See the winds. Practical dimensions of weather forecasting in a Japanese coastal community

Abstract

The article examines how folk methodologies for weather prediction influence samll-scale agricultural and fishing activities of Japanese coastal community. Specifically, the article addresses some anthropological questions on how local fishermen predict the weather by developing two diferent forecasting practices: takayama, a practical weather observation technique that combines the observation of the clouds with a traditional nautical technique for orientation at sea and, okite, a model-based weather prognostication used to forecast long-term weather trends for the following year