Japan’s North Hit with Heavy Snow; Multiple Areas Record Season’s Lowest Temp

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:42 JST, January 23, 2026

Heavy snow fell over a wide area along the Sea of Japan side, mainly in the Hokuriku region, from Thursday night through Friday morning due to a strong cold front.

The strong winter pressure pattern is expected to continue until around Sunday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

According to the agency, in the 24 hours to 9 a.m. Friday, snowfall hit 53 centimeters in Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture, 51 centimeters in Kami, Hyogo Prefecture and 50 centimeters in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture.

According to the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry and the Fukui prefectural police, two trucks blocked a national highway after colliding in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, on Thursday night. Between 400 and 500 vehicles behind the collision were temporarily stranded.

Friday morning saw a severe chill in many areas, with Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture, recording minus 8.1 C and central Tokyo seeing minus 2 C, with multiple areas recording the lowest temperatures of the season.