Summer features in Japan

This is a great car show attraction! Maybe it's at the Disney World?

This summer, the Dinosaur exhibition (Kyoryu Tairiku) is being held. They show over 40 skeletal preparations and a lot of dinosaur robots. It will be good entertainments for kids during summer vacation. Needless to say, they made their exhibition character, Yes we need a "character for everything".  Here it is.  He is a mix of dinosaur and Samurai. His name was chosen by the public: "Dina Souemon" (emon is a kinda classic name "samuraitic").  We have another great yuru-chara.

I got a message my new blog design is cute. Thanks! Those are Kingyo (golden fish) and it's one of  the summer features in Japan. When we saw this type of picture, we catch it's summer season immediately. But I think for other county's people gold fish won't mean summer.  What do you think?  So I will pick another summer features in Japan today.

Asagao : I didn't know Asagao is called Japanese Morning Glory in English. What a gorgeous name they have. Since they are easy to cultivate and grow so quickly, the observation report of Asagao can be a good homework during summer vacation for elementary school kids. I like this "Haiku". "Asagao ni, tsurube torarete, mora-i mizu" (morning glory, the well-bucket entangled, I ask for water). It means that a Morning Glory tangled the bucket of draw well and bloom, it's sorry to take off those vine to take water. So I asked for water from the neighborhood this morning.

Katori Senko : It's Japanese pyrethrum coils. The biggest maker Kincho starts TV ad in every summer. When I see it, I feel summer has come.  Their web site is good, (click everywhere) check it out. By the way, pig shaped ceramics are the most popular type of coil folder, I know some foreigner bought its as incense folder.

Furin : It's Japanese wind-bell made from glass or metal. We hang furin under the window and enjoy its cool sound.

Hoozuki : Wiki said it is Physalis slkekengi in English. On 9th or 10th of July we have "Hozuki-ichi" (Ground Cherry Fair) in Asakusa Sensoji. Seeing the news on TV, it means summer has come and rainy season will be over soon.

Nagashi Somen : It's flowing Japanese thin noodles. We put them in water flowing along a long bamboo gutter, then you catch the noodles with your chopsticks, dip them in a cool broth, and eat them. I don't know who wants this, but there is a USB somen Nagashi Somen machine.

Hanabi : Fireworks. My foreign friends said Japanese fireworks festival is the best. We have a lot of fireworks festival during summer. The biggest one in Tokyo is Sumida River Fireworks Festival. It will be held on 28th of July.

Yukata : Japanese summer clothes. During last few years, we had a little Yukata boom and young people wore Yukata often. They not only have a fashion purpose, those clothes are good for the humid Japanese summer.

As traditional summer feature we have more like  Mizu manjyu, Bonodori, Uchiwa, Sudare, Ajisai etc. As new one, Uchimizu Project and Candle night are kinds of summer events now.

Comments

[Josh Rogin]

That car show was rediculous. He went over the ramp backwards!

[Tokyo_Katie]

MMM not to bring things down to a low level but in the UK Morning Glory has more than one meaning.
One of them is a group of plants. The other type refers to err I will let the urban fill you in
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=morning+glory
Take Care Mari

[Mari]

Thanks for comments. Japan has clear difference in every four seasons. So we have such features.

[abraxis]

What about the Koenji Awaodori? Although I'd think that it would symbolize the end of summer...

[Heidi]

Mosquitoes are the "unofficial State Bird" of Minnesota! ;) You know it's summer here when they come out in vast swarms and start to bite. They can drive you crazy!!! They get so bad that you have to stay in the house until September, after the first frost. ;)

Japan always has such a lovely way to do everything, like wearing yukata, waving beautiful silk fans and using incense to repel mosquitoes in the summer. We just slather on the Deet (very powerful liquid insect repellent - stinks), sweat, slap 'em and suffer. :(

We have fish boils (Norwegian summer tradition) in northern Minnesota. We build a large fire (helps keep the mosquitoes away) on the lakeshore and put a very large kettle on it filled with fish (freshwater), corn, potatoes, dill and Leinekugel's beer. After the stew is done cooking, everybody eats it together and sits around the fire to enjoy the summer evening. Like in Norway, it stays light until almost 11:00 p.m. (because we are far north) so everybody stays out well past midnight.

At the end of summer we have a huge State Fair. Uffda! The food! Everything is deep fried and on a stick - corndogs, candy bars, Hostess Twinkies, walleye and even spaghetti and meatballs! (@-@) The last one doesn't taste so good :(-

[Sorvani]

I have heard about the Sumida River Fireworks Festival. Unfortunately that is the same evening as my wedding, and we will not be able to see it.

It is interesting to see the things that make you think "summer." It has me thinking, what makes me think of summer. Maybe I'll blog about it later myself.

[Advokat Stockholm]

"a mix of dinosaur and Samurai" sounds quite cool. My girlfriend called me "a mix of a swedish Viking and a whale" the other day. Haven't figured out if that's a good or a bad mix?

[Kas]

I love these beautiful traditions! Must be so nostalgic... Fireworks and festivals and yukatas!Kawaii~