As spring changes to summer in Japan, there is a period of about a month when rainy, cloudy conditions persist. This transitional season is known as Tsuyu. On this episode of Journeys in Japan, we introduce some of the beautiful, mysterious natural phenomena that can be seen at this time of year, as well as an event traditionally held in rural communities across the country. The program is introduced by Michael Keida, who has a smallholding near Tokyo where he cultivates around 200 different kinds of vegetables and other crops using organic methods.
While many know Japan to have 4 seasons, spring, summer, autumn and winter, there is actually a 5th season, which is the rainy season or Tsuyu, where the typhoon normally appears, in between summer and autumn.
In this episode, they show you the things that normally takes place during this wet season, such as watching fireflies, glowing mushrooms and Mushiokuri Festival, all of which takes place at night.
Mushiokuri is a long tradition held since the old days before the invention of scientific chemicals, where the farmers plays drum, light up fires and sing to scare away the insects which show up in the fields during the rainy season.
