What is this strange smell?

I live in Chiba-ken not far from Tokyo, and since a few days there is this strange smell in the air again. Every time I open the window, I feel it. It's embarassing, but is smells as if a big, old, wet dog has just entered the room. (I certainly don't own one, to be sure, and am not particularly fond of dogs, either). I keep my house very clean, but the smell from outside makes me sick.
Does anybody know what this might be and what to do about it? I know I felt the same smell in the air last year during the rainy season. Is this related to higher air humidity or something?

This is not a Japan-wide phenomenon (I live in Tokyo and have never smelled it), so I would say the source is something in your area, probably something that smells when it is wet or humid- possibly even the building you live in.

Pretty unlikely anyone here could give you an accurate answer- if it's coming from something specific you might be able to follow your nose and see if it's something that can be removed or fixed.

It sounds like it has something to do with the rain - the only thing I can think of right off is that because of the low pressure system the sewege smells rises up into the air. What floor are you on? Depending on the topography of where you live, also the humidity from the soil *can* feel like it really fills the air. But I can't really imagine that those types of smells can be that bad as to make one feel sick..

Thanks Sira, AK.
To AK: I'm on the 1st floor (well, 2nd in Japan), and there's a konbini below my apartment. The sewage smell can often be felt indeed, but I remember I smelled it in other houses in my area, too. It can make one disgusted, at least, especially if it lasts for weeks, like during the rainy season...
Recently, my landlady was throwing some things out of the building, and it really was huge. I never saw so much trash at one site. I think it was piling up there for years and years. Maybe just the smell of old things...
My husband thinks I'm too sensitive. He can't feel the smell at all, and he thinks it's just 'one of these days' of mine, if you know what I mean...

That odor comes from some tree that blossoms or something in May. It'll last for about 3 weeks, which is why I don't really like May in Tokyo.

Francesca05,

Apparently, the best thing you can do is to ask real people around you the next time you notice the smell. Try asking several neighbors.

For example, the news tells us of two recent incidents where, due to a mistake in construction, toilet drainage had accidentally been poured directly into major rivers. The residents who were disgusted by the smell from the rivers had notified the municipal, hence this discovery. So similar things can be discovered and solved by residents talking to each other.

But the five senses including the sense of smell differs greatly depending on the person. I am the most sensitive person in my family (so I know better than to ask my husband about what we smell in the air), and quite often neighbors aren't bothered by what I can smell. Then, I will have to just deal with it. For example, what I had thought was sewage smell turned out to be the smell of the flowers in my garden.

On the other hand, I notice that a lot of convenience store waste bins smell a lot especially when they're full on hot days. So that can be one place you can aim for when trying to track down the smell.

You can also consult about your problems to your local city hall. I don't know which shi you live in, but for example, Chiba-shi also offers consulting in foreign languages. But still, it would be better if you can pinpoint in advance where the smell is coming from and what others in the area think about it.

I'm surprised none of you noticed it before but maybe you don't live in Tokyo. It really is the trees. Trust me. I've been here for awhile.

I think what you are talking about is ƒXƒ_ƒWƒC (Sudajii/Castanopsis sieboldii).
I hate the smell, too.

Maybe you can check the page below, it has photos.
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B9%E3%83%80%E3%82%B...

A flower of chestnut tree and a nut of ginkgo tree smell unpleasantly. However, a chestnut blooms on Summer and a ginkgo tree fructifies on autumn. It's not season now.

The smell may be caused by industrial operation. Usually we consult city authorities about public nuisance.

Are there any pear trees around? I know that here in Georgia in the spring, the pear tree blossoms smell especially bad.

...that Natsuki-san's and my post don't contradict with each other.

Natsuki, I have lived in Tokyo for 11 years and I don't notice any unpleasant smell from the trees- are they all over Tokyo? There are no problems with smelly trees in the area I live in in any case.

Maybe the smell comes from the industrial institutions.For example, in my hoemtown the smell comes from the industrial institutions. It is so bad that i cannot open the window to air the room, it is very bad when the weather is very hot.Even in the morning when the air should be fresh, but it is otherwise. from Azerbaijan.

Thank you all so far. I'll check this thing out with my neighbours. You gave me some ideas where to start looking.

The Sudaji tree that "guest" pointed out looks like the culprit. Seems there are a lot of those at parks such as Saigoyama Koen in Daikanyama.
I've frequently encountered them in other areas with lots of trees in the city.

I was walking towards the Imperial Palace from Tokyo Station and I do remember a really strong and disgusting smell of sewage that did make me feel slightly nauseous. Not sure if it is similar to what you are smelling though.

It is in fact the Sudajii tree.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castanopsis
That's the wiki link for the English page on wikipedia. Once the tree buds it's leaves they emit a distinct almost "heavy" odor that is very unpleasant and definitely reminiscent of wet dog or sewage. The variety (out of over 100) of tree that produces the unpleasant odor is one that's used particularly for decoration, which would explain why they are so prevalent in parks and on the American military installations.

The smell will persist until around mid June (when hopefully most of the leaves have sprouted from their buds) and then it should deteriorate leaving the tree for everyone to enjoy.

It does seem unpleasant but I'm assuming that whoever planted the seedlings didn't realize that the tree emitted such an odor when they were picking it for decorations.

I moved further out to west Tokyo last year and from the beginning of spring I started noticing an odd smell in various places- exactly the same smell, even in places several kilometres apart. It certainly does seem to be that particular tree causing it.

I hadn't noticed it before probably because I lived closer to central Tokyo near to a station area with not many trees. Now I live in a much greener area it's very obvious.