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The winter season in the Yokosuka City and Miura Peninsula areas tends to be mild, compared to other parts of Japan.  There is rarely any snowfall and temperatures generally stay well above freezing.  Of note, so far, the winter of 2025~2026 has been more temperate than usual, which the Japanese call “danto” (暖冬).  However, the winters here are dry, with low humidity, which is a perfect condition for fires to occur.  Improper or careless use of space heaters (electric or kerosene) becomes the cause of house fires.  Another challenge of living in a Japanese dwelling is that the winter air can dry out your skin or aggravate a cold, and therefore home appliances to increase room humidity levels are convenient to use.  These electric moisture producing machines are called “kashitsu-ki” (加湿器) and are available in various sizes and designs.  There is also a problem of winter living which starts In February and lasts through May — hay fever season.  Hay fever, called “kafun-sho” (花粉症) in Japanese, is caused by pollen which is blown into the air from the forests in the hilly and mountainous areas.  The main sources of pollen are the large numbers of cedar (sugi, 杉) and cypress (hinoki, 檜) trees.  In order to deal with hay fever, Japanese people will wear masks and glasses, avoid hanging laundry outside, wash hands/face/hair after returning home, and take medications, etc.  We hope your mild winter in Yokosuka will be comfortable and enjoyable.Written by Good field