Tsuyu 梅雨

Tsuyu 梅雨 is the rainy season, which usually starts in mid-June and lasts about a month. Once Tsuyu starts, rainy and cloudy days continue. Rainfall during Tsuyu is important for growing rice, but extremely heavy rainfall sometimes causes damage and disasters.

The Chinese characters for Tsuyu actually translate to “plum’s rain” and can also be pronounced as “Baiu.” As the Chinese characters describe, June is the season for harvesting plums (also known as ume or Japanese apricots).

Ume: Plum also known as Japanese apricot

The hard and sour plums picked at this time need preparation before they can be eaten. During Tsuyu season, people make pickled plums (or Umeboshi in Japanese), plum liqueur (Ume shu) and plum syrup, which are my quiet pleasure. After Tsuyu season, the hot summer begins. The sour summer taste of Japanese ume refreshes your body tired from the summer heat!