I don’t know about you, but here in Kyoto we are having an extremely warm and dry winter so far. Temperatures are like in the middle of December, especially when it is sunny, and even when I am going home on my bicycle in the evenings, my extra thick gloves feel almost a bit too thick. And although I am getting cold easily, I am not using my space heater that often this year; yesterday I didn’t need it at all.
I am even wondering if I should already unconsolidate my home, that is, move my futon back to my proper bedroom instead of sleeping in the living room where it is warmer. But then again, winter is not over yet, and who knows when the winds from Siberia will turn and blow towards Japan.
This year, there is no snow at all in or around Kyoto, only a single time have I seen snowy caps on the mountains north of Kyoto. Note that I’m not complaining about the weather – it does save me a significant amount of money for heating – but it must slowly be obvious even to the biggest deniers that global warming is real and that we need to do something about it. And yes, I am using “global warming” because I find “climate change” misleading and not strong enough to describe the problem at hand. There.
Anyway, I am looking forward to setsubun next Monday. There are fun events at almost all shrines and temples, and I want to go to a new place this year. Setsubun in February is usually around the coldest time of the year, so I am looking forward to not freezing to death while I’m waiting for my lucky beans this year.