Coldest Day of Season Hits Japan; Severe Wintry Weather Expected to Last Several Days

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:00 JST, January 21, 2026

People bundled up walk in the snow in Sapporo on Wednesday morning. Severe winter weather is gripping the Sea of Japan side of northern Japan, especially along the mountains. The Japan Meteorological Agency is calling for people to be vigilant as heavy snow is expected even in non-mountainous areas. The agency said the cold front will intensify on Thursday, with the cold weather expected to continue until around Sunday.