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Littlebird · Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 82 Location: UK

I have heard that the climate in Japan is very extreme at both ends of the spectrums. How do you all deal with that ? I can't understand how any human being can tolerate extreme hot or cold. Is every single building air-conditioned and has underground heating ? I am sure I would expire in such conditions. I am very concerned because it may mean I cannot teach in Japan. Surely you have to wear thick fake fur clothes in winter which would cost the earth and make you sweat. I have very little tolerance to extreme temperatures or so I think. How can anyone leave the house let alone work if it is 35 C or - 25 C ?

flyer · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 539 Location: Sapporo Japan

yes, it takes getting used to. The weather extremes here are double what we get back home (taking the average highs and lows for the seasons)

Having said that, it does make a totally different living environment,
in other words, summer and winter are totally different worlds

The Japanese have a separate wardrobe, ie set of clothes, for summer and winter

but you failed to mention the typhoons, the rainy season and then theres the earthquakes etc
its a full-on place

ripslyme · Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 481 Location: Japan

Welcome to Japan - a land of 4 seasons.

Oh but there is a distinct LACK of air conditioning/heating here compared to the rest of the civilized world. How 125,000,000 people manage to live in these conditions is truly amazing.

reasonJP · Joined: 17 Jul 2008 Posts: 48

Your extremes are a teensy bit exaggerated- -25 is hardly common, right up north maybe..
Maybe I'm lucky being by the sea in kanagawa, but winters aren't all that cold, in general warmer than British winters. Spring and autumn are nice and comfy. The weather's only 'extreme' in summer, and it's humidity, not heat that does you in.

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

Yeah, slightly over the top estimations. In Nagano it goes up to about 35C in summer, down to about -5C in the winter, more up in the mountains. The summer can be hard to work in, but take a fan into class and wear an under t-shirt to soak up the sweat! In winter, just wrap up warm!

There are places like Watahan or D2 (big hardware stores) where you can get winter gear for next to nothing.

You are from the UK, right? Its the only country I can think of that has no sort of climate extremes. Me too, and I love Japan's seasons. Work might be difficult but there are so many things you can do, snowboarding in the winter, hiking, surfing in the summer, the list goes on. Not to mention that there is at least one good reason to get drunk during each season.

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

There aren't any areas where the temperature goes to both the extremes that you described. In Tokyo the summers do get that hot, but it is rare for the temp to go below zero in winter. Some areas of Hokkaido might get that cold in winter, but their summers are not so hot.

There is something called acclimatisation- even if you come from a mild climate (I do) your body gradually gets used to the temperature and it doesn't feel as hot/cold as you might think after a few weeks of it.

Summer in Tokyo is a bit nasty, because it is very humid as well as hot, but we just...deal with it. Yes, aircon is on all the time. We dress lightly, move slowly, carry fans and drink lots of cold drinks.

Fake fur isn't what you wear in cold temperatures- down jackets for example are warm, as are gloves, hats and scarves with several layers on your upper body. People all over the world live in far more extreme climates than Japan has.

G Cthulhu · Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 4:36 am Post subject:

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Extremes?

What extremes?

I live in one city. Winter is relatively harsh (depending on your idea of harsh), and summer is pleasant.

Tokyo.
Winter is mild as can be, IMO.
Summer is a bear with heat and humidity.

I ask again, what extremes? You are talking like this is Minnesota or North Dakota where summers get up to 35-40 degrees C and winters down to minus 40C. Not the case.

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Thank goodness I don't live in Miyagi, Iwate and Akita Shocked

Winters can be much milder than Tokyo's, Glenski- it actually snows here! In Auckland we think it's freezing if it gets down to 13 degrees or so (and that it's roasting at 26). I wonder if the OP is from Auckland? Laughing

stevenbhow · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 58

one word, Shizuoka!

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

To me the summers in Tokyo are quite extreme- 39 degrees with 95% humidity is not fun. Places in Gifu went over 40 degrees this summer and they have temps well below 0 in winter there too. And the previously mentioned Iwate, Miyagi and Akita.

Perhaps not so extreme by Glenski's standards, but other people might consider the seasons here extreme. I think I said this before a few years back, but if you can die of the weather, it qualifies as extreme to me. The summer heat here kills quite a few people every year- that doesn't happen where I come from. A night out without shelter in much of Hokkaido in winter would probably get you too.