Autumn has just begun, so this is a quick comparison between the seasons of the Tokyo area and Edmonton. First of all, Edmonton is in a temperate climate zone, which has warm, short summers and cold winters. Tokyo is in a humid subtropical climate, which has hot, humid summers, a monsoon season and a mild winter.
Autumn – In Tokyo, it starts out very warm or even hot in September, and finishes cool in December. There’s plenty of rain and possible typhoons in early autumn. In November and December, the leaves change colour. It’s a generally pleasant season that is great for outdoor activities. In Edmonton, it starts out warm or cool in September, and finishes very cold in December, below 0 degrees Celsius. The leaves change colour in September to October, and snow can start as early as September or as late as November. I’d have to say that autumn in Tokyo is far better and very comfortable.
Winter – In Tokyo, it starts out comfortably cool in December, but quickly gets colder, with temperatures of around 7 or 8 degrees in January and February. Snow is possible, but doesn’t happen every year. Plum trees start blooming in February, with cherry trees blooming in March. By March, the temperatures start getting comfortable again. In Edmonton, it’s cold and snows the entire winter. March may see some thawing, but the snow is usually still there. Unless you like cold weather, Tokyo has the better winter, where you can stay active outside all season.
Spring – In Tokyo, the season starts out with blooming cherry blossoms and comfortable temperatures. It’s absolutely beautiful by May, and it starts getting hot then. Spring finishes in June with hot, humid weather and the beginning of rainy season. In Edmonton, spring starts out cold, but in April, the snow melts and leaves piles of sand on the side of the roads. This results in possible blowing sand. Everything starts getting green around the end of April or beginning of May, and it becomes quite beautiful. Spring ends in June with warm weather. Snow is often possible as late as May. Who wins? Tokyo is beautiful, and it’s the most amazing season I’ve seen ever. Edmonton has residual winter, and it can be quite messy. Tokyo has the better spring.
Summer – In Tokyo, summer starts out hot, humid and very rainy. It’s rainy season. That lasts into July, when it becomes hot, humid and very sunny. The rest of summer until September is hot, humid and very sunny with the occasional typhoon. This season has very stable weather with little variation from day to day, and even night time temperatures are hot. Very uncomfortable for sleeping. In Edmonton, summer starts warm, and is generally warm until early September. In September, it starts getting cool. Summer is unstable, and there can be widely varying temperatures, as well as incredible thunderstorms, which are very frequent. It can be hot, and it can also be quite cool. Who wins the summer battle? This is a difficult one. Edmonton is more comfortable, but the weather is unpredictable. I can depend on the weather being stable in Tokyo in summer, even though it is incredibly hot and humid. I’d call it a draw.
What’s your favourite season?
Jay Dee in Japan 