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Thanks to Emperor Meiji taking a trip around Tohoku on a boat built in Scotland in the 1870s, we had a holiday today.

Umi no hi, Marine Day, Ocean Day, Sea Day, or my personal favourite ‘Emperor on a boat Day’ is a day dedicated to the giving thanks to all things marine.

With such a theme you would assume (hope?) everyone would dress up in sailor outfits. Alas, for some odd reason that seems limited to Japanese high school girls (anyone know why?). Us mere mortals are forced to wear normal clothing and are simply nudged to do something aquatic.

Like go to the ocean.

For example.

You see, for us folks here in Yamagata, today marks the official ‘opening’ of the ocean.

The ‘Opening’ of the ocean.

I’m not even exaggerating.

Today is the first day of the year they ‘open’ the ocean.

Today.

July 15th. An arbitrary day in the middle of summer, when it’s already hot. Not June 1st, the official first day of summer. Some would deem that too early in the year. No, the third Monday of July it is. Any sooner and put simply, you aren’t allowed in the ocean.

No one’s going to stop you from trying, but they will suck their teeth.

Really, really suck their teeth.

Today (well, actually Saturday), is when the lifeguards guard lives for the first time of the year.

If you want to go swimming in the ocean before this day, you can.

And I do.

There just won’t be anyone there to save you if you start drowning.

So be warned.

Swimming in the ocean is amazing. You would think that being a Yamabushi, a mountain ascetic, and everything, I prefer the mountains over the ocean.

Not true.

I prefer the ocean over the mountains. Sorry Master Hoshino. Although I know you like a dip in the ocean under a full moon.

Anyway…

The thing that gets to me the most about this day is that, Marine Day also happens to be the day my local swimming hole decides to open their outdoor 50m pool.

Today.

July 15th. An arbitrary day in the middle of summer, when it’s already hot. Not June 1st, the official first day of summer. Some would deem that too early in the year. No, the third Monday of July it is. Any sooner and put simply, you aren’t allowed in the outdoor 50m pool.

Not only will they suck their teeth if you try, they won’t even fill it up for you!

To do some lane swimming in an outdoor 50m pool, which, everyone knows is the best way to do it, well, put simply, you’re out of luck.

Sorry to pop your bubble.

I guess you’re just going to have to wait until Emperor on a Boat Day.

This article from the Kiwi Yamabushi newsletter got more than 1,000 reads, so I decided to put it here for everyone. Get articles just like this in your inbox by signing up here. Paid subscribers get priority access and access to the full archive of over 100 articles.