Sun Shower

is a: “meteorological phenomenon in which rain falls while the sun is shining.”

{A Sunshower over Crater Mountain, Landers, California}

In Japanese, sun shower is sometimes referred to as “Kitsune-no-yomeiri” [狐の嫁入り] meaning “Fox’s Wedding” when translated directly to English.

The history behind this unique term’s creation, according to “Hokusai-yōkai-hyakkei” [北斎妖怪百景] (2004) by Natsuhiko Kyōgoku [京極夏彦] (1963 - present), can be traced back to Edo Period when artist Hokusai Katsushika [葛飾北斎] (1760 ? - 1849) illustrated a Ukie scenery titled: “Kitsune-no-yomeiri-zu” [狐の嫁入り図] where a group of foxes heading to their wedding ceremony accompanying the gloom and the spouse during a sun shower.

This idea of “fox’s wedding + sun shower” later caught on and was popularized even further as famous Japanese poets during both Edo Period and Meiji Era such as Issa Kobayashi [小林一茶] (1763 - 1828) and Shiki Masaoka [正岡子規] (1867 - 1902) implemented Katsushika’s concept into their poetry works. Subsequently, the reference “Fox’s Wedding” (Kitsune-no-yomeiri) became a word to indicate “sun shower”.

{“Kitsune-no-yomeiri-zu”}