Rain
Begin Japanology · Season 4 · Episode 33
Japan gets a lot of rain, which can be both a blessing and a curse. Rain falls year-round in Japan, but differs from season to season. Tokyo gets its fair share of rain, but some areas of Japan receive more than three times as much. Traditionally, the Japanese prayed for rain during times of drought, and found ways to put up with violent downpours. But they also built large reservoirs of water, some of which are over 1,000 years old. Today, Japan's methods of putting up with rain are more sophisticated than ever. In urban areas, giant underground reservoirs have been constructed to help control flooding, and initiatives have welled up to capture and reuse rainwater. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, our theme is rain. We examine how rain has shaped Japan's climate, lifestyle, and culture.
Episode Details
Air date, runtime, timezone, and episode position.
Season
4
Episode
33
Air Date
13/Oct/2011
Air Time
—
Runtime
28 min
Overview
Episode summary.
Japan gets a lot of rain, which can be both a blessing and a curse. Rain falls year-round in Japan, but differs from season to season. Tokyo gets its fair share of rain, but some areas of Japan receive more than three times as much. Traditionally, the Japanese prayed for rain during times of drought, and found ways to put up with violent downpours. But they also built large reservoirs of water, some of which are over 1,000 years old. Today, Japan's methods of putting up with rain are more sophisticated than ever. In urban areas, giant underground reservoirs have been constructed to help control flooding, and initiatives have welled up to capture and reuse rainwater. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, our theme is rain. We examine how rain has shaped Japan's climate, lifestyle, and culture.
Episode Navigation
Move between previous and next episodes.