What’s the first thing you think of when you think of a Japanese summer?

LIFE / Language

What’s the first thing you think of when you think of a Japanese summer?

People carry a portable shrine at Sensoji temple during the Sanja Festival in May. The festival is one of the three largest in Tokyo. | REUTERS

By Yuko Tamura
Contributing writer

Jul 5, 2025

On June 27, the Japan Meteorological Agency declared 梅雨明け (tsuyu-ake, the end of rainy season) in Western Japan — marking the earliest end to 梅雨 (tsuyu, rainy season) on record and the official start of 夏 (natsu, summer) there.

梅雨明け is one thing, but I find that the real sign marking the arrival of summer gets taped up in the windows of ramen shops across the country: 「冷やし中華始めました」(Hiyashi chūka hajimemashita) — “We’ve started (serving) chilled ramen.”

冷やし中華 (Hiyashi chūka, chilled ramen) isn’t just a dish, it’s a seasonal cue — a 夏の風物詩 (natsu no fūbutsushi, thing that reminds you of summer).