天気予報
てんきよほう
tenkiyohou
= weather forecast; weather report
Tenkiyohou (天気予報) means weather forecast — a compound word built from tenki (天気, weather) and yohou (予報, advance report/forecast). In Japan, where typhoons, heavy snow, and seasonal humidity make weather genuinely consequential, the tenkiyohou is a daily essential.
Tenkiyohou (天気予報) is the standard Japanese term for a weather forecast or weather report. It appears on television news broadcasts (terebi no tenkiyohou), smartphone weather apps (tenki apuri), and radio morning programs. Key related vocabulary: tenkiyohou wo miru (天気予報を見る, to check the weather forecast), tenkiyohou ga hazureru (天気予報が外れる, the forecast is wrong), gogo kara ame no yohou (午後から雨の予報, forecast calling for rain from the afternoon). The noun yohoushi (予報士, forecaster) and the specific title kishoyohoushi (気象予報士, certified meteorologist) are used for weather professionals. The broader word for weather data and meteorology is kishougaku (気象学, meteorology) and kishouchou (気象庁, Japan Meteorological Agency).
The Japan Meteorological Agency (Kishouchou, 気象庁) issues official tenkiyohou and is one of the world’s most advanced meteorological agencies, particularly for typhoon tracking and earthquake early warning. Japan’s geography — a long archipelago exposed to both Pacific and Sea of Japan weather systems, with mountainous interiors — makes weather forecasting complex and important. The free government weather app (Tenki.jp or similar) is widely used. Note: the tenkiyohou in Japan often includes a kasa shisu (傘指数, umbrella index) — a probability index for whether you’ll need an umbrella that day.
天気予報 uses four characters: 天 (ten — sky, heaven), 気 (ki — air, energy, feeling), 予 (yo — beforehand, in advance), 報 (hou — report, inform). Together: ‘an advance report on sky and air conditions’ — a compound that makes its own meaning transparent. The 予 character (advance/beforehand) appears in many compound words involving prediction: yotei (予定, schedule/plan), yobi (予備, reserve/preparation), yosou (予想, prediction).
Everyday use
天気予報によると、明日は一日中雨らしい。
Tenkiyohou ni yoru to, ashita wa ichinichijuu ame rashii.
According to the weather forecast, it looks like it’ll rain all day tomorrow.
Casual / Social Media
天気予報外れた！晴れるって言ってたのに土砂降りじゃん！
Tenkiyohou hazureta! Hareru tte itteta noni doshaburi jan!
The weather forecast was totally wrong! They said it would be sunny but it’s pouring!
Formal / Cultural context
気象庁の天気予報は、台風シーズンに特に重要な情報源となる。
Kishouchou no tenkiyohou wa, taifuu shiizun ni toku ni juuyou na jouhougen to naru.
The Japan Meteorological Agency’s weather forecasts become a particularly critical information source during typhoon season.
Japan’s weather is dramatically varied by season and region, making tenkiyohou a daily life necessity rather than a casual interest. The country experiences four distinct seasons, but more significantly, it is subject to the rainy season (tsuyu, 梅雨 — typically June to July), typhoon season (August to October), and heavy snowfall on the Sea of Japan coast. Typhoons (taifuu) can bring catastrophic flooding and landslides, and the Japan Meteorological Agency’s real-time tenkiyohou updates during typhoon approach are treated as emergency information. Schools, transport networks, and businesses make operational decisions based on them.
Television weather forecasts (terebi no tenkiyohou) are a significant cultural institution in Japan. The NHK evening news weather segment, in particular, features certified meteorologists (kishoyohoushi) explaining regional forecasts with detailed maps. The on-screen forecaster — often a recognizable face with a following — uses a laser pointer or touch screen to walk through fronts, precipitation zones, and temperature charts. Regional forecasts include the famous sakura kaika yosou (桜開花予想, cherry blossom bloom prediction), a tenkiyohou subcategory that generates as much national interest as any storm system.