Whilst winter in Tokyo is relatively pleasant, with little rain and clear blue skies, there’s no getting away from the fact that it’s still cold. And despite Japan having the image of a high tech wonderland, most houses are, to put it bluntly, bloody freezing. Double glazing and central heating are sadly mere flights of fancy. Instead, people make do with oil burners and air conditioners. A sorry state of affairs it has to be said.
But one advantage of the cold and dry conditions is that Mount Fuji becomes visible from Tokyo. With its almost perfect conical shape, and snow-capped peak, it is a thing of breathtaking beauty. This wonderful picture (which I wish I’d taken) says more than my words ever could.