I don’t care what the Japan Meteorological Agency says, I declare today the start of tsuuyu, the rainy season.
Officially, it won’t begin until early June. Doesn’t matter that we’ve have wet tsuuyu-like weather for the past week. It’s not actually ‘til June. And it ends in July. That’s the traditiaon and weather patterns be damned.
It really makes no difference when it’s official. The extended wet weather means that it’s time to drag out all the mould-preventative and dehumidifying things.
Containers full of dessicant, DryPet brand, will sit on shelves in my pantry for the next two months. Sachets of the same stuff need to go into the dresser drawers. I must to stock up on kabi-killa, mould killer, for the bathroom.
No matter what you do, no matter how much dessicant you put in strategic locations or how careful you are with cleaning, the damp and humidity make it a challenge to keep dry. Follow tsuuyu with the sticky summer and there’s no way to avoid mould. But battling it keeps it to a minimum, and I’m ready to get armed for the fight.
Posted by kuri at May 19, 2003 11:22 PMI’m not sure the tradition is all that rigid. My nihongo-sensei explained that the end of tsuuyu as expected in mid-July, but once about ten years ago tsuuyu lasted all summer. (We were talking about the verb “akeru”.)
Posted by: Michael on May 20, 2003 08:46 AMYes, I’m also ready to get armed for TSUYU. Though I moved this prefecture from TOKYO more than ten years ago, for me winter is also difficult to adjust. And in spring and fall I have trouble in pollen allergy.—- but I love JAPAN that has four complete different seasons.
Posted by: Mieko on May 20, 2003 09:25 AMI live in the sticks of western Japan, and I go through a boatload of dessicant each year. Last fall I saw an interesting use for it on TV (Itoukei no shokutaku) that I have yet to try. Apparently, once the dessicant becomes fully saturated, you can use it to make ice cream! I dont recall all the details, but the liquid from the used containers, when added to ice, acts as a super cooler. Kinda like the salt we used as kids. So, when kabi season is over, celebrate with an ice cream party!
*Dont drink the liquid, that probably is not too good for you!
:oP0>m
