Snow In Japan

Above, workers measuring the snow on the train tracks in Chiba Prefecture in February 2014. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This has a familiar ring to it.

Japan Today reported that a snowstorm caused problems throughout eastern and northeastern Japan (including Tokyo) today.

They wrote:

TOKYO —Heavy snow hit many areas of eastern and northeastern Japan on Monday, including downtown Tokyo and other locations usually unaccustomed to snowfall, resulting in injuries to hundreds of people and disruptions to transport systems. 

The weather, caused by an atmospheric low pressure system that moved along Japan’s Pacific coast, led to around 250 injuries chiefly due to falls on slippery roads and other accidents, according to a Kyodo News tally. In Tokyo alone, which saw up to 6 centimeters of snow, more than 40 people were taken to hospitals with injuries.

Regular readers of this blog know that in February 2014, I arrived in Japan at the same time that the first of two heavy snowstorms hit the country. I got stuck in the Keisei Line train midway between Narita International Airport and Tokyo in Chiba Prefecture. I didn't reach my hotel until 22 hours after landing.

To read more, go here.