Record Snowfall Disrupts Train, Air Travel in Western Japan

A powerful storm rammed western Japan with record snowfall, disrupting flights, train travel and leaving hundreds without power.

Snowfall surpassed 70 centimeters (28 inches) in the cities of Hikone and Maizuru, in the prefectures of Shiga and Kyoto, respectively, data from the Japan Meteorological Agency showed. Obama city in Fukui, Japan’s coastal region, received record snowfall for this time of the year.

About 330 households were without power in a region covered by Kansai Electric Power Co. as of 2:33 p.m. local time on Tuesday. Earlier this week, freezing temperatures pushed up wholesale power prices to the highest in five weeks as snowfall boosted heating demand. Rates have eased since then.

The heavy snow also caused delays in high-speed rail services between Tokyo and Osaka on Monday, and cancellations of domestic flights, according to local media reports.