Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Rainy Season isn't supposed to make its official appearance until June, and yet the downpours keep on coming.  We spent most of the past holiday week stuck in the apartment. Yesterday, perfect weather lured us into leaving the apartment windows open during our trip to Tokyo...and then we returned home to puddles of water in our bedroom (just wait, there probably is some semi-permeable super screen that Japanese put on their windows to keep rain out and airflow in, and I just haven't discovered it yet). Good thing I had a stack of freshly cleaned towels ready to go.

Rainy days in the States don't require much.  Just grab an umbrella to cover your mad dash from house-to-vehicle-to-work and you're good to go.  In Japan, my day might look like this: Walk To Train Station/Take Train/Walk From Final Station To Destination/Walk from Destination Back To Train Station//Take Train/Walk From Train Station Back Home.  Or: Ride Bicycle To Grocery Store/Ride Bicycle To Bakery/Ride Bicycle To Flower Shop/ Ride Bicycle Back Home.  If I lived beyond walking distance from my train station, I would tack Stand In Line For The Bus onto the list.

Clearly, there is a lot of time in Japan that is spent outside. (Mr. TF and I do share a car, but my bicycle and public transport are so convenient that I almost never use our vehicle).  Therefore, the amount of gear needed to properly weather the elements is increased.  Let's take a look!

Department store rain display.  Cute!

First things, first. Your kid needs uber-cute rain gear, stat.  Don't think an umbrella will be able to handle this job alone!  Pick out a cute rain coat or poncho.  Little TF would like to suggest the pink bunny poncho.  The hood comes complete with bunny ears.  Consider your regular mode of transportation...do you often bicycle?  A poncho may be more effective than a rain coat.  The poncho can be fluffed more completely over little bicycle-seated knees.

Rain pants!

Of course, the even more effective choice is the poncho/rain paints combo.  This will ensure your child's complete rain protection!  One can also purchase adult versions of rain pants.  But my friend tells me they are DORKY and I am NOT ALLOWED to wear them.  So you probably shouldn't, either.


Remember to pick out the perfect pair of rain boots!  Shopping Tip:  Take your kid with you or know your kid's Japanese shoe size ahead of time.  The whole centimeter thing confounds me every time.

Rain boots cute enough to eat!

A super-cute umbrella completes your child's Stylish Rain Look and looks ridiculously cute bobbing above that little bicycle seat.  No impossibly chic Japanese mommy can possibly judge your kid (you), now!

Happy umbrellas!

Once the sun comes out, make sure all umbrellas are
properly dried. No one likes a mildewed umbrella!

Now that Junior is snug as a bug on a bicycle, what about Mommy?  I tried, once, to cycle with a kid on the back of my bike. While holding an umbrella. In the middle of a downpour.  We almost died. Seeing how other mommies solved their bicycle rain problem, I made an emergency trip to my local bicycle shop (it's one of three).  After much pantomiming of "raincoat" and much repeating of "oki" (large), the clerk finally understood and directed me to the bicycle poncho.  The front of the poncho clips to your bicycle's basket, with the back tucking down between your seat and your kid's seat.  Cinch the hood. Now you and your groceries in the front basket are dry.  And your kid's umbrella won't drip down your back. Ta da!

I suspect that my friend thinks this is also dorky.  But I was so excited about
it, she may have been too embarrassed on my behalf to say anything.

If you are a better person than me and able to master cycling with a kid while holding an umbrella, a rain cover for your front basket may be all you need!

I still might get one of these.  Just because.

Once in awhile, I get to cycle sans Little TF.  If I suspect impending rain, I like to bring my umbrella.  The trouble with umbrellas and bicycles is there isn't really a good place to store them.  I tried poking my folded umbrella into the basket, and the flopping that ensued threw my balance off completely.  So I popped back into my local bicycle shop and purchased a ridiculously cute, Hello Kitty umbrella holder. TA DA!

Now I just have to keep Little TF from trying to pry it off.

In the midst of all this bicycle rain gear, don't neglect your own personal rain protection!  Mommy (and non-mommies) needs a cute umbrella and rain boots, too!

My winter rain boots.  I recommend owning two pairs.  These
are too tall for summer (the humidity is only going to get worse),
but in winter I am glad of the extra height.  I've got cute little
short summer booties on their way from Amazon, right now!

Rainy days need not be days to dread!  Errands and sightseeing can still be accomplished!  Just think of all the puddles in shrine courtyards that are just begging to be stomped in.  Actually, my preferred days for shrine sightseeing are the rainy ones.  No one is there.

Ganbatte!

-The Tofu Fox

Disclaimer:  I do my best to make sure all my information is accurate.  However, details may change or I may just be flat-out wrong.  Please let me know if something needs a correction.  Thank-you!