?

Tsuyu (??) and uki (??) in Japanese both mean the rainy season. Literally, the kanji for tsuyu means "plum rain" and uki is translated into "rainy period." The word tsuyu has this reading because June is when all the plums fruit. Tsuyu is poetic, whereas uki is a practical word that just describes the fact.

To describe rain (ame) or a shower (niwaka-ame), Japanese language has an abundance of one word nouns - samidare for May rain and saiu for drizzling rain and on and on. This is an another example of the generally accepted idea that Japanese is more lyrical than English (which has become the international language partly because of its practicality).

Kyoto during tsuyu greets you with a different mood than the rest of the year, and the lyrical beauty of this wet season has inspired many literary hearts and works. For people new to the rainy season, be prepared for a time of exceptionally high humidity, learn to love an umbrella, and explore the city with a rain escape plan to a museum or indoor attraction always in mind. Enjoy the rain in its many forms. Kyoto in tsuyu is lush, reflective, and, when you're truly lucky, dry and sunny.
Your Japan Private Tours: Save time, go anywhere & have more fun for less $$$: Private guided tours and digital guidance anywhere in Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and beyond. Customized itineraries for day & night tours designed by an expert. High-value self or digitally guided tours, picnics, and speci...