JP · japantimes.co.jp

🗞️ More curated reads from The Japan Times

Welcome to The Extra, a fortnightly newsletter of complimentary stories — that's right, free for all to read — curated from The Japan Times archives. ...


This email was sent

Is this your brand on Milled? Claim it.

 

Welcome to The Extra, a fortnightly newsletter of complimentary stories — that's right, free for all to read — curated from The Japan Times archives. Thank you for inviting our stories and perspectives into your inbox. If you're enjoying this newsletter and haven't done so already, do consider supporting our work by subscribing or signing up to read more of The Japan Times for free.

In this issue, we're spotlighting some reads marking the impending arrival of tsuyu (rainy season) and summer.

 
 

Umbrellas out, dehumidifiers on

Why does life in Japan sometimes feel like an endless rotation of seasonal survival tactics? With tsuyu (rainy season) fast approaching, it's once again time for dehumidifiers, rain covers, emergency laundry plans and the annual battle against mold. (Thu-Huong Ha, 2024)

 
 
 
 
 

A taste for Japan?

Although Japan has largely avoided widespread insect-borne disease outbreaks, climate change and rising temperatures may make the country more hospitable to disease-carrying pests. A dengue outbreak in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park in 2014 could offer a glimpse of what lies ahead if more-dangerous mosquito species invade Japan. (Alex K.T. Martin, 2023)

 
 
 
 
 

Plum job

From stuffing onigiri (rice balls) to being steeped in liquor or pickled for a salty punch, ume (plums) are an ubiquitous part of Japanese cuisine. Much of the fruit can be traced to Wakayama Prefecture, the nation's undisputed ume capital, and with June 6 marking "Ume no hi" ("Plum Day"), we're highlighting the tart fruit and some traditions surrounding it. (Mara Budgen, 2023)

 
 

If you enjoy The Extra, feel free to forward this issue to a friend. And there's more where that came from👇! You can also unsubscribe at any time.

Free newsletters from The Japan Times

Breaking news. Daily updates. Deep insights. Exceptional reads. Explore more of The Japan Times via our free newsletters.

 
 
Get in touch | Unsubscribe | View in browser
This email was sent to -
You are receiving this email because you either subscribe to or have signed up for a member account to The Japan Times. Please do not reply to this email.
If you receive a suspicious email claiming to offer The Japan Times services in exchange for your information, please ignore it. The Japan Times will never ask you for your credit card number/details or login password via email.

The Japan Times logo
The Japan Times, Ltd.,
6F Ichibancho Daini TG Bldg.,
2-2 Ichibancho,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0082,
Japan

Copyright © 2026 The Japan Times, All rights reserved.
Are you sure?

Lists help you organize the brands that you care about. Your lists are private to you.