1 year

There are four seasons in each year, and there are many different beautiful views and fun events to enjoy in each season.
However, in the near future, we may lose that annual cycle due to global warming.
Let's take a look at the future, when global warming has progressed.

Destabilization of snowfall

Lovely powder snow
The peak of the winter sports season

Destabilization of snowfall

A shorter winter sports season

Japan has areas with some of the heaviest snowfall in the world. Many people visit from abroad seeking Japan's high quality snow.
However, in recent years, the number ski resorts and users has decreased year by year. One likely cause of this is lack of snow due to global warming. Many ski resorts have been forced to shorten their open season due to lack of snow.

Destabilization of snowfall

Snow will disappear from ski resorts?!

More pollen scattering

Foothill forests with beautiful cedar and cypress trees!

More pollen scattering

Climate change increases the amount of pollen

It is said that climate change is increasing the amount of pollen, which causes discomforting hay fever.
Japanese researchers have found that pollen dispersal increases in the year after an especially hot summer.
Some researchers have warned that "Climate change will significantly increase pollen production, so the amount doubles by 2040."
Will more and more people suffer from hay fever as global warming continue?

More pollen scattering

Will hay fever get even worse?

Delayed blooming of cherry blossoms

What will happen to cherry blossoms on the Meguro River,
that announce the arrival of spring?

Delayed blooming of cherry blossoms

Global warming will delay the blooming date

There are many places where you can enjoy cherry blossoms in Shinagawa City, such as the cherry tree lined streets along the Meguro River.
Cherry trees go dormant in winter, but when they are exposed to a certain low temperature, their dormancy ends. As the temperature rises in the spring, flower buds grown and finally bloom. That is to say, the low temperatures of winter are actually necessary in order for cherry blossoms to bloom.
However, some predictions say that cherry blossoms will be delayed or be unable to bloom at all if winter temperatures rise due to global warming.
Will there come a day when we can no longer see cherry blossoms in spring?

Delayed blooming of cherry blossoms

Will cherry trees not bloom any more?

Extinction of polar bears

Polar bears, the largest land carnivores on Earth

Extinction of polar bears

Polar bears will have nothing to eat and nowhere to live?!

Summer sea ice shrinkage is accelerating

Sea ice is a habitat where polar bears hunt and raise their cubs.
In recent years, rising temperatures has caused the area of sea ice on the Arctic Ocean to decrease sharply from spring to summer, and sea ice overall has become thinner. As global arming progresses, it is probable that sea ice will shrink and become thinner.
Impacts on the ecosystem have already begun to appear, as the numbers of polar bears and seals have decreased.

Higher risk of water shortages

Water sources of Tokyo, filled with water

Higher risk of water shortages

Decreased snowfall increases the risk of water shortages

In recent years, instances of torrential rain have increased, but the number of days that snow or rain fall has actually decreased. As a result, there are droughts almost every year, and water intake restrictions have been imposed in order to reduce the amount of water sent from rivers to waterworks.
Water intake restrictions limit the amount of agricultural water available to crops, and household water for baths and toilets. Will there come a time when schools can't even use their swimming pools?

Higher risk of water shortages

Pools will be unusable for lack of water?!

Disruption of the rainy season

Drizzling rain and beautiful hydrangea

Disruption of the rainy season

Will the rainy season bring dangerous torrential rains?

Floods will strike almost ever year

Rain fall patterns have changed. Over 100 years of observations have shown that while annual precipitation has not changed significantly, there are a growing number of days with torrential rainfall of more than 100 mm.
Along with this change have come an increasing number of sediment and flooding related disasters. Almost every year there is more life-threatening damage caused by landslides, debris flows, and river floods.

More infectious diseases

Summer vacation! Grab a bug catching net and head to Rinshi-no-Mori Park!

More infectious diseases

Risk of infectious disease outbreaks growing due to global warming

Asian tiger mosquitoes carry the dengue virus, which is the cause of the infectious disease known as dengue fever, a common affliction in the tropics and subtropics. Victims of dengue fever develop a high fever, headache, joint pain, and rashes.
Asian tiger mosquitoes inhabit areas where the average annual temperature is 11˚ C or higher, almost the same as dengue virus. the northern limit of this area in Japan is moving from the Kanto region towards the northern Tohoku region, spreading the risk of infection.
Will a day come when we must wear long sleeves and long pants even in the middle of summer?

More infectious diseases

It's dangerous to play with short sleeve shirts and pants?!

Higher risk of heat stroke

A festival in Shinagawa City that brings excitement to summer!

Higher risk of heat stroke

Heat waves are life-threatening events

According to observations recorded for nearly 100 years, it is clear that the number of very hot days with a daily high temperature of 35˚ C or higher has tended to increase in recent years. The same goes for hot nights, when the daily low temperature does not fall below 25˚ C.
Because of this, more people are suffering heat strokes, and a growing number of deaths.
Will the day come when we can no longer hold festivals such as Oi Dontaku and Togoshi Ginza Matsuri?

Higher risk of heat stroke

There will be more deaths due to heat stroke!

Intensification of disasters

Cumulonimbus clouds in the summer sky!

Intensification of disasters

Global warming is causing typhoons to intensify

Typhoons formed in southern seas use water vapor from the surface of the sea as their energy source to grow as they move north. As seawater temperature rises due to global warming, the amount of water vapor increases, so it is expected that typhoons will become even stronger in the future.
Recently, there have been typhoons that make landfall directly in the Tohoku region. This had not been recorded since 1951, when the Japan Meteorological Agency started keeping statistics on typhoons. It is said that global warming greatly influences this change in the course of typhoons.

Intensification of disasters

Super typhoons will frequently strike Japan!

Poor harvest / Poor catch

Harvest and appetite in autumn

Poor harvest / Poor catch

Crop quality damaged by heat waves

If rice is exposed to high temperatures in the period when each cell is filled with starch is accumulated in each cell*, the cells will grow and mature before they fill with starch. This results in rice grains becoming cloudy, white, and immature, or else forming cracks.
The impact is not limited to rice. As global warming progresses, it is predicted that there will be quality deterioration and yield changes in many crops, and decreased catches of marine products.
*Starch: Polysaccharides which are produced by photosynthesis in plants, then broken down in the body to provide energy. They also give rice its sweetness and sticky texture.

Poor harvest / Poor catch

We won't be able to eat delicious rice any more?!

Delayed autumn leaves

What will happen to the colorful
autumn leaves in Ikedayama Park?

Delayed autumn leaves

Morning and evening chills bring beauty

Red and yellow autumn leaves are appearing on deciduous trees later every year.
For example, Japanese maple trees in Tokyo. In 1960, the peak of autumn colors was in the middle of November, but now it is delayed until December.
The start of autumn leaves really depends on morning and evening chills and it is thought that global warming has delayed the arrival of autumn leaves. It has been reported that in Hokkaido, leaves are falling from tree without even turning red.
Will beautiful autumn leaves soon disappear from Ikedayama Park and the rest of Shinagawa City?

Delayed autumn leaves

Deciduous tree leaves falling with little coloration?!

Changes in migratory birds

Migratory birds that travel thousands of kilometers

Changes in migratory birds

The length of stay of winter birds has gotten shorter

Winter birds migrate from Siberia to Japan to pass the winter.
In recent years, these birds tend to fly to Japan later in the year, and return to Siberia earlier the following year. For example, in the past 23 years the stay period of thrushes has decreased by more than 40 days. There have also been reports that white-fronted geese from Izunuma in Miyagi Prefecture stay for a shorter time too. It is thought that the reason for this is winter growing shorter due to global warming.

Changes in migratory birds

We won't be able to see ducks or swans any more?!

Can you imagine a year in Japan without four seasons?