Hundreds of schools close as record-breaking 124 cm of snow hits northern Japan

Published on Feb. 4, 2025, 9:25 PM

Northern Japan received record snowfall on February 4. The city of Obihiro observed 124 centimetres of snowfall in 24 hours by 11 a.m.

By 11 a.m. Tuesday, a record-breaking 124 cm of snow hit the city of Obihiro in Hokkaido, forcing the closure of about 370 schools.

It’s the largest 24-hour snowfall accumulation amount the city has seen since record-keeping began.

The snow also caused other minor disruptions, including delivery and transportation delays.

And it isn’t over yet: A low-pressure system is expected to bring additional snow to northern Japan for the rest of the week.

Mother Nature could be helping the region out: The snow comes just in time for Hokkaido’s popular Sapporo Snow Festiva which began Tuesday and will run until February 11.

Header image credit: Naoki Haranaka / The Yomiuri Shimbun via Reuters Connect. Hokkaido, Japan on February 4, 2025.