GIFU-KEN CLIMATE

What to Expect
Gifu has very distinct seasons.  Basically, it is really hot and humid in the summer and pretty cold in the winter. You especially feel the weather here
because central heating and air-conditioning is limited.   Here are a few specifics to help figure out what clothes to pack!

Summer
You will be arriving in the hottest part of the year and it is very, very, humid.  The rainy season begins in June, ranging from light showers to pouring
rain for days on end.  By the time you get here, this will have dissipated for the most part, but bring your umbrella to Tokyo just in case.  Light, cotton
clothes are essential for the summer, but regardless of what you wear, prepare to be constantly sticky - even your knees sweat!  Insects abound so
bring some spray to keep them away.  Caution: On those breezy summer evenings, leaving your fluorescent lights on and your screen doors open could
be hazardous to your health!!!

The sky is usually clear and the sun is strong.  Temperatures range from 27-35 C (85-95F).  It is often cooler in the north.  There may be a typhoon,
or two, or fifteen towards the end of the summer, but Gifu is fairly well protected so typically this causes no problems (although it does make riding
your granny bike to work a little more difficult).  Definitely be prepared to ride your bike in the rain (ex. Add a rain suit to your wardrobe).

Autumn
This usually hits around October (earlier in the north).  It is really a beautiful time of year - perfect for hiking all those mountains in Hida.  Most
Japanese enjoy fall the most as it brings beautiful scenery, good food, and cooler weather.  You will need long sleeve shirts in the beginning and maybe a
light jacket at night.  Towards late November, it starts to feel a lot like...

Winter
The average winter brings with it chilling winds and temperatures in the -5 to 7C (20-35F) range.  This doesn't sound that cold, BUT inside your house
and school will often also be this cold because very few places have central heating.  Kerosene heaters are popular, but often at school the window will
be open to let in "healthy air" which means you won't die from kerosene fumes, but you will feel a serious draft.  It is colder in the North, but basically
from December to March will be sweater weather.  Thermal underwear is a great idea. For example, one JET left ice cubes out on her kitchen counter
and they did not start to melt for three days (and she was in the south).  As for snow, only the occasional snowfalls find their way to the south, but in
the Hida region, pack your snow boots and thick, warm socks.  Winter can be quite inhospitable (unless you enjoy shoveling snow), but for all your trials,
you will be rewarded with excellent skiing and incredibly scenic vistas.

Spring
Mid-March (early April in the north) brings plum and cherry blossoms, festivals, and crazy, flip-flop weather.  One day it is sunny and warm, the next, you
will wish you had not put away your winter coat.  A light jacket and jeans are perfect most of the time.  At night you might need a little something more.
  In general, it is shorts and t-shirts weather.  May starts to get a little humid, the temperature is mild and it is great to be outside refreshing your
mind, body, and soul after too many days and nights under the kotatsu (a heated table)!  One note, you may not be used to the different kinds of pollen
in Japan, so it is good to be prepared with some allergy medication.
 

*Hope this helps you a little in deciding what to bring/post.  Do not forget that you will often be riding your bike in all sorts of weather, especially rain, sounless you have mastered the Japanese art of riding a bike with an umbrella (which by the way is supposedly against the law) bring along some rain gear. You may also want to think about rain gear that breathes well because it is very hot and humid in the summer rainy season.