うみびらき (7がつ)

Umi Biraki (July) and Beach Season



 

7がつにはうみびらきがあります。

 

うみびらきとは、だいたい7がつ最初さいしょしゅうおこなうぎょうじです。

 

神道しんとう神主かんぬしさまがうみ安全あんぜんをいのります。

 

とても日本にほんらしいかもしれませんが、このうみびらきがおわると

うみにはライフガードがいるようになります。

うみのいえもつかえるようになります。

 

 

うみのいえ

うみのいえとは、ビーチシーズンだけにオープンするかりにたてられたこやです。

べたり、きがえたり、シャワーが使つかえるばしょです。

わかひとおおいですが、だれがつかっても大丈夫だいじょうぶです。

どもをつれて使つかうこともできます。

 

ビーチシーズンは、だいたい7がつから8がつなかばくらいまでです。

8がつのおぼん(8がつ13-16にち)をすぎるとクラゲがふえます。

さされてあぶないので、 うみにははいらないようにします。

 

 

"Umi-Biraki"


You may think, what?? “opening of the sea”??

Yes, its direct translation is umi=sea, biraki (or hiraki) =open, or opening.

 

This opening of the sea is held in the first week of July, when a Shinto priest

holds the umibiraki ceremony on the beach to purifiy the waters and make it safe.

It’s perhaps very traditional, and you may feel it’s a little bit unusual.

 

It doesn’t mean that you can’t go for a swim in the ocean before umibiraki,

but there aren’t lifeguards around if it’s not the beach season (from July to mid-August).

 

Some like it better before umibiraki as they are free to swim without being told areas

in which you are allowed to swim, but there are many more who feel unsafe to do so

and don’t feel comfortable swimming before umibiraki.

 

The beach season is said to be until around obon (mid August) to avoid being stung

by jellyfish which increase in numbers from then on. 

 

 

Umi-no-ie

There will be Umi-no-ie (houses of the sea) temporarily built during this season on the beach,

which offers places to eat and showers and changerooms.

(Japanese ocean is so sticky the sands will stick to your skin which is quite

uncomfortable without showers if you’re staying out after going to the beach.)

Umi-no-ie tends to be full of young people in their 20s, but anyone can use umi-no-ie

and there are sometimes moms with kids enjoying their times. 

 

Reference

Japanese Beach Basics: Rules, Tips & Etiquette on All About Japan


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