June is a rare month for Japan in that it has no national holidays. After "Golden Week", it is a difficult time for some, as the days without a day off continue and the days get more and more humid, culminating in the rainy season that covers most of the country in regular rainfall.

After the cherry blossoms, before the delights of autumn, and just in time for rain and humidity, it is not exactly the most popular season for travel. But rain in Japan has a culture all of its own! Did you know Japan spends more on umbrellas than anywhere else in the world? There are designer umbrellas, cute and distinctive umbrellas, and umbrellas decorated with subculture characters, but the real workhorse of the Japanese umbrella world is the see-through vinyl umbrella.

They are available in any convenience store for a few hundred yen, and this cheap cheerfulness leads them to being left behind. (Or taken- charitably, we may say that as they all look indistinguishable, someone may have mistaken your vinyl umbrella for another.) They also can break in a strong wind. But the disposable, readily-replaceable nature of this umbrella is at the core of its charm. In a country with so much foot traffic, the transparency comes in handy for navigating crowded streets. In a crowd a majority of people can often be seen holding these exact same umbrellas in the rain, giving off a distinct atmosphere you can't find in another time or place.

If you find yourself in the country in this drizzly time of year, why not bring yourself a cheap and iconic umbrella souvenir?