Osaka Sees Snow for First Time in 10 Years

From January 24th through the rest of the week, Kansai Gaidai University as well as all of Osaka witnessed a spectacle that hadn’t been seen for over a decade. Snow fell and even accumulated a few centimeters in various places throughout the prefecture.

“Temperatures may drop to the lowest in a decade across the country, affecting transportation and freezing water pipes,” warned NHK news on that first snowy Tuesday. The temperature dropped to about -4 degrees celsius on the night of the 25th and a few roads had ice patches. Some trains and buses were in fact delayed or indefinitely postponed throughout the week but the long-lasting damages appear to be minimal.

International students began their semester on the 25th and walked to class with care down the icy sidewalks. A few students even built snowmen near the residence halls and for some it was their first encounter with snow. Even for those living in Osaka it was a rare sight.

As the temperatures increase and those snowy days leave nothing but an exciting memory in their wake, the students settle into classes and look forward to warmer weather.

World, Nhk. “Coldest Air Mass of the Season to Affect Many Parts of Japan from Tues.: NHK World-Japan News.” NHK WORLD, NHK WORLD, 24 Jan. 2023, https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230124_18/. 

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