Micro-season 31 of 72 · Jun 6 – Jun 10
Praying mantises hatch.
Kamakiri shōzu
Tiny praying mantises emerge from papery egg cases, their pale bodies unfurling into the humid air of early June.
The air thickens with moisture now, carrying the green scent of rice paddies filling with water. In overgrown garden corners and along sun-warmed fences, pale specks of movement catch the eye — hundreds of miniature mantises hatching from foam-like oothecae, each no larger than a grain of rice. The rainy season approaches, and the world hums with small emergences.
Nature notes
Praying mantis egg cases, attached to branches and fence posts since autumn, now split open as temperatures and humidity rise. The nymphs emerge in synchronized waves, dispersing quickly to avoid becoming each other's first meal. Hydrangeas begin to show color at their edges, fireflies gather near slow streams at dusk, and the calls of tree frogs pulse through the evening fog.
In season
Fruits
Vegetables
Fish
At the table
Green plums arrive for the annual ritual of making umeshu, umeboshi, and ume syrup — the defining kitchen work of early June.
Conger eel grilled without sauce, its delicate sweetness highlighted with just a touch of salt and sudachi — lighter than unagi for the warming days.
Tender early-season ginger buds pickled in sweet vinegar, their pink-tinged sharpness cutting through the humidity.
A chilled miso soup from Miyazaki, thinned and poured over cold rice with cucumber and shiso — perfect as appetites wane in the damp heat.
Cultural note
Early June marks the beginning of ume-shigoto, the traditional 'plum work' that occupies Japanese kitchens. Green ume arrive at markets for a brief window, and households across the country wash, dry, and prepare them for umeboshi pickles, umeshu liqueur, or ume syrup. This annual ritual connects generations — grandmothers teaching grandchildren the precise moment when the plums are ready, the careful removal of stems, the patient waiting through months of fermentation.
螳螂の子
露の重さを
知り初むる
kamakiri no ko / tsuyu no omosa wo / shiri somuru
mantis hatchlings — / for the first time learning / the weight of dew
The smallest hunters take their positions on leaf edges, waiting with ancient patience as the plum rains draw near.