Instagram-Worthy Rainy Day Spots in Japan
Kari Stern
Japan's rainy season is beautiful, whether you're exploring the lush, verdant rural areas or splashing through puddles that line the city streets! Below is a list of places made even more breathtaking by rainfall. We'll show you why it's a great time to visit the country with these picture-perfect spots!
Stroll Around Kyoto Temples
As one of the most naturally scenic places in Japan, it's no wonder Kyoto looks even more beautiful in the rain. Bryanmaddock_ posted this photo of two ladies going for a stroll on a rainy day through a temple. It's still plenty warm there, with average temperature in rainy season around 70°F/21°C. What better place to go for a walk than among the lush greenery of a temple on a warm day?
Backstreets of Japan
Freedomahnjapan took this snapshot that offers insight into both the backstreets of Japanese cities as well as daily life. This father-daughter duo look like they're enjoying the backstreets after a long rainy day. It's a great example of why we're also mildly obsessed with Japan in the rain!
Karuizawa Shiraito Falls
If you're looking for a photo-worthy vacation spot with natural beauty that looks good in any weather, look no further than Karuizawa in Nagano Prefecture! Karuizawa is a popular summer vacation area, since it's much milder than other parts of the country. It's also great in the winter because of its abundant onsen hot springs! Agushermantotjing looks like he's enjoying the rain, standing alongside the nearby Shiraito Falls
Matsumoto Castle in Nagano
Matsumoto Castle in Nagano Prefecture is one of five castles designated a National Treasure of Japan, and is the oldest extant five-structure, six-story castle. It's also called a hirajiro, or flatland castle, since it wasn't build on a hillside. Vv_life_style does a great job illustrating what a rainy day around the castle looks like with this picture!
Historic Temple Kiyomizu-dera
Kiyomizu-dera is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, and is one of the UNESCO Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. It was founded in 778, so it's no surprise this monument has a lot of history. Jek.575's photo shows us what it's like on a rainy day and that doesn't deter visitors from visiting the temple, as tourists or temple-goers!
Shuri Castle in Okinawa
Much further south in the very tropical climate of Naha, Okinawa, is the famous Shuri Castle. This picture that was captured by Vselenski looks as timeless and true as the castle itself. It's the restored royal palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which invented karate and prospered until the last ruler of the Kingdom abdicated the throne to the Meiji government. Shuri Castle has seen a lot of rain in its days, and as a UNESCO World Heritage Site you'd be remiss not to visit!
Shibuya Crossing
Bringing it back to the Kanto region and Japan's populous capital, we're reminded of the real symbol of Japan's rainy season—the clear plastic umbrella. They're incredibly dependable despite their low price (about ¥300-500), and can be found in any convenience store. On any given rainy day you can look out on Shibuya Crossing and see an ocean of "jellyfish," as Livenlyle has described it!
The Streets of Narai-juku
Mita2kenta captured this photo along the streets of Shiojiri, Narai in Nagano Prefecture. If you're looking for an old time Japan with shops that look vivid in rain or shine, Narai-juku is the place for you! The stores sell lots of good souvenirs as well as delicious food that will leave you dreaming of it years later.
Up High in Osaka
No list would be complete without mentioning Japan's second-largest metro area, Osaka! Ebsimagination's photo looks upon Osaka from a very high room in the Ritz-Carlton Osaka, giving us an insane view of the rainy city. If you've been in Japan during the rainy season, you'll also understand why sometimes the best picture of rain is taken from a dry place!
Tokyo Streets
As of October, 2015, an estimated 11% of Japan's population lives in Tokyo. So it's no surprise that we end the list with jungraphy_'s photo of what the rainy season looks like for a lot of residents (and tourists!) on the bustling streets of Japan's capital. Japan's rainy season usually lasts from the beginning of June to mid-July, during which the Tokyo area gets upwards of 185 millimeters (over 7 inches) of rain!
But as this list proves, there are many places that are even more gorgeous when the weather's rainy! We hope you check them out and snap some stunning shots of your own.
