雨

We were quite enamoured (longingly) with this short list of Japanese terms for rain (above ame or in Kana あめfor plain old rain) and were curious to know if there were more poetic possibilities. It turns out that there are more than fifty turns of phrases and some of our favourites—which caused us to reflect on others ways we might express the weather in our own language—included, by intensity, in combination with or transforming, type and duration:

小糠雨 / こぬかあめ Konukāme Fine Rain
細雨 / さいう Saiu Drizzle
吹き降り/ ふきぶり Fukiburi Driven Rain
風雨 / ふう Fūu Wind and Rain
十雨 / じゅうう Jūu Refreshing Rain Once in Ten Days
天泣 / てんきゅうTenkyūu Rain from a Cloudless Sky
夕立 / ゆうだちYūudachi Sudden Evening Rain

The image is from an earlier Present /&/ Correct post on rain in anime. We do not speak or read Japanese, so as a universal disclaimer that should probably apply to most things one finds on the internet, so please do not use this as a basis for a tattoo or any sort of permanent commitment.