Awakening on my second morning back in Japan I’m faced with a chilly day in Tokyo where snowflakes mingle with rain drops and umbrellas are out in force on the city streets. They’re everywhere, the konbini store kasa (convenience store umbrella) – they’re cheap, usually in the neighborhood of US$5, fairly reliable if not long lived, and I can tell you that I’ve purchased one or two when caught unsuspecting in a Tokyo rain shower.

While better kasa are made with cloth, the telltale sign of a konbini store kasa is that they are made of transparent or milky white plastic.  They’re not pretty but they get the job done.

Visit a konbini on any day you may find a small a selection of umbrellas on display, but with the first rain drop the umbrella display can’t be missed.  Usually on prominent and near the front of the store, soggy commuters, or those wishing to avoid a damp trip home can pick up a konbini store kasa with ease.

Navigating Tokyo’s busy streets when it rains can be a challenge for pedestrians, where a sea of umbrellas can be dangerous to navigate especially if you are taller than the norm and where a stray umbrella tip seems to be constantly in the vicinity of your eyes.  

The rain doesn’t stop Japan’s cyclists either -  they some how manage to navigate with one hand  holding a konbini store kasa  and the other steering.  It’s a skill I have yet to master but the dexterity shown by the riders precariously perched with one hand on the wheel amazes me every time I witness it.

So, the next time that you get caught in the rain in Japan, don’t settle for a soggy train ride or walk home, just pop into a local konbini and pick up a cheap kasa.

Image Credit:  Flickr, walking in the rain (ii), IMGP2130

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