The brass band and chorus clubs, too, practice hard for upcoming performances. Baseball remains the favorite sport of Japanese. The summer tournament begins with prefectural competitions and the winning teams gather at the Kooshien stadium in August to compete for the championship. Much of the excitement of this tournament coincides with the O-Bon holidays. Shaved ice flavored with sweet syrup, a popular summer snack.
Many people make it at home with simple ice-shaver equipment.
Tea made from unhulled, roasted barley. The roasted barley is boiled and steeped, then chilled. A mild, unsweetened beverage, it satisfies the thirst of Japan't hot summers. People drink more beer in the summertime, often with the seasonal eda-mame . Eda-mame are soybeans picked while they are still bright green and soft.