Having a length of about 3,000 km, weather patterns vary considerably, from the sub-tropical southern Kyushu (even more so in Okinawa) to the sub-arctic northern Hokkaido. Ocean currents and the mountain ranges running through much of the country also influence the weather. Whilst the further south you go the longer is the warm part of the year, and the further north the longer the cold part, Japan is mostly a land of four clearly defined seasons. A case can be made for a fifth, the rainy season (tsuyu). As most of Japan’s rivers are short, the longest 370 km, and its lakes fairly small, … [Read more...]