Karakkaze (空ã£風ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂã£ãÂÂãÂÂ) refers to a kind of strong, dry wind that occurs in the Kantà  region of Japan.
Karakkaze is formed when wind gusts cross atop the mountains in the JÃ Âetsu region and experience a drop in both temperature and atmospheric pressure. Water vapor in the air falls as rain or snow on the mountain, so the wind that then crosses over the mountain becomes dry.
Gunma Prefecture is famous for its karakkaze in winter. Other names include Jà Âmà  Karakkaze (Jà Âmà  is an old name for Gunma) and Akagi Oroshi (karakkaze that blows down from Mt. Akagi). In Jomo Karuta, karakkaze is featured on the 'ra' card.
Besides Gunma, Nasunohara in Tochigi Prefecture and Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture both are famous for karakkaze; there it is called Nasu and Enshu Karakkaze respectively.
A phenomenon known as foehn wind suppresses cooling, which creates less snowfall in the surrounding area. This also creates a strong wind chill due to the strength of the winds.
Minor inconveniences caused by karakkaze include:
However, it is strong enough to cause more serious damage. Wind speeds can reach up to 20 kilometers per hour, causing damage to old houses.
During the 1970s, residents in à Âta, Gunma complained that karakkaze was blowing up dust from the potato fields and spreading it throughout the city. They claimed the wind blew dust into their houses and prevented them from drying their laundry.
In February, 2021 a wildfire broke out in Ashikaga, Tochigi. The fire burned for nine consecutive days. In combination with an accumulation of dried leaves and debris, karakkaze made it difficult for helicopters to fly properly, delaying the fire department from being able to stop the blaze sooner.
Farmers utilize the strong winds to dry various kinds of produce, such as konnyaku, cabbage, and cucumbers.
Gunma Prefectural Studio Tsulunos did a presentation called LetâÂÂs Get Together Gunma Wind!! and addressed ways to harness the power of karakkaze for wind power generation.