In Japan summer starts with rainy season. Earlier rain takes place sometimes during May, or the latest in early July, but most often it rains a lot during the month of June. I suppose rain is the same everywhere, since it involves drops of water. However, during rainy season it can rain for days. During this season children usually make a doll called teru teru bozu, which translate to "shiny- shiny Buddhist priest". The dolls can be made of white paper or cloth and they usually are hang by the window or outside as a symbol of children's wish for sunny days.
When i first arrived in Japan and travelled to countryside i saw some teru teru bozu and was rather shocked at first. I thought those dolls are some sort of "ghost symbols" and people were hanging them by the window. Later on i realize that it was part of Japanese culture to use symbols to express feelings, such as during children's day they would decorate the house with Hina dolls, Kabuto or Koi-nobori.
This may be quite an embarrasing note, but frankly it was only recently that i found out how the word June Bride came around. The name June came from the Roman myth, June was the name of a Goddess who unite a couple into a marriage. The story telling said that getting married in June will bring happiness to the couple. In the past getting married in June was common in Europe, because in the region where Catholics were the majority, spring was a season for celebration and spring called for a big Easter celebration that took place during March to May. In June people are less busy with their religious commitment, so couples chose this blessed month to get married.
