When A Kite Flies In The Morning, Put On A Straw Raincoat; When A Kite Flies In The Evening, Take Off Your Hat: Japanese Proverb Meaning

How to Read “When a kite flies in the morning, put on a straw raincoat; when a kite flies in the evening, take off your hat”

Asa tobi ni mino wo kiyo, yū tobi ni kasa wo nuge

Meaning of “When a kite flies in the morning, put on a straw raincoat; when a kite flies in the evening, take off your hat”

This proverb expresses wisdom about predicting weather from kite behavior. When you see kites calling or flying in the morning, it’s a sign of coming rain, so put on your straw raincoat to prepare.

On the other hand, when kites are actively calling or flying in the evening, the next day will be sunny, so you can safely take off your hat.

This is more than just weather forecasting. It teaches the importance of reading natural signs and preparing in advance.

In times when farming and travel plans depended heavily on weather, this kind of observation was practical life wisdom.

Today we have advanced weather forecasts. But this proverb still conveys the importance of observing nature closely and predicting the future from its changes.

The ability to notice nearby creatures’ behavior and read information from it remains valuable even now.

Origin and Etymology

No clear written records remain about the origin of this proverb. However, we can make interesting observations from how the phrase is constructed.

Kites are birds of prey that live throughout Japan. They have been familiar birds in human living areas since ancient times.

When farming and fishing were central to life, weather prediction was a matter of survival. Without weather observation technology, people developed wisdom to read weather from animal and plant behavior.

This proverb shows the relationship between kite behavior patterns and weather. When you see kites calling or flying in the morning, it’s a sign of rain, so wear your raincoat.

When kites are active in the evening, the next day will be clear, so you can take off your hat. This teaching is based on observation.

Birds are sensitive to atmospheric pressure changes. Their behavior changes when low pressure approaches.

Kites calling actively in the morning may be sensing pressure changes. Kites flying energetically in the evening can be interpreted as behavior under stable high pressure.

The observation skills of our ancestors who noticed these connections between animal behavior and weather are amazing. Even without scientific backing, they found reliable patterns through years of experience.

Interesting Facts

Kites are birds that use updrafts to fly. When low pressure approaches and the atmosphere becomes unstable, updrafts occur more easily.

This makes kites fly around more actively. Morning kite activity may have been observed as a sign before rain. This observation had some meteorological basis.

Throughout Japan, many traditions predict weather from animal behavior besides kites. Swallows flying low means rain, cats washing their faces means rain, and so on.

Without scientific observation equipment, people sensitively detected all changes in nature and applied them to daily life.

Usage Examples

• They say “When a kite flies in the morning, put on a straw raincoat; when a kite flies in the evening, take off your hat,” so I was right to bring an umbrella after seeing the kites this morning
• People in the past said “When a kite flies in the morning, put on a straw raincoat; when a kite flies in the evening, take off your hat” and read the weather from bird behavior

Universal Wisdom

Behind this proverb being passed down lies a deep relationship between humans and nature. No matter how advanced our civilization becomes, we are part of nature.

We cannot escape nature’s influence.

Our ancestors saw nature not as something to conquer, but as something to coexist with. They carefully observed kite behavior and read weather changes from it.

This was not just practical technique. It was dialogue with nature. Listening to nature’s signals and changing behavior accordingly—this humble attitude was wisdom for long-term survival.

This proverb also teaches the importance of prediction and preparation. Unpredictable events happen in life. But by noticing small signs and preparing in advance, we can minimize damage.

Seeing morning kites and putting on a raincoat symbolizes the attitude of sensitively detecting slight changes and taking initiative.

Modern people may be losing this power of observation and habit of preparation. Surrounded by convenient technology, we have weakened our ability to hear nature’s voice.

But nature still speaks to us constantly. Maintaining the sensitivity to notice this becomes the power to survive uncertain times.

When AI Hears This

Kite flight altitude actually reflects the atmosphere’s “temperature layer structure” accurately. In the morning, the ground surface cools from nighttime radiative cooling, creating an inversion where upper air is warmer.

In this state, air is stable and updrafts don’t occur. Kites are soaring birds, so they need updrafts to fly without flapping. Therefore, in the morning they must flap their wings at low altitude.

But the situation changes completely in the evening. Heat released from the ground warmed by daytime sun creates active convection of rising warm air.

In meteorology, the layer where this convection occurs is called the “mixing layer.” On clear days it develops to over 1000 meters above ground.

Kites catch these updrafts and soar high without using energy.

What’s interesting is that kite flight altitude serves as an indicator of atmospheric boundary layer development. The boundary layer is the lowest atmospheric layer affected by the ground surface.

Its thickness changes dramatically by time of day. In the morning it’s only tens of meters, but by evening it exceeds one kilometer.

In other words, kites are living measuring instruments that visualize invisible atmospheric structure changes through their flight altitude. Ancient people read rain signs from kite altitude.

This is evidence they empirically understood the physical phenomenon of atmospheric stability.

Lessons for Today

This proverb teaches modern people the importance of observation skills that don’t miss small changes. Are we relying too much on convenient technology and weakening our ability to see and judge for ourselves?

Weather forecast apps are convenient. But looking out the window, sensing the air’s smell, and listening to bird voices—observation using all five senses sometimes gives more information than forecasts.

In business and human relationships too, sensitivity to detect small changes on the ground, not just data and information, can make a big difference.

And when you catch a sign, act immediately. Like putting on a raincoat when you see morning kites, detect risk early and don’t neglect preparation.

This proactive attitude prevents trouble before it happens.

Nature teaches us many things, now as in the past. Even in busy daily life, why not pause briefly and notice changes around you?

Hidden there are hints that will enrich your life.