While Makoto Shinkai¡¯s latest film, ¡°Weathering With You,¡± has already been released in Japan, it¡¯s likely anime fans overseas won¡¯t be able to see the movie until 2020. However, there are a few moments in the film that may leave international audiences scratching their heads when they finally get to see it.

Ghost-like figures with strings tied around their necks can be seen throughout the movie, from rain-soaked hospital windows to umbrellas adorned with the smiling dolls. Even is one of the white objects. But what the heck are these things?

°Õ³ó±ð²â¡¯°ù±ð teru teru ²ú¨­³ú³Ü charms, which serve a special purpose in Japanese culture. They are believed to help stop the rain and guarantee that tomorrow will be sunny.

Teru teru ²ú¨­³ú³Ü, which literally translates to ¡°shine shine monk,¡± are typically made by children with tissue paper and are hung around window sills. It¡¯s a fairly simple craft project for kids to do when they are stuck inside on a rainy day.

Japan is known for an annual rainy season that brings rain clouds in June and July. This summer saw a historic rainy season, which ended up being the cloudiest period in Tokyo in 129 years.

, one of the most popular weather websites in Japan, teru teru ²ú¨­³ú³Ü can trace its origins to China back during the Heian Period (794-1185). There are several legends in Japan about the doll¡¯s origin, but one of the most well-known tales is of a monk who promised he could bring clear skies the next day. Legend has it that the monk chanted nonstop in front of a feudal lord and was beheaded when he failed to stop the rain.

that alludes to this tale with some explicit lyrics. The last line of the song reads, ¡°If tomorrow is cloudy and crying, I¡¯ll cut your head off.¡±

While teru teru ²ú¨­³ú³Ü may have a dark history, the paper dolls have become a ubiquitous part of the Japanese zeitgeist that make people think of antsy kids who want to play in the sun rather than a monk who lost his head for failing to part the clouds.