According to the Japan Weather Association, which offers weather-related information, pollen levels are predicted to be twice the amount of an average year in the greater Tokyo area.

The Environment Ministry also said that cedar pollen levels this season are expected to be the highest in 10 years.

The amount of pollen dispersed in the spring depends on what the weather was like the previous summer. Summers with higher temperatures, longer hours of sunlight and little rain — conditions present last year — create a conducive environment leading to more pollen in the following spring.

The peak of the hay fever season depends on the area and the type of pollen — cedar or cypress.