいの雨では傘を差しませんが、日本人はすぐに傘を使いますね。

傘は日本独特の文化なのかもしれません。

Japanese umbrella is highly evaluated from overseas for its quality and many variety of design, and people can easily obtain good umbrella in department store and specialty store.

日本の傘は品質がよくデザインも豊富で海外から高い評価を得ています。

 

The time flies so quickly and only a half year left for this year.

早いもので今年も残り半分。１年の折り返しになりました。

In Japan, 30th June is the day for Summer purification rite.There are two purification day in Japan, June and December.The last day of the year “Omisoka（大晦日）” is well known for the great purification.The other is the last day of June.On this day,people purify sins and impurities for the passed half year, and pray for safety of the family and state of perfect health over the remaining half year. People go though big cogon grass ring at shrine or float a doll paper on the river.

6月30日は夏越の祓（なごしのはらえ）といって

半年間の罪や穢れを祓い、残り半年の無病息災を祈ります。

神社で茅の輪をくぐったり、人の形をした紙（形代）を川に流したりします。

If you find a big cogon grass ring at shrine at this season, please try to go through.It is also said to make people take a new lease of life.

この時期、神社で茅の輪を見つけたらくぐってみてください。

寿命が延びるを言われています。

The sweets that people eat for the summer purification is called ” Minaduki(水無月)” .It’s triangle-shaped kind of rice cake with the topping of Adzuki bean. Adzuki bean stands for the purification and triangle-shape is a image of ice which give people coolness. This sweet is the custom of Kyoto region.

この夏越の祓に食べる和菓子は水無月と呼ばれています。

小豆は魔除け、三角の形は暑気払いの意味があるそうです。

京都で食べられる和菓子です。

Wishing you have a good remaining half of this year.