Numerous wind names have been known in Japan from old, par-ticularly among fishermen. Some of them were investigated, with the following results;
(1) Of names for the S and N winds which are the two prevailing ones in Japan, there are quite a few, used almost everywhere along the sea, but not so in the case of the E and W winds.
(2) “Anazi (Anaze)”, “Narai”, “Tamakaze” mean the NW winter monsoon. Their distributions are shown in Fig. 1, 2, 3. Generally speaking, they are disliked for their windiness.
(3) “Maxi (Maze)”, “Hae (Hai)”, “Minami”, “Kudari” are names for the SE monsoon in summer. Their distributions are shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8. Generally they are favourable winds.
(4) From these distributions, Japan can be divided into three divi-sions.
(a) Setouti Division…… “Anazi”, “Mazi”, “Hae”.
(b) Pacific Division…… “Narai”, “Minanii”
(c) Japan Sea Division “Tamakaze”, “Kudari”
(5) These divisions greatly resemble the three varieties of fish-hook, namely,
(a) is the region of the round type of fish-hook,
(b) of the angular type, and
(c) of the longish type.
(6) “Ai” distributed along the Japan Sea, stands for the NE breeze in summer. It has been the wind for mariners in the Japan Sea from ancient times, especially in the Edo Age.
(7) “Hikata”, which has the same distribution as the “Ai”, is the land breeze from the Tyugoku Range in the summer evenings.
(8) The above two names have the longest histories. They are mentioned in the records of in the Nary dynasty. about thirteen cen-turies ago. Their distributions (Figs. 4, 9) are very characteristic, that is, they are known only along the Japan Sea coast.
(9) “koti”, E wind, having the widest distribution, is the most popular wind name. It is generally regarded as spring wind (=cukoo wind), but fishermen dread it, because it often brings rain or storm. (Fig. 10)
(10) Changes of meaning of a word, in cultural boundary region, have very typical expressions in these wind names: their original meanings are forgotten, their blowing seasons, direction and proper-ties are modified very often in boundary regions such as Tohoku and Kyusyu districts.

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