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2003 UPDATES
Hi Everyone:
For all of you that have written from around the World in the last couple
of weeks asking for 2003 information here are a few additional items for
you. As usual please feel free to send us a quick email if you have any comment, additional
information or experience that would be helpful. There will be several items added here before July 1st including a map and public transport timetable as well as a few of the more commonly asked questions
Detail map around Shinjuku bus station [in PDF format]
Question:
I am planning to come to climb Mt. Fuji the first week in July -- do you
think it will be too rainy then? I could come later in July, if there
are flights available. How rainy is it usually in the first week of
July?
Answer:
Tokyo 11JUN03
As for the weather, this years rainy season has I believe started down in
Okinawa just a few days ago. It will move slowly northwards and be over in
a couple of weeks. The weather during this period is often dull even though
it might not rain. When it does rain it often comes straight down in large
volumes with little wind. You might have a day or two of rain then nothing
for a few days but dull cloudy conditions. Rainy season normally does not
bring windy conditions with it.
As for typhoons, the season has started already. They breed southwest and
south of Japan down towards the Mariana islands and move towards the Philippines
and Taiwan and then often turn northwards to pass over Japan/Korea. Some dont
even make this far or slice off to the east and out into the Pacific before
they reach us. The thing about a typhoon though is that it is such a large
weather system it can affect the weather hundreds of miles away. So a Typhoon
that hits the lower island of Kyushu can dump rain on Tokyo area for a while.
The Golden Rule with a typhoon though is dont underestimate its ability
to affect your local weather even though it is quite a way away and secondly
if the Typhoon is scheduled to pass very close/over Tokyo area DONT go climbing
Fuji. Your just asking for trouble. Typhoons bring rain, high winds and humid
conditions so wait a day until it has passed over then climb in the calm after
the storm.
So to answer your questions as best I can. Early July you are probably more
likely to encounter calmer rainy season conditions. Could you climb ? Yes
but pack some rain protection. It normally is not continuous rain for days
and days on end. Just one or two then a few dull days. If you come later and
into August then Japan is much more humid and hotter generally than dull June and parts of July
but you run the chance of a Typhoon which could [should !] delay your plans for a day
or two.
Flights to Japan are available all the time so you will have little trouble
booking one. There are at least a dozen a day from the States.
Copyright 2003 Richard Wicks/INSPEC Japan Question or Comment ? support@inspecjapan.com
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