Much of Southern and Eastern Japan receives scant amounts of snow during the winter — if any. For example Okinawa doesn't receive snow at all.
Japan is known to have relatively different climates depending on the region (the cities close to the North Pacific Ocean see different weather patterns than those located inland), so while the country does experience snowfall during the winter season, the amount a particular region receives does differ.
When is the snow season in Japan? Japan's snow season typically begins in mid- to-late December, just before Christmas, and continues through late March or early April. This will vary from resort to resort based on the actual snow conditions. The season peaks from mid-January to late February.
Hokkaido is Japan's northernmost prefecture, and its lively capital city is Sapporo. Pretty much anywhere you go in Hokkaido in winter is bound to be covered in glistening white snow, but not everywhere has the impressive Sapporo Snow Festival.
In the typical year, Tokyo gets only one or two days of light snowfall, and the snow rarely remains on the ground for more than a few days, if it collects at all. Yet the city is located reasonably close to several of Japan's popular snow destinations, many of which are easy enough to access in a daytrip.
Though dates may vary, the snowy season tends to fall between mid-December to mid-March in northern Kyoto, and mid-January to February in Kyoto City. The following attractions span all across Kyoto Prefecture, from Kyoto City to areas along the Sea of Japan.
It snows in several Australian states: New South Wales (NSW), Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria. For alpine ski enthusiasts, NSW is home to the magnificent Snowy Mountains. Boasting the highest mountain range in Australia, The Snowy Mountains receives an average of 1.9 metres of snowfall per year.
The snowiest city in the world, with an average of 26 feet — or eight meters — of snowfall every year, is Aomori City in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. For comparison, the average snowfall in Sapporo, Japan, — which comes in at number two on the list of snowiest cities — is 16 feet, or almost 5 meters.
While the southern regions of Japan receive significantly less snowfall than in the north, various towns still receive enough to offer snow activities such as skiing and snowboarding.
Surprisingly, Japan is the snowiest country in the world. According to the US-based AccuWeather survey, Japanese cities are among the top 3 in the world for annual snowfall in cities with over 100,000 people. Japan also has the heaviest recorded snow cover on earth, even in uninhabited areas.
Yes. It snows in Seoul during winter, but it is unpredictable. There is usually a few weeks of snow in Seoul during January or February, which are the months with the highest snowfall in Korea.
Japan experiences huge amounts of snowfall during the winter. The top three snowiest cities globally with populations of over 100,000 are in Japan: Aomori, Sapporo and Toyama. Well-populated areas experiencing such heavy snowfall is a rare phenomenon worldwide. Japan's snow quality is also top notch.
However, in Sapporo, snow falls typically around mid to late November. Then from late January to February, the heaviest snowfall falls throughout Hokkaido. In downtown Sapporo, you can find snowfall heavier than in some mountainous regions, making it one of the snowiest cities in Japan!
Well, you can build plenty of them in Aomori City in Japan, which is the snowiest city in the world. Aomori City receives a whopping 26 feet of snowfall on an average every year.
Fukuoka Climate and Weather
During summer (June to August), temperatures can reach around 99F (37C), while winters (December to February) are relatively mild, with temperatures rarely dropping below 32F (0C). The city does, however, occasionally experience snowfall in the winter.
Could such a thing actually happen? Well, yes and no. The last time in recorded history that it "snowed" in Okinawa was on Feb 17th, 1977. Residents of the island of Kumejima, just west of Okinawa, actually witnessed sleet falling from the sky when a similar cold front pushed extremely far south.
The city of Kumagaya, north of Tokyo, is known as one of the hottest cities in Japan due to the heat island and foehn effects.
Snow in Adelaide is rare. Occasionally parts of South Australia receive a light dusting of snow, including Mount Lofty in the Adelaide Hills.
Hiroshima's snow season usually begins from December and continues through March, with January as the snowiest month. Mountainous areas listed as heavy snowfall areas including Hatsukaichi City and Kitahiroshima Town could see snow accumulation of up to 1m.
The town of Rikubetsu (陸別) is located in the Tokachi area of eastern Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. Rikubetsu is known for being the coldest town in Japan, where the temperature drops down even as low as freezing -33°C (about -28°F) during the coldest months of winter.
Northern areas such as Hokkaido or the mountains of Chubu are the most comfortable places to escape the heat of summer. Be aware that August and September is typhoon season, which strongly affects southern regions such as Okinawa, Kyushu and Shikoku, and ends in October.
Aomori, Japan is the snowiest city in the world.
It gets an average of 312 inches, or 26 feet, of snow per year. The city gets so much snow because parts of the city are at least 5,000 feet up. Aomori is high in the Hakkoda Mountains, and like most mountainous areas, the winters are pretty snowy.
There are plenty of places to enjoy snow in Australia – some of the major destinations include the peaks of the Australian Alps like Perisher, Thredbo, Charlotte Pass, Mt Hotham, Falls Creek, Mt Buller, Selwyn, and Mt Baw Baw.
Australia's most southern state sees regular snowfalls, although it is surprisingly rare at sea-level where the larger towns are located. Most of the small inland towns see a snowfall at least once per year, including higher southern suburbs of Hobart on the slopes of Mount Wellington/Kunanyi.
The role of land mass in snow formation
The major reason snow is so rare in our cities, even those below the 35° line, is because of the land surrounding Australia – or lack of it. There's just so much more, well, earth in Earth's north compared to its south.