THE HOTTEST EVER (16 Aug 2007)

THE HOTTEST EVER (16 Aug 2007)
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

Thursday 16 August 2007 was the hottest day in history (as far as it's recorded) for Japan. In Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture, and Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture, the temperature rose to 40.9 degrees celcius, which is the highest record.

This morning (17 August 2007), it's not too bad, the sky is covered with cloud and there is no direct sunshine, which means less heat, but my thermometer tells it's already 30 degrees at 6 o'clock in the morning. It will be around 34 degrees in Tokyo today. This is "very hot", but seems okay after yesterday... it was officially 36.5 degrees.

An AP news story:
Japan Swelters in Record Heat Wave
Thursday August 16, 2007 1:16 PM
www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6854061,00.html

You can view the weather and temperature database below:
www.weather-eye.com/weatherchart/src/0708_47662.htm
* It's in Japanese, but there should be no problem as it's basically in numbers and pictogram. Numbers in red are the maximum temperartures, and numbers in blue the minimum. You see what is the problem with the Japanese summer: it's very hot even at night (because of the humidity).

One month since the earthquake

One month since the earthquake
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

It's been one month since the earthquake in Niigata, which damaged the big nuclear power plant. This ex-house is left as it were.

Still now, 600 people are displaced -- they are now living in temporary prefab compounds -- after their houses were destroyed or damaged. On the day it was sweltering in Niigata (32.2 degrees celcius) as well as many parts of Japan. They now have water and electricity, but they still don't have utility gas.

On the same day, there was a huge earthquake in Peru -- on the other side of the earth. I've seen many horrifying pictures on TV. I feel for all the people who are affected. Stay safe.

Heatwave forecast for 16th August

heatwave forecast for 16th August
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

This morning I woke up at 04.30 because of the heat. I looked at the thermometer to find that it was already over 32C, and I almost fainted. I switched my air-con on, and turned the TV on to see what it would be like... 36C in Tokyo. That means, at least 38C in my area (it's a built-up area and we have a lot of reflections from the neighbouring buildings - so many apartment blocks).

[UPDATE]
It's been like this since Monday this week. They say this is going to last until the weekend. We in Tokyo have two more days (Friday and Saturday). I believe this is partly because of the high-rise office blocks in the city centre: those buildings, built circa the year 2000 when the Tokyo metropolitan government wanted "change 改革" to happen, blocks winds to and from the sea. Crazy stuff. And Japan boasts of the Kyoto Protocol.

15th August 2007: 40.2 degrees

15th August 2007: 40.2 degrees
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

On 15th August, the air temperature reached historically high in various parts of Japan. Among them is Tatebayashi (館林), Gunma (群馬): it was 40.2 degrees celcius. In Tokyo, it was officially 35.4 degrees but it felt hotter under the buring sun. You just can't stay in the sun for any more than a few minutes. Three people died because of the heat.

It's not only the temperature but also the humidity that makes summer here almost unbearable. So please be advised if you are planning to visit Japan - avoid August. Even in September it could be really hot and humid (because of the typhoons).

wall

wall
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

shadows

shadows
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

blue panel

blue panel
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

sky (saturated)

sky (saturated)
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

... hence the (digital) noise.

soft clouds

sky
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

Summer sky

sky
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

sky

sky
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

sky

sky
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

Cicada

Cicada
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

Looks like a b/w photo, indeed. (It is not.)

Shell on a leaf

Shell on a leaf
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

View large.

空蝉

空蝉
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

If you are interested in Japanese classic literature, you might have heard about the third chapter of the Tale of Genji, "空蝉 Utsusemi ("Cicada Shell")". That's this.

9th August 2007.
Tokyo, Japan.

サルスベリ

サルスベリ
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

The Wikipedia tells its Latin name is "Lagerstroemia indica".
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagerstroemia
ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%e3%82%b5%e3%83%ab%e3%82%b9%e3%83%9...

But for me it's サルスベリ. サル means "monkeys", and スベリ means "slip". The etymology: the tree is so smooth that even monkeys would slip when climbing on it.

9th August 2007.
Tokyo, Japan.

真夏のもみじ

真夏のもみじ
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

In Japan, maple leaves are strongly associated with autumn, but they exist in summer. No wonder.

9th August 2007.
Tokyo, Japan.

see also:
flickr.com/photos/nofrills/559371813/

朝顔

朝顔
Originally uploaded by nofrills.

Morning glory in the midday heat. On the roof of a small office building.

That is, someone at the office planted this. And this makes me smile.

9th August 2007.
Tokyo, Japan.