Beating the rainy season



Every year around the month of June, with a similar clock-work regularity as the other seasons, tsuyu, or rainy season hits Japan. It has been known to rain almost everyday for an entire month. This June has already brought more than enough for me, I had to walk to to the train station in the rain more in the last two weeks than the previous six months. The rain isn't constant, but seems to fall at least an hour or two almost every day.
Of course a little rain can't stop those waiting for summer from having a BBQ party. Today was forecast rain, rain, rain, but the covered area behind our friend Tomi's (first from right) dojo provided enough shelter that we didn't even notice when the rain started to fall towards evening.
For those of you thinking that our BBQ doesn't look like what you are used to, I'll explain a bit. Japanese BBQs are a bit more communal than your average back-yard "Don't touch my grill!" affair. Bite-sized pieces of meat and veges are put on the Q and everyone is responsible for making sure they don't get burned, and making sure the things they want don't get bogarted by the person next to you. Good fun.

My friend Terry suggested I put together an album of highlights from last two years worth of photos and so I am currently working on getting that together. I didn't get a digital camera until my first X'mas here, so the pictures will start there. Should be up in the next week I hope.

Posted: Sun - June 19, 2005 at 10:32 PM        

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