TOKYO - The first day of the three-day weekend on February 23rd saw Tokyo's city center experiencing its coldest day of the season with a high of just 4C. Tourist spots are beginning to see snow accumulation.
In Sapporo, snowfall reached 93 cm, prompting a heavy snow warning at one point. Cars were completely covered in snow.
A local resident commented, "It came last and came in a big way. It's overwhelming."
At the historic Otaru Canal, despite occasional snow-obscured views, many tourists were visible. While mainland ski resorts face closures due to a lack of snow, Hokkaido seems to have no such issues.
A skier said, "It's a three-day weekend, so I thought it would be nice with the fluffy snow."
Foreign tourists visiting Mount Fuji were thrilled by the snow.
A tourist from Indonesia said, "I've never seen this much snow before. Indonesia is very hot."
Ginzan Onsen in Yamagata, known for its Taisho-era romance snowscapes, is gradually becoming a snowy wonderland, attracting tourists.
A visitor from Tokyo said, "It's good that it started snowing just now."
In Kanto, snow danced in the air. Despite the rain, many people braved Tokyo's coldest day of the season at 4°C.
Omotesando was adorned with a bloom of umbrellas. Tokyo experienced "the cold of midwinter."
At Yoyogi Park, under the cold sky, a variety of "seafood delicacies" were lined up.
A tourist from the United States said, "I came to eat crab," adding, "It's very cold today."
What people crave in the cold is "hot gourmet" food.
Seafood foie gras, ample monkfish liver, pairs perfectly with local Niigata vegetables, warming the body to the core.
A visitor said, "It's incredibly delicious because of the cold. The cold makes it taste ten, a hundred times better."
Even without steam, seafood bowls remain popular. Nodoguro, tuna, and anago from Fukushima are heaped generously.
A visitor commented, "It's cold, but it's really delicious."
Steamed in a can, the winter delicacy "Noto oysters" are a local fisherman's favorite, known as "Gangan-yaki."
Kazuma Nindate, Manager of Noto Fudo, said, "The original roots are in the oyster hut's break room, where they would steam oysters on a Daruma stove."
Kazuma Nindate, a producer from Nanao, Ishikawa, faced devastation, with his business far from his mind.
He said, "The oyster farm's warehouse was completely destroyed. The workshop's pillars shifted, and the ceiling fell, making it impossible to safely carry out shipping operations."
Despite this, he was determined to "deliver Noto's oysters" and decided to open a stall.
A customer who tried the Noto oysters said, "They're rich and delicious. It's a way to indirectly support the disaster-affected area."
Source: ANN
