"For the first time in 130 years, Tokyo has gone without snow. In what has been a very mild winter, retailers have been disappointed with the lull in sales for winter related goods."
This winter was a big disappointment for me as well because of the unusually warm temperatures. Many days in January were in the 50s and the month closed at 59 (15C) degrees. In mid-February, we got all the way up to 64 (18C).
We never even hit freezing at all this winter, and now spring is already here, or so it seems. Ume, or Japanese apricot, bloomed the first week of February, and the sakura, or cherry, blossoms will soon follow. My heavy winter coat never made it out of storage, and most of my sweaters and wool scarves have remained folded in a drawer. The previous two winters in Tokyo were bitter cold with ferocious wind.
While I'm not crazy about the cold, I'd prefer it any day over the hideous, sweltering heat that permeates this country for six months. I dread its return. Maybe it's my Irish genes, but I think cooler weather is much healthier.
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It's funny, I felt like it was pretty durn cold this winter (I sure felt it), but if those numbers are right, it has been quite toasty for the time of year.
To say that Tokyo never gets snow though, is pretty accurate. It might get a dusting, but what I would call snow -- accumulating inches having a serious impact on motor vehicle transport -- never comes here anyway, just too much concrete for that. Sure, it might snow in that tiny northwestern bit of Tokyo-to that is up in the mountains (it is a mishapen prefecture, it is), but that is far beyond the actual limits of the 23-ward city proper.
After last winter though, I think Japan was owed an easy season.
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