Been There – Japan Summer
The design of the Been There Japan Summer mug is dedicated to the summer season, obviously. Let me remind you that Japanese mugs are unique in the sense that apart from the regular mug, Starbucks releases four more mugs for each season. We’ve reviewed Japan Spring recently and noticed that while the layout stays the same, certain elements of the design were adapted to reflect the different seasons of the year. There is one more interesting detail about this particular release: while all other seasons, Spring, Autumn, and Winter, were all released in 2022, the Summer Edition was released in 2023, thus leaving collectors hanging for a while. Luckily, this gap was later closed, and all four seasons were finally revealed.
Summer in Japan is a season of vibrant beauty and rich cultural experiences. The warm weather brings a palette of colors to the landscape, with flowers blooming in abundance. Festivals and fireworks light up the nights, while the days are filled with the sounds of buzzing cicadas and tinkling wind chimes.
Sunflowers (himawari) stand as iconic symbols of Japanese summer, their bright yellow petals reaching toward the sky. You can see them all over the mug, where they replaced sakura flowers as seen on the Spring Edition mug. Sunflowers, growing in vast fields, create stunning golden vistas that attract visitors from far and wide. Sunflower festivals, particularly popular in regions like Hokkaido, offer breathtaking photo opportunities and a chance to stroll among these gentle giants.
Morning glories (asagao) add a touch of delicate beauty to the season, their blue and purple blossoms opening with the dawn. These climbing vines, with their heart-shaped leaves, have been beloved in Japan for centuries. Often grown in pots on balconies or in small gardens, morning glories embody the fleeting nature of summer, their blossoms lasting only a few hours each morning.
Beyond the floral displays, summer in Japan offers a feast for the senses. The refreshing taste of kakigōri (shaved ice desserts) provides relief from the heat, while the rhythmic chiming of fūrin (wind chimes) creates a soothing summer soundtrack (you can see them on the back of the mug). As the sun sets, the sky comes alive with hanabi (fireworks) displays, painting the night with bursts of color and light.
And last but not least is a saddle touch to the picture of the cat on the front of the mug: it now has a cute hat!
