noun
water left out for travelers in summer
A traditional custom of placing buckets of water by the roadside during hot weather so that passersby can drink or cool off. Often associated with hospitality and community care.
昔は夏になると、道端に振舞い水が置かれていた。
In the old days, water for travelers was placed along the roadside in summer.
Compound of 振舞い (furumai, 'hospitality, entertaining') + 水 (mizu, 'water'). The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it reflects the custom of offering water as a gesture of goodwill.