Japan’s Beautiful Obsession with the Seasons

It’s June, which means hydrangeas are everywhere

The longer I live abroad and travel, the more I realize how unusual Japan is

We don’t just notice the seasons—we build our lives around them.

Food, pottery, flowers, sweets, and traditions all change with nature’s rhythm.

In fact, Japan takes seasonal eating super seriously that serving edamame in winter feels suspicious, and making sukiyaki on a hot summer day practically feels illegal

Sometimes it feels a little excessive, but this beautiful obsession with the seasons is at the heart of Japanese culture