The end of the rainy season in the Kanto region finally slipped all the way to August 1. That was eight days later than last year and eleven days later than average. A friend tweeted, "This isn't tsuyu anymore — it's the rainy season," but once it breaks, summer is in full swing. Clear skies have stretched day after day, and highs have stayed above 30 degrees.
The flower of summer is crape myrtle. Along the sidewalk of Uchibori-dori in front of the Palaceside Building, about 50 trees are blooming in crimson, white and pink. Written in kanji, the name is "hyakujitsuko" — a hundred days of red. True to that name, the blossoms keep pleasing passersby for a long stretch. The bark is so smooth that a monkey might slip and fall, which is said to be why Japanese speakers call it sarusuberi.
The crape myrtle avenue began when the city joined Tokyo's Fureai Road Program. Walking under the blazing sun is a bit of a trial, but when you pass the Palaceside Building, please enjoy the tiny flowers clustered among the deep-green leaves.