Tsuyu: More Japanese Rainy Season Trivia

The Japanese are very fond of the changing of the seasons, and they have different symbols and associations for them that they wait for with anticipation every year. In Japan, the rainy season is associated with snails (蝸牛, den-den mushi, or katatsumuri), frogs (蛙, kaeru), and hydrangeas (紫陽花, ajisai). Perhaps it’s a good thing to have things to look forward to, especially during the rainy season when it rains constantly.

The snail has two names in Japanese, and they can be used interchangeably. They are “den-den mushi” or “katatsumuri.” They are associated with the rainy season, and they are often depicted crawling along in the rain on a hydrangea leaf.

Snail Song
This is a Japanese children’s song about the snail.

Japanese
でんでん むしむし かたつむり
お前の頭はどこにある
つの出せやり出せ頭 出せ

Romanization
Den den mushi mushi katatsumuri
Omae no atama wa dokoni aru
Tsuno dase yari dase atama dase

English Translation
Snail, Snail, Snail
Where is your head?
Stick out your horns, stick out your spears, and stick out your head.

“Kaeru” is the Japanese word that refers to both frogs and toads. Frogs are closely associated with rain. As Japan was an agricultural economy based on the flooded rice paddy, the presence of frogs is considered a sign of good fortune.

Japanese Frog Proverbs
蛙の子は蛙
(Kaeru no ko wa kaeru)
“Frogs breed froggies.”

Proveb with similar meaning in English:
“Like father, like son.”

蛙の面へ水
(Kaeru no tsura e mizu)
“Throwing water at a frog.”

Proverb with similar meaning in English:
“Water off a duck’s back.”

Frogs in Japanese Folklore
The position of a frog’s eyes on top of its head gave rise to much folklore. In one story, a frog asks god to grant him the ability to walk on two legs. His wish was granted, but his eyes were left on top of his head. He couldn’t see where he was going, and so he died. Due to the belief that a frog's eyes only look up and it can't see where it's going, if two people are trying to meet up but keep missing each other, they are said to be engaging in "frog sumo" or "kaeru no sumo." (蛙の相撲). If a man marries an older woman, so he always has to look up to her, she is said to be a "frog wife," or "kaeru nyobo" (蛙女房).

One of the Hanafuda cards in the November suit depicts a man with an umbrella, observing a jumping frog through the leaves of a willow tree, another symbol associated with rain. This card is one of four cards in the November suit. Because of their association with rain, these cards are also known a the "rain cards."

Hydrangeas (紫陽花, ajisai)
Hydrangeas are a symbol of the rainy season. They will often be depicted with snails on their leaves. As the flowers change depending on certain conditions, hydrangeas have a poetic meaning of a fickle heart that changes easily.

Japanese Children’s Song (童謡, doyo)
The following is a Japanese children’s song about being caught in the rain.

あめふり
雨　雨　ふれふれ　母さんが
蛇の目で　おむかえ　うれしいな
ピッチピッチ　チャップチャップ
ランランラン

かけましょ　かばんを　母さんの
後から　いこいこ　鐘が鳴る
ピッチピッチ　チャップチャップ
ランランラン

あらあら　あの子は　ずぶ濡れだ
柳の　根かたで　泣いている
ピッチピッチ　チャップチャップ
ランランラン

母さん　ぼくのを　かしましょか
君　君　この傘　さしたまえ
ピッチピッチ　チャップチャップ
ランランラン

ぼくなら　いいんだ　母さんの
大きな　蛇の目に　はいってく
ピッチピッチ　チャップチャップ
ランランラン

Amefuri
Ame ame fure fure kaasan ga
Janome de o-mukai ureshii na
Pitchi pitchi chappu chappu ran ran ran

Kakemasho kaban wo kaasan no
Ato kara iko iko kane ga naru
Pitchi pitchi chappu chappu ran ran ran

Ara ara ano ko wa zubunure da
Yanagi no nekata de naiteiru
Pitchi pitchi chappu chappu ran ran ran

kaasan boku no wo kashimasho ka
kimi kimi kono kasa sashitamae
Pitchi pitchi chappu chappu ran ran ran

boku nara ii n da kaasan no
ookina janome ni haitteku
Pitchi pitchi chappu chappu ran ran ran

Rainfall
The rain is falling, and mommy is
picking me up with an umbrella. I'm so happy!
Splish, splish, splash, splash, la, la, la

As I follow mommy with my bag on my shoulder
Step by step, a bell somewhere begins to ring
Splish, splish, splash, splash, la, la, la

Oh no, that poor kid is soaking wet
She is crying under the willow tree,
Splish, splish, splash, splash, la, la, la

Mommy, shall I lend her my umbrella
Here you, I shall lend you mine
Splish, splish, splash, splash, la, la, la

Mommy has a huge Janome umbrella
I'll go under it, don't worry I'll be fine
Splish, splish, splash, splash, la, la, la

A Janome umbrella (蛇の目, “janome”)

The above song can be heard in the Ghibli film, "The Grave of the Fireflies." I think there may be an allusion to this song in the film "Totoro" as well, when a boy named Kanta decides to give his umbrella to the girl protagonists, Satsuki and Mei, who get caught in the rain.

This scene can be seen here. (Last accessed 6/19/2016)