It’s rainy season in Ogaki! And I am loving it.

Heavy rain is kind of a novelty for me. For all that it rains year round in Seattle, it doesn’t generally rain particularly hard. It’s usually just a persistent shower. Ogaki is a lot more all or nothing!

Consequently, while on some days it’s sunny and humid (and I’m absolutely miserable), on other days it just rains and rains and rains. On the rainy days, the temperature and the humidity drop, and my skin is safe from the Sun’s blinding rays. Plus, I get to enjoy the music of the pounding rain! It’s not fun to walk through, I have to be honest. Walking in the rain in Seattle is easy and relaxing; I basically never have to use an umbrella, instead living my life in a raincoat year round. Walking in a torrential downpour dumping water on the pavement so quickly that it can’t begin to hope to drain…well. That’s something else. I’ve developed a respect for Japan’s love of umbrellas. In those kinds of downpours, an umbrella really is an essential accessory, much more so than a raincoat.

On the day that I’m writing this blog post (not necessarily the day it’s posted, mind), it’s been raining cats and dogs all day. Except for the times it’s not. Sometimes, there’s no rain at all, just a cool breeze and cloudy skies. But then, suddenly, the heavens open up and drench everything in sight – myself included if I’m not quick enough to pull out my umbrella. The weather is very all or nothing. Either it’s not raining at all, or it’s a torrential downpour heralding what’s surely a flood of biblical proportions or something. With a safe, dry viewpoint indoors, I can properly appreciate how heavy the rains get without taking and impromptu cold shower. I can also listen to the percussive music it produces, and that’s quite soothing.

My only complaint is the lack of lightning. Ogaki gets significantly more thunderstorms than Seattle, and I really enjoy them. Not only do I get cooler temperatures and lots of rain, but I also get a light show! However, there isn’t a lot of lightning during the rainy season.

All in all, I’m definitely enjoying the rainy season this year. I’ll be sad when it ends but excited for the coming light show.

Ogaki has something to appreciate in every season, after all.