There can be few people who take such an avid interest in the weather as the Japanese. The country’s climate itself varies greatly with latitude - from balmy, subtropical Okinawa to the cool of northern Hokkaido.

Most of the country is located in the northern temperate zone yielding the familiar 4 distinct seasons of Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn although the weeks of May to June yield a short rainy season which moves slowly across the country travelling south to north. (It should be noted that conditions are never so extreme as to deter travel during this time)