72 Seasons

Swallows arrive in the spring and spend the summer months in Japan rearing their young, then set off back to warmer, southern climes in autumn. It is several thousand kilometers to their winter habitats, in South East Asia and Australia, and they are said to be able to fly over 300 km in a single day. Swallows feed on the bugs that live in rice paddies, and have been much loved in Japan since ancient times. There are several sayings about them, including “a swallows nest in your house brings riches”, and “low flying swallows means rain”. ©Utsukushii Kurashikata Institute