Tokyo Snow Day x 2

In Tokyo, it used to be that we were lucky if we had snow that stuck for one day out the year. This usually happens in February, when the poor schoolkids are taking their school entrance exams amongst delayed trains and freezing weather.

This February, we've had two large snowstorms on two consecutive weekends. What would have been a routine amount of snow for somewhere like Hokkaido became catastrophic in Tokyo -- the Yurikamome Line suffered a blackout on Rainbow Bridge, roads were closed off, and those who ventured out had an extremely difficult time getting home.

The concept of snow angels don't exist in Japan, so I could tell even before I saw the toddler's blond hair that this mother and daughter weren't Japanese.

Odaiba, snowed in.

 View from the Tokyo Midtown building in Roppongi, overlooking a public park.

Kachidoki at night.

Most of the streets were closed to traffic.

The same area the next morning.

Kachidoki Station, partially blocked for security checks.

An "igloo" and snowman in Monzen-nakacho.

Out with a Whimper

Columbia University in early February, the day Hurricane Nemo hit New York.

This was taken in the afternoon, when it looked like things were building up to a huge storm, but in the end, NYC didn't face too many difficulties.

By the time I went out the next morning, the streets had more or less been cleared in Midtown. Here, all the paraphernalia for snow-clearing has been assembled: shovels, salt, and a salt-dispensing machine.

At first I thought the icicles were simply for display.

Workers clean up the snow on the Rockefeller Center ice rink.

The trees looked so pretty, dusted with snow.

Green road salt. I thought it was so pedestrians could see the difference between snow and salt (and it looks rather pretty), but it seems it has a multitude of more important benefits. 

Central Park, Post Hurricane Nemo

Hurricane Nemo, the "storm of a century" that hit the East Coast last weekend, thankfully did nothing to New York City that couldn't be cleared up in a jiffy by the city's snow-plowing machines.

Since this was my first time visiting New York, and since I had to fly back to Tokyo the day after the storm, if anything, the snowstorm allowed me to experience something beautiful -- Central Park blanketed in snow.

You're always surrounded by people in New York City. However, the city is so spacious that it hardly causes any stress for a Tokyoite.

I only got to see a tiny section of the park, from the Museum of Natural History to the Jackie Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. If only Tokyo could allot this much space for a park. 

I'm probably not the only one who saw the words "Diana Ross" and "playground" as completely incongruous.

Kids (and adults) looked like they were having the time of their lives sledding down the little hills.

Lots of cross-country skiers.

Apparently this bridge is called Winterdale Arch. I love the look of brick, but it's rarely employed in Japan because they would crumble like the cabin in the Three Little Pigs in an earthquake.

I guess this bird doesn't migrate south for the winter.

I was surprised to see a squirrel up and about. Do they not hibernate? Perhaps this amount of cold is still tolerable.

Judging by its slimness, it hasn't been hoarding food for the winter.

All these beautiful buildings you see in the background are super-expensive co-op apartment buildings. As much as I liked looking at them, the view from their vantage point is probably much nicer.

Not too cold for flowers to not be in bloom.

What's a snow day without a snowman?

Snow Day in Tokyo

First snow day of the year! I can't remember the last time it snowed so steadily throughout the day. Tokyo generally gets around 2-3 snow days a year, and often only in concentrated snatches. 

The problem is that no-one is ever prepared for snow. We don't have a dependable snow-plowing system, the trains and subways go out of wack, and snow-shoveling is not something regular citizens are committed to doing.

Here, a man shovels the front of his house with the only thing he has that is similar in function to a snow shovel -- a cork board.

 

At one point, even the Yamanote Line had stopped. Less dependable lines such as the Musashino were goners as soon as it started snowing. After some time, though, they were running again with reduced lines.

 

A pristine snow-covered area, if only because the gates to the property were closed. 

 

Old ladies walking across the street like ducks in a row.
 

A Shiba dog, happily prancing around.
 

The thing about snow in Tokyo: you always need an umbrella, because it's closer to sleet than snow.

Today was a holiday (Coming of Age Day), which meant kids had time to enjoy the snow and make snowmen.

 

This one had a bow tie!

 These two had shovels for arms!         

As Good as the Real Thing

It's not snow, it's slush. But even that is such a rare occurrence in the Tokyo-Chiba area, even the sight of almost-snow is enough to make me happy.