The Japan Meteorological Agency has announced the beginning of the rainy season around southern Japan. You’ll likely hear bandied about on the news the term “baiyuzensen” (梅雨前線, “seasonal rain front”) quite a bit until it finally meanders north and then peters out. The point about rainy season is that it is most always raining heavily somewhere, but the baiyuzensen - a result of the jet stream being whipped around the Himalayas and then directed at us - can move north or south quite rapidly, so it is difficult to predict - and if stuck over one location for a prolonged period, can result in serious flooding as well as landslides in earthquake-damaged areas.
On a brighter note, baiyu (or tsuyu, as it is also pronounced) allows another excuse to link to one of my favorite songs: Blue Bayou - or blue baiyu? - by Linda Ronstadt. Here’s hoping this will be of some assistance to help you enjoy the rain. - William