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.
In the old days, water for travelers was placed along the roadside in summer.
Standard kanji spelling.
Variant spelling without the okurigana い.
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.