"I'll Never Come to Sapporo Again"... 7,000 Stranded by Record Snowfall in Hokkaido

Record Snowfall Paralyzes Transportation Networks, Leaving Thousands Stranded
Flight and Train Suspensions Cause Widespread Inconvenience for Travelers

Record-breaking heavy snowfall in Hokkaido, Japan, has effectively paralyzed transportation networks around New Chitose Airport and the Sapporo area. With train and airport bus services suspended one after another, around 7,000 people have been stranded at the airport, causing ongoing inconvenience for travelers.

Heavy snowfall in Sapporo City, Hokkaido. Photo by Kyodo News

On January 26, domestic online travel communities and social networking services (SNS) were flooded with posts expressing frustration, such as "All routes are cut off, there's no way to leave the airport," "I've been waiting for a taxi for more than five hours," and "It's impossible to get a taxi or Uber." These posts rapidly spread as more people shared their difficulties.

Train passengers also reported the chaos, saying, "I boarded a JR train, but it hasn't departed for over 40 minutes," and "There's talk that services may not resume tomorrow either," describing the transportation turmoil and sharing updates on the local situation.

According to NHK and other Japanese media, the disruption began on January 25 due to strong snow clouds lingering over Hokkaido, which brought continuous heavy snowfall. As a result, the JR 'Rapid Airport' trains and airport buses connecting New Chitose Airport and Sapporo were largely suspended.

Due to the heavy snow, 140 JR rapid trains were canceled in a single day on January 25, and local media reported that about 7,000 people spent the night at New Chitose Airport. Long lines formed at taxi stands, but with few vehicles operating, it was extremely difficult for people to get around.

The chaos on the ground was severe. A man in his 40s visiting from Osaka told Japanese media, "I was planning to travel to Hakodate, but all the trains were suspended," adding, "I waited for eight or nine hours, but there was no clear guidance, so I felt helpless."

This snowfall set records for both snow depth and accumulation. According to the Japan Weather Association, as of noon on January 25, Sapporo's snow depth reached 101 cm, surpassing 1 meter for the first time in four seasons since 2021-2022. Notably, by 11 a.m., the 12-hour snowfall totaled 38 cm, marking the highest January figure since statistics began in 2000.

JR Hokkaido is conducting snow removal operations, but announced that normal service on some lines would remain difficult to resume even by the afternoon of January 26. Imai Kie, a forecaster with the Japan Weather Association, warned, "Snowfall is expected to subside only after midday on January 26," and cautioned that there is a high risk of isolation incidents during snow removal and traffic accidents due to poor visibility.