☔ Moving Through the Mist: Life in Japan’s Rainy Season (When You Feel Like a Slug 🐌)

There’s this time of year in Japan when everything just… slows down.

The skies turn a permanent shade of grey, the air gets so humid it feels like you’re breathing through a wet towel, and your clothes never dry no matter how long you hang them. Congratulations—you’ve entered tsuyu, Japan’s lovely rainy season.

And if you’ve been feeling a little slower, foggier, or less motivated lately—you’re not alone. The rainy season has that effect. Even the cicadas go quiet for a while.

☁️ A Mood Called “Tsuyu”

Let me set the scene:

Wake up. It’s dark.

Mid-morning? Still dark.

Is it evening already? Who knows.

Your socks are damp. Everything smells like “mild regret.” And somehow you’re tired even though you just walked from the kitchen to the couch.

That’s tsuyu.

It’s like the universe is telling you, “Hey, maybe don’t try to be a productivity ninja right now. Just chill. Or melt. Either’s fine.”

🐌 Why You Might Feel Like a Slug

It turns out, there are actual reasons behind this low-energy vibe.

Humidity drains you. Your body’s working overtime just trying to not overheat.
Less sunlight = low mood. It’s not quite seasonal depression, but it’s the prequel.
Atmospheric pressure changes mess with your head—literally. Some people get migraines or joint aches. Others just stare into space for 20 minutes holding a rice cracker.

🧘‍♂️ So What Do You Do?

Honestly? Not much.

Trying to “power through” usually just leads to sweat and disappointment. So I started experimenting. Here’s what seems to help:

Making tea like it’s a sacred ritual. Bonus points for pretending I’m in a Ghibli movie.
Folding origami on gloomy afternoons, because why not? It’s quiet, meditative, and you end up with a paper fox.
Writing. Not the productive kind. The wandering, rambling kind—like this blog post.
Embracing naps. And calling it “seasonal adjustment.”

🌧 Is It All Bad? Actually… No

Once you stop fighting it, rainy season has its own charm.

The garden looks greener than ever. The frogs start their nightly choir. The streets have this moody, cinematic vibe, like you’re in a slow indie film.

It’s not the season for hustle. It’s the season for soaking it all in—figuratively and literally.