六月

June in Japan

Tsuyu, the rainy season, is gentler than it sounds: grey mornings, glowing gardens, and the best hotel prices of the year.

Weather

Humid with steady fronts: Tokyo 19-26°C. It rarely rains all day. Hokkaido skips the rainy season entirely.

What's on

Hydrangeas peak at Kamakura's temples and Hakone's mountain line. Fireflies come out along clean streams in the first half of the month.

Where to go

Kamakura and Hakone in the rain, Hokkaido's lavender country for blue skies, covered arcades of Osaka when it pours.

On the table

Ume season: plums for syrup and umeshu. Cold somen noodles appear.