A little bridge over a pond reflecting fresh greenery, as a scene of seasonal transitions.

View of Nature in Japan

Little BGSS Book

Coming & Going of Japanese Seasons

Little BGSS Book is a comprehensive slideshow consisting of 12 little BGSSs. This Book captures the transitions of Japanese seasons, accompanied by classical music.

Start a combined music slideshow of seamless Japanese seasons.

Little BGSS Book,

Coming & Going of Japanese Seasons (12 BGSSs, 46:38)

Start a slideshow of Hokkaido's snowy railways with Mascagni’s Intermezzo Sinfonico from Cavalleria Rusticana.

Mid-winter (3:38)

Start a slideshow of early spring watersides with Telemann’s Sonata for Flute and Violin.

Early Spring (3:06)

Start a slideshow of translucent cherry blossoms with Bach’s Sinfonia No. 2.

Cherry Blossom Season (3:22)

Start a slideshow of vibrant spring greenery with Debussy’s La fille aux cheveux de lin.

Fresh Green Season (2:40)

Start a slideshow of May's greenery and wind with Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 18, Mov. 2.

Balmy Breeze Season (4:56)

Start a slideshow of rain-washed leaves with Chopin’s Berceuse.

Summer Rain Season (5:54)

Start a slideshow of Lake Biwa with Bach’s Partitas for Solo Violin, No. 3, 6. Gigue.

Summer Sky (3:43)

Start a slideshow of Kyoto's Satoyama set to Bizet’s L’Arlesienne, Suite No. 2, 3. Menuet.

Harvest Season (4:28)

Start a slideshow of deepening autumn colors with Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in G major, Prelude.

Autumn Foliage Season (3:11)

Start a slideshow of Cape Inubosaki's ocean view with Chopin’s Ocean.

Autumn Wind Waves (2:57)

Start a slideshow of fallen leaves with Bach’s Siciliano.

Late Autumn (2:53)

Start a slideshow of bare winter trees with Massenet‘s Méditation from Thaïs.

Winter Sky (5:47)

The Rhythms of Japanese Nature

Throughout the year, the diverse seasons of Japan provide seamless nature.

Cherry Blossom Front

In spring, the cherry blossom front (the "Sakura-zensen") makes its month-long journey from the southern Pacific side up to Hokkaido. Following in its wake, fresh and vibrant greenery rapidly blankets the landscape.

Summer Rain Front

Around early summer, the summer rain front (the "Baiu-zensen") moves northward across the country (except for Hokkaido). This gives way to a lush and green summer characterized by a hot and humid climate due to southerly monsoons from the Pacific Ocean.

Typhoons

During summer and autumn, typhoons occasionally sweep through the southern Pacific coast and the Nansei Islands.

Autumn Foliage Front

From mid-autumn to late autumn, the autumn foliage front (the “Koyo-zensen”) moves in the opposite direction of the cherry blossom front, spreading from the northern regions and high-altitude highlands.

Climatic Contrast in Winter

When winter arrives, the Pacific side has cold, dry, and sunny days. Meanwhile, the coast facing the Sea of Japan and the highlands are transformed into snow-covered landscapes. This climatic contrast is driven by powerful northwesterly monsoons from the Asian continent which interact with the mountainous backbone running through the Japanese archipelago.

Daily Weather Patterns

Under the influence of higher-altitude westerlies, daily weather patterns across Japan typically shift from west to east over the course of a day or two.

Traditional Japanese culture recognizes a rich tapestry of micro-seasons including the "Nijushi-sekki" (24 solar terms) and "Shichijuni-ko" (72 micro-seasons) of the traditional calendar. These micro-seasons are rooted in the appreciation of "Ka-cho-fu-getsu" (the beauty of flowers, birds, wind, and the moon).

Names of 12 Japanese months and 24 solar terms are shown in "Wallpapers".

These revolving seasons can be experienced in Tokyo as a fixed-point observation.

✦ Notes

This section contains 1 BGSS book and 12 BGSSs. Please select and click the photo above.

• BGSS: BackGround SlideShow

• For details on the background music, please refer to "BGM List".

日本の自然像

バックグラウンド・スライドショー小品集

日本の往く季節、来る季節

(To be updated)