Kogarashi: The Wind That Announces Winter

It feels like we have only just come into Autumn proper and already there are strong signs that winter is on the way. One sure way you know, is when the weather and news outlets announce "kogarashi No.1", which was declared yesterday in both Kanto and Kinki. 

Often translated as the "first winter wind", the word paints a much richer picture than a simple weather forecast. Literally meaning something close to "the wind that withers trees", kogarashi refers to the cold, strong winds that arrive as autumn gives way to winter, stripping leaves from branches and leaving landscapes looking increasingly bare.

The arrival of kogarashi has long been regarded as a seasonal milestone in Japan. It appears in poetry, literature, and everyday conversation, evoking images of swirling fallen leaves, clear blue skies, and the first real chill of the year.

In order for the meteorologists to announce the first Kogarashi specific criteria must be made. The wind in question must occur between mid-October and the end of November during a winter pressure pattern known as "seiko totei", which literally means "high pressure in the west, low pressure in the east". In addition, there is a maximum wind speed of approximately 8 meters per second or greater.

But more than just a gust of cold air, kogarashi marks the moment when people begin reaching for warmer coats, hot drinks become more appealing, and the approach of winter suddenly feels very real.