What do people get wrong about the rainy season (tsuyu) for travellers?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
June to mid-July is the cheapest time to visit Japan and the most misunderstood: "rainy season" suggests monsoon downpours all day. The reality is grey humidity punctuated by rain — and a few things that make it pleasant.
The numbers (Tokyo, June normals)
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Days with ≥1 mm rain | about 12 (March: about 11) |
| Total rainfall | about 168 mm (March: about 116 mm) |
| Relative humidity | 75–80% |
| Daily high / low | 26°C / 19°C |
| Rainy season dates (Kanto, average) | about 7 June to 19 July |
| Hokkaido | No rainy season |
| Okinawa | Earlier: early May to late June |
- Rain often comes as long drizzle or a few hours of heavy rain, not all day every day. Clear, hot days occur between fronts.
- Hydrangeas are at their peak; temple gardens are at their greenest; prices and crowds are at their lowest between the spring and summer holidays.
- Humidity drives the Japanese habits described elsewhere: indoor drying, dehumidifiers, mould prevention (see those articles).
[Verify] Normals and typical rainy-season dates with the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Misunderstanding 1｜It pours every day
About four days in ten see rain, and much of it is light. Plan indoor alternatives, not an indoor holiday.
Misunderstanding 2｜Bring a heavy raincoat
At 26°C and 80% humidity, a rubberised coat is a sauna. Locals use umbrellas (a ¥500 one from any convenience store) and a light, breathable shell at most. A folding umbrella in the bag is the universal solution.
Misunderstanding 3｜Trainers are fine
Wet canvas shoes do not dry overnight in this humidity. Bring shoes that shed water or dry fast, plus a second pair; hotels rarely have drying facilities.
Misunderstanding 4｜Laundry will dry in the room
It will not — and it will smell. Use a coin laundry with a dryer (see that article) or the hotel's laundry service.
Misunderstanding 5｜It is a bad time to visit
Tsuyu is when residents do their own travelling: hydrangea temples (Kamakura's Meigetsu-in), rice paddies just planted, and hotel rates at their lowest. Bring a folding umbrella and quick-dry clothes and the season is fine.
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Sources
- Japan Meteorological Agency — Rainy season onset and end dates (梅雨入り・梅雨明け)
https://www.data.jma.go.jp/cpd/baiu/
- Japan Meteorological Agency — Climatological normals (Tokyo)
https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/
- Japan National Tourism Organization — Travelling in the rainy season
https://www.japan.travel/en/plan/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
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