Located in the monsoon zone of the eastern coast of the Asian continent, the most notable features of the climate of the Japanese archipelago are the wide range of yearly temperatures and the large amount of rainfall. However, because of the complexity of the land configuration, there are numerous regional differences throughout the seasons.

Spring

When low-pressure areas pass over the Pacific coast of Japan in March, the temperature rises with each rainfall, When low-pressure areas start to develop over the Sea of Japan, the strong wind from the south called haru ichiban (the first tidings of spring) blows over Japan.

Summer

The onset of the rainy season (baiu or tsuyu) rakes place around 7 June. It starts in the southern part of Japan and moves northward. With the end of the rain around 20 July, the Ogasawara air masses blanket Japan, and the weather takes on a summer pattern. The peak of summer is late July, and the summer hear lingers on into mid-August.

Fall

September is the typhoon season. Weather resembling that of the rainy season also occurs because of the autumnal rain fronts, The weather clears in mid-October, and the winter winds start to blow.

Winter

In December, when the atmospheric pressure configuration has completely changed to the winter pattern, northwest winds bring snow to the mountains and to the plains on the Sea of Japan side, and a dry wind blows on the Pacific Ocean side. The peak of winter comes around 25 January.