The more I travel around Japan, the more I realize I don't live in Japan. Nor have I for the past decade. I guess I've gotten so used to my safe, comfortable island life, that when I go to some other places in Japan, I am astounded to find it is not the same warm 'n' fuzzy place I'm used to.

On a recent trip off my island, I committed a grave offense — I attempted to enjoy the beach before the official "opening of the sea" on July 6. This ceremony, called umibiraki, is performed by a Shinto priest who purifies the sea and makes the beach safe for swimming. It also officially marks the beginning of summer and the swimming season.

To me, it seems a shame that you are not allowed to swim before umibiraki. Perhaps the Shinto gods don't know about global warming and that it is warm enough to be swimming at least a month earlier. Or maybe they've already made up their god calendars for this century and it would be too expensive to republish and redistribute them to all 8 million of the Shinto gods in Japan.