Japan in July
Solar terms this month: Minor Heat, Major Heat.
Events and customs
- Martial ArtsEssential rajio taisoラジオ体操the national radio exercise routine
- Annual EventsEssential yatai夏祭りの屋台festival food stalls
- Annual EventsEssential hanabi taikai花火大会the summer fireworks festival
- Annual EventsEssential matsuri no yatai祭りの屋台the food and game stalls at a festival
- Annual EventsEssential bon odori盆踊りthe summer circle dance
- Food & DrinkEssential unagiうなぎfreshwater eel, grilled and glazed
- Food & DrinkEssential kakigoriかき氷shaved ice
- Modern JapanEssential taifu台風the typhoons that reach Japan each year
- Seasons & NatureEssential tsubame no suツバメの巣the swallow nests built above shop entrances every spring
- Seasons & NatureEssential tsuyu梅雨the rainy season
- Seasons & NatureEssential mosho猛暑日extreme summer heat in Japan
- School LifeEssential natsuyasumi no shukudai夏休みの宿題the summer holiday homework, including the free research project
- ShintoEssential mikoshi神輿the portable shrine carried through the streets at a festival
- Martial ArtsStandard honbasho大相撲の本場所the six official grand sumo tournaments held each year
- ClothingStandard jinbei and samue甚平と作務衣easy Japanese clothes you can actually wear
- CraftsStandard sensu扇子folding fan
- CraftsStandard furin風鈴wind chimes
- Annual EventsStandard umi no hi海の日Marine Day, the third Monday of July
- Annual EventsStandard tanabata七夕the star festival
- Annual EventsStandard doyo no ushi土用の丑の日the day everyone eats eel
- FolkloreStandard kappa河童river spirits with a dish on the head
- FolkloreStandard kaidan怪談Japanese ghost stories
- FolkloreStandard hiding your belly button from thunder雷様とおへそthe saying that the thunder god will steal your belly button if you leave it uncovered
- Food & DrinkStandard somenそうめんvery thin cold noodles
- Food & DrinkStandard mugicha麦茶cold barley tea
- Home & LivingStandard katori senko蚊取り線香mosquito coil
- Home & LivingStandard uchimizu打ち水sprinkling water on the ground to cool the air
- MannersStandard kasa no manner傘のマナーhow umbrellas are handled in Japan
- Modern JapanStandard air conditioningエアコンと節電cooling a Japanese summer, and saving power
- Seasons & NatureStandard kingyo金魚goldfish, and the summer festival game of scooping them
- Seasons & NatureStandard hotaru蛍fireflies
- Seasons & NatureStandard cicada song蝉の声the sound of a Japanese summer
- Seasons & NatureStandard senjo kosuitai線状降水帯the linear rainband that causes Japan's worst flash flooding
- Seasons & NatureStandard asagao朝顔the morning glory
- School LifeStandard school swimming lessons水泳の授業swimming as a compulsory school subject
- School LifeStandard bukatsu no intai部活の引退leaving your school club after the last tournament
- School LifeStandard bukatsu training camp部活の合宿the multi-day training camp a school club holds, often in summer
- School LifeStandard rinkan-gakko林間学校a short class trip to the mountains or coast built around group living and outdoor activities
- ShintoStandard Gion Matsuri祇園祭the month-long Kyoto festival that began as a rite against plague
- Work CultureStandard bonusボーナスthe twice-yearly lump-sum pay
- Annual EventsAdvanced go-sekku五節句the five seasonal festivals of the old calendar
- Home & LivingAdvanced amido網戸the sliding screen door
- Life EventsAdvanced ochugen and oseiboお中元・お歳暮the two seasonal gift-giving periods