Young hawks learn to fly

Nature

Young hawks, having grown their flight feathers through early summer, now launch themselves from cliff ledges and tall cryptomeria, their wingbeats uncertain but determined. Cicadas — particularly the minminzemi — have reached their peak volume, their synchronized chorus marking true midsummer. Morning glory vines climb feverishly, and the first lotus flowers open in temple ponds, their pale pink petals luminous against dark water.

Table

Hamo no shabu-shabu. Thinly sliced pike eel briefly swished in kelp broth, eaten with ponzu — the essential Kyoto dish for beating midsummer heat.

Tōmorokoshi gohan. Rice cooked with fresh corn kernels and a touch of salt, capturing the sweetness that peaks in these blazing July days.

Momo no shiratama. Chilled white peaches served with soft rice-flour dumplings in cold syrup — a cooling confection for the season of intense sun.

Kūshinai no itame. Garlic-sautéed water spinach with a splash of fish sauce, a dish that thrives when this heat-loving green is at its crispest.

Rite

This period falls within the days of summer doyo, when unagi (eel) is eaten to fortify the body against heat exhaustion — a practice dating to the Edo period. The specific 'Day of the Ox' within doyo, called Ushi no Hi, sees lines forming at eel restaurants across Japan. Simultaneously, many regions hold Gion Matsuri-related events, with the climax of Kyoto's great procession often occurring in these very days.