The Rainy Season (梅雨)

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.