Tsuyu

Just like the cherry blossoms did, Tsuyu (Japan's rainy season) has arrived a week and a half early. The humidity is high, the sky is grey whether it's raining or not, and rain is the most common weather we'll be having until mid-July.

Rainy days are some of the most annoying days to be so tall.  It's terrible to be walking down the street in a sea of umbrellas, all of which have spokes (what are those little things actually called? ribs?) right at eye level. Yesterday I was waiting at a cross walk (with my hair up) and a woman's umbrella got tangled in my bun!

Umbrellas at Shibuya Crossing

 I remember the first summer we were here I didn't know about rainy season.  I don't think I saw blue sky a single day we were here.  I thought Tokyo must have the most awful pollution, and I remember how amazingly blue the sky seemed when we got to Hong Kong.  Now I know that blue sky is quite normal here, just not in June.

Foggy Night View from Our Apartment

To cheer myself up (and because I needed a new purse anyways) I bought this  bright sunny bag to make me think of summer.  It's by a Japanese brand - Jiyoh - that does lots of bright canvas bags.  I found it in the Gallery Market in the Tokyu Hands Cafe in Shibuya, but they're also available online.  And if I understand correctly (using google translate) you can order custom colors.