Jul 2, 2024
Representative sounds of summer in Japan
Have you ever thought about sounds that represent summer in Japan? At this time of year I think of things like cicadas and windchimes, and they seem to be fairly well-covered on Japan's Top 100 Soundscapes list. One of our local shrines, Kinpu Shrine in Nagaoka, is a good spot to enjoy the sound of windchimes, and as for the cicadas...well, they're just about everywhere at this time of year.
Windchimes on display at Kinpu Shrine, a local favorite in Nagaoka.
I hadn't really thought of seasons in terms of sounds before living in Japan, but I think it's a fun way to listen out for different times of year. I also like that the idea around windchimes in summer is that their pleasant tinkling helps you to think yourself cool.
Are there certain sounds here that you feel are evocative of summer?
1 Comment
DavidM
on Aug 21
I like the sound of Japanese cicadas. Different from the ones in the U.S. Yes, still shrill and loud, but there's a musicality to them, a rhythm, that I find a bit pleasant. It isn't summer without them. I like their sounds better than some of the windchimes (the glass ones, for some reason--they look beautiful, but just not a fan of their sound).