Summertime approaches - The June newsletter is here!
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・J A P A N・
Summer is nearly here!
 

Summer is fast approaching, even though it may not feel like it. There have been a few nice days out recently but temperatures have yet to cooperate, and it is still feeling a bit chilly! Hopefully the weather will continue to warm up over the next few week. Nevertheless, the flowers are still blooming, and the clear skies make for stepping outside quite enjoyable.

 

While we've been enamored by cherry blossom season over the past few months, the cherry trees vibrant pinks have turned into lush green throughout the country. While we may need to wait for next year to get our new dose of cherry blossoms, there are still so many beautiful sights to see. Hydrangeas, or 'ajisai' are out in abundance in Japan during May and June, their blues, purples, and pinks out for all to enjoy. Mt. Tokusenjo in Miyagi Prefecture also came to life with thousands of azaleas blooming. Tsuyu, or the rainy season, is also set to begin soon, be on the lookout for lots of rain showers if you are off to Japan soon!

 

Summer festivals have also begun, the famous Sanja Matsuri was held in Tokyo at Sensoji Temple. Held over three days, it consists of parades of Edo period dressed officials and others, and the carrying of mikoshi, or portable shrines all over the area. The last day of the festival consists of a competition between people to carry the three large mikoshi of Sensoji. The Toki Mino Yaki Festival was also held in May, celebrating the famous Mino Yaki ceramic ware of Gifu Prefecture. It was a perfect occasion to enjoy some food and festivities, and also pick up some wonderful ceramic pieces for yourself. Sumo also made a return with the Natsu Basho being held in the Ryogoku Kokugikan Hall in Tokyo, with Onosato taking home the victory. 

 

For the gaming enthusiasts out there, the Nintendo Switch edition of fan favourite game Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, was released on May 23th. If you have never played it before, it is consistently thought of as one of the best Mario games!

 

This month we have things to do and see in Kyushu's Saga and Nagasaki prefectures, shrines, onsens, and more - let's get into it!
: N O W
Known as a gateway to the west in the Edo period, Nagasaki Prefecture is deep in culture and amazing experiences!
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Learn about some of Japan's most popular places to relax - onsens! Read more about what types there are and some of the etiquette surrounding them!
: L A T E R
Tomorrow the 22nd of June is Okinawa Day. Make sure to make your way to The Blue Market in Bermondsey to get your fill of Okinawan culture and other experiences!
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Nestled in the northeast corner of Kyushu, Saga Prefecture has so many things to do and places to explore!
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Shrines are everywhere in Japan, here's a few tips and tricks to make the most of your visit to a shinto shrine!
Summer nights
and
Perfect days
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Summer's stunning nature and greenery!

Warm weather and summer are quickly approaching, and that means that this month's kigo will have a warm connection! Let's see what we can find!

 

Our word for this edition is 五月雨! Read as 'samidare', this kigo means the early summer rain that falls before summer kicks into high gear. Made of the characters for '5', 'month', and 'rain', the characters together essentially mean 'May rain'. We've definitely experienced some 'samidare' in the past few weeks, maybe a little bit too much! But nevertheless, let's see what sort of haiku we can make!

 

Haikus are a 17 mora combination in 5-7-5 style, with occasional 'kireji' punctuation.

 

Our first line has our seasonal word and is 5 mora with a kireji  - 五月雨や (samidare ya)

Then a 7 mora line - 夜の街に (yoru no machi ni)

And lastly back to 5 mora -  ポタポタと (potapota to)

 

Completed, our haiku reads as -

 

五月雨や (samidare ya)

 夜の街に(yoru no machi ni)

 ポタポタと(potapota to)

 

The rains of summer,

On the city at night,

Go pitter patter.

 

Haiku writing can be challenging yet fun, have you written one before?

 

Send a haiku you've made to our Instagram account @visitjapan_uk and we may feature them in future newsletters!

 
Here's some highlights of what we've learned over the past few months:
1) Saga might be the smallest prefecture in Kyushu, but that doesn't mean there's not much to do, there are unlimited experiences!
2) With there being 80,000 shrines in Japan, how many do you think you have been to?
Japan in the UK
There's lots of Japan related events and shows happening in the UK - Let's see what's going on!
 
Read on below for more:
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Max from Kammui Adventures takes us through some of the lesser traveled spots of Japan!
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That’s it from us for this month!

Keep up with all this and much, much more by following us on Facebook and Instagram.
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