Gallery: Snapshots of Japan's blistering summer
Swimmers, sun worshippers, festivals and jumbo lotteries are just a few of the sights of the sweltering Japanese season
With the notoriously unpredictable rainy season finally drying up and the sun breaking through the clouds, it can only mean one thing in Japan -- the summer silly season is officially upon us.
As in most countries, it’s a time of year punctuated by annual rituals; some frivolous, some born of centuries of tradition.
We take a quick flick through the photo album to highlight a selection of some instantly recognizable seasonal markers.
From dangerous 40 C heat waves and lottery fever to fatigue-beating rituals and good, old-fashioned fun in the sun, here are a few of the highlights of a Japanese summer.
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