34 T. Okada 



Mongolian Low from the surrounding portions of the Far East. This 

 system ef air currents is the summer monsoon. It blows from south 

 to east over Japan Proper and the Kiukiu islands, and southwesterly 

 in Formosa. But the summer monsoon is weak and intermittent 

 compared with the winter monsoon. The latter often continues for a 

 week or more with the force of a gale. 



2. During the prevalence of the winter monsoon, the cold air 

 from the continent blows over the Japan Sea and the Eastern Sea of 

 China undercutting the warmer air stratum lying near this country, 

 and forcing it to rise along the slope of the land. For this reason, 

 gloomy weather with snowfall prevails on the side facing the Japan 

 Sea, and rain-showers occur almost every day in the Kiukiu Islands 

 and Northern Formosa. Therefore in Japan Proper on this side, snow 

 covers deep the ground and a thick veil of clouds overcasts the sky. 

 Fine days are phenomenal. In the prefectin-es of Niigata, Toj-ama, 

 Ishikawa and Fukui, especially in mountainous portions, snow lies 

 some metres deep during the cold months. In those parts the houses 

 have unduly prolonged eaves and the ground under them is the only 

 thoroughfare for the people since the snow covers the streets so high 

 as to reach the level of the second stories of the houses. In Hokkai- 

 do, especially on the west side snow also covers the ground very deep. 

 In the valley of the Kiver Ishikari a snow layer of three metres and 

 more is the rule. In these snowbound districts the rails are often 

 buried deep under the snow. In spite cf ploughing the snow by 

 human and mechanical power, trafiSc is suspended for many days every 

 winter. But on our Pacific side the climatic conditions are quite 

 contrary to those prevailing on the side facing the Japan Sea. In 

 cold months, especially, in JSiovember, December and January, fine 

 weather generally prevails. In Tokaido from Nagoya to Tokyo very 

 tine weather continues for umny days, and often no single drop of 

 rain falls throughout a month. In the Inland sea district the 

 weather is also very fine, but often snow or rain showers are 

 experienced whenever the monsoon shifts a little west and blows over 

 the sea. 



In the warmer season the monsoon has not any marked influence 

 u]ion the weather and climate of Japan. There is no noticeable diffe- 

 rence in climatic conditions on both sides of the island empire. The 

 weather is generally fair or fine except in the rainy season beginning 



