Ame for Every Occasion

• Main Authors: Hacker, Randi, Tsutsui, William
• Format: Audio
• Language: English
• Published: Center for East Asian Studies, University of Kansas 2014
• Subjects: Japan; Ame; Rain; Arctic; inuit
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1808/13361

This is one of hundreds of 60-second radio spots created by the Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) for Kansas Public Radio (KPR). The purpose of this outreach program is to introduce the people of Kansas to the culture and current issues of East Asia. Broadcast Transcript: Legend has it that the Arctic Inuit have hundreds of ways to say "snow." Linguists now tell us that this is just another urban myth. It's a fact, however, that the Japanese have hundreds of words for "rain." Among them konuka ame, literally rice bran rain, a light drizzle that barely gets you wet and namida ame, "tears rain", a gentle shower more depressing emotionally than significant meteorologically. Ecologist Kenneth Wilkening says that Japan is a veritable culture of rain. The islands are dependent on abundant rainfall for paddy field rice farming. What's more, traditional Japanese society elevated the humble umbrella to an art form and produced a rich poetry of precipitation. Richer than "Rain, rain, go away," that's for sure. #ceas #japan #tsutsui #hacker