People who are planning to come to Kamiyama often wonder what clothes to bring and what kind of temperatures to expect. Here is a season-by-season breakdown of a typical year of weather in Kamiyama.

Spring
At the end of February, the delicate scent of plum blossoms tells us that spring has come to Kamiyama. Each day it gets warmer and warmer, and pilgrims with their walking sticks can be seen here and there. From the spring equinox until early April the cherry blossoms are at full bloom, and the warm weather draws lots of visitors out to Kamiyama to view the flowers. April and May are a lovely time of year. Koi nobori flags swim in the breeze, rice is planted, and tea is harvested at this time of year.

Summer
From early June, the rainy season comes to Kamiyama. It doesn’t necessarily rain every day, but it is a very humid time of year. The length of the season and volume of rain vary from year to year, but there is usually about a month of rainy weather. During this time, fireflies can be seen at dusk by the various valley streams. By mid-July, the rainy season is over and summer is upon us. It is from this time onward that typhoons start edging closer. The temperature and level of humidity keep going up, until daily temperatures are at about 35 degrees Celsius, and you’ll break a sweat without doing anything at all. This weather continues until around mid-August. It is at this time of year that in Kamiyama, and all over Tokushima, that the Awa Odori dance festival is held.

Autumn
After mid-August, the temperature starts to drop, but there are still plenty of hot and sticky days until mid-September. Mid-September is also when typhoon season makes its peak. Kamiyama sees at least two or three big rainstorms every year. It’s best to stay inside during a typhoon. Also, this is the season of yellow ripening rice and the sight of local farmers working at the harvest. The pride of Kamiyama, sudachi, is also harvested at this time. By October, it’s a very comfortable time of year; not too hot and not too cold. This is when sports tournaments and autumn festivals are held. The night sky is usually clear, and it’s a good time for stargazing or enjoying the harvest moon. By November, it is starting to get a bit colder, but there are lots of sunny days and it’s a very pleasant time of year. The hills start to turn fiery red with the changing leaves.

Winter
By December, the sun goes down before 5pm, and the temperature starts to get colder. From January to early February is the coldest time of the year, and the 1000m+ mountains surrounding the Kamiyama basin are dusted with snow. The temperature sometimes drops below zero. In particularly cold years, the Jintsu Waterfall (at the headwaters of the Akui river) freezes, and the frozen falls looks like a home for ice fairies. The dry winter air makes it easy to catch a cold or flu. Once the butterbur starts to sprout, you know spring is on its way.