In Japan, the late-summer heat will linger until the middle of September, although
the lunar calendar indicates it is the beginning of autumn.
The temperatures in the morning and evening will gradually drop, signaling that the autumn is on its way.
.
Autumnal rain front will often bring autumn rain. Then high-pressure system and low-pressure system come alternately and quickly from the west. It causes changeable weathers which repeat a few days of fine weather and a few days of rain.
In due time, the autumn deepen, large high-pressure system and migratory high follows, and fine days continue for days. These fine days are called “ clear autumn sky”.
Exemplifying such weather conditions, we have a saying, ”Women are as fickle as autumn weather.” Do you have such a saying in your country?
Every morning, I go to Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal, the assembly place for Sunrise Tours in Tokyo to assist check-in staff. When showing participants of Sunrise Tours to motor-coaches after check-in, I often am asked about weather conditions on tour days. Fine weather is the one of the key factor of enjoyment of sightseeing, especially for the Mt. Fuji Hakone One Day Tour. The highlights of the tour are the view of Mt. Fuji and a ride
in aerial cable car in Hakone. If tourists cannot see Mt. Fuji, it will completely spoil the pleasure of the tours. Therefore, to keep their hope up the last moment, my answer is “Nobody can tell the weather of Mt. Fuji because it is very high and its weather is always changeable. No travel agents control the weather”
Not only participants but also guide in charge of the tours are also nervous about the weather condition. Guides have a lot of anxieties including invisibility of Mt. Fuji due to weather condition such as clouds or mist as well as suspension of boats or aerial cable cars due to strong wind.
In case tour days fall on such poor weather, guides have some devices ready to amuse the participants in the motor-coaches. They include playing of video tapes or music tapes, folding papers, playing cat’s cradle , Japanese jokes and stories.
Weather forecast will be available through television, radio, internet and news papers.
However even using cut edging meteorological forecast technology, the rate of accuracy is not satisfactory. Especially the weather conditions in high mountains such as Mt. Fuji will change frequently and drastically minute by minute. It always hides unpredictable factors. For example, Mt. Fuji is suddenly visible soon after we drive over a slope or it is suddenly invisible after passing through a mountain .
That is why I recommend you to enjoy the unpredictable weather and also Japanese traditional sayings and weather observing method of nature including animals to enjoy even a bad weather. It is fortune-telling; sometime fortune-telling does not prove right: sometime it proves right. Please enjoy even changeable weather in the autumn in Japan.
- Herein, I am pleased to introduce some sayings of Japanese traditional weather forecast by surroundings.
-
It will be fine when the west is bright in the autumn.
-
North wind at the night in autumn means fine weather.
-
East wind in the autumn means rainy weather.
-
Red sky in the morning means rain on the day.
-
A lot of red dragon flies in the evening means fine weather tomorrow.
-
Tighten paper on the sliding doors is fine weather.
-
A parade of ants means it will rain soon.
-
When a cat licks its hair, it will rain.
-
The red moon means change of the weather.
-
Finally, let’s wish for fine weather for tomorrow’s tour, making a doll.
 The ter-teru bozu is a doll used to pray for fine weather.
First of all, a sheet of paper (tissue paper in your guest room) is rolled into a small round ball. Then it is wrapped up with another sheet of a cone and is attached to form body. Eyes are painted on the head. It is hung on the curtain rail or similar. Please chant “ teru-teru-bozu, bring fine weather tomorrow!”
You can then go to bed with the hope that the following day will be fine.
If the teru-teru bozu does not answer your prayer, it is left dangling in the rain. Throw it into the trash box as punishment.
Enjoy it with your children or soak in the fun atmosphere of being a kid again. |
