Japan's rainy season begins from late-May through early-July, and June in the old lunar calendar was referred to as 水無月 (minazuki) or the "month of water." For travelers to Japan, this is great timing to see terraced rice fields at their most picturesque, with the rain abundantly filling paddies and offering a reflective and shimmering surface.

Rice planting festivals also take place during this time, with the rituals, music, and dancing meant to bless and entertain the rice to encourage it's growth. The most famous of these takes place at Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, seen in the video above, which is only a 2-3 minute walk from the nearest train station in Osaka.

At its heart, minazuki traditions are about celebrating the water that sustains us. This season, take a moment to embrace the "month of water" wherever you may be and appreciate the way a summer rain can bring life and beauty, if we only stop to look.