Cold wave grips Hokkaido

UniQlo Heat Tech Sleeves and Fleece could help the people innthe picture any cold winter.

Could be worse. It's been -35C with the wind for the past week up here in Western Canada.

jcapan wrote Today 08:36 am JST

Well, they could be from Guangzhou, in which case I'm sure they were suffering. Or they could also be from Harbin, which is regularly much colder than Hokkaido.

I spent my first winter in Hokkaido and it was hardly the cold that bothered me. It was the constant presence of a meter of snow on the ground. Fell all the time, even when sober.

Snow is not the problem. Walking on snow is almost like walking on sand. Melted snow (forming an icy and slippery road) is the real deal...

As for not being dressed properly, not only Chinese people, but I would say some tourists in general. A few days ago in Sapporo I saw a Japanese couple dressed with simple Fall jackets, jeans pants and sneakers (with short socks)! Really, it's definitely possible to look fashionable using winter clothes, people!

There is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing...

That lady looks like someone from Kyushu who went on vacation and didn't know the first thing about packing for winter.

Well, she does have a camera.

That lady looks like someone from Kyushu who went on vacation and didn't know the first thing about packing for winter.

Apart from typhoons, active volcanoes and earthquakes, I would live on Okinawa in a jiffy

I'd prefer a fancy condo, but each to their own.

Joshing aside, this is yet another worrying sign of the disasters to come. Be wary of those who are in denial, they wish to take our children's futures away from us.

Apart from typhoons, active volcanoes and earthquakes, I would live on Okinawa in a jiffy

Snow today in Kanto too! Yay!

cla68, apparently warming of the troposphere wreaks havoc with the polar vortex, disrupting the jetstream to send freights of frigidity southward. This winter has seen the arctic warmer than certain points south. If you'd like this to continue, sure, add more carbon.

Hokkaido could use some of that global warming. Quick, give them some carbon!

The idea is that climate is changing, that means more that simply hotter temperatures worldwide-which has happened all four of the last four years. Because it snows does not mean the climate is not changing due to manmade pollution. It is incredible how gullible people can be to believe the coal and oil company simplistic propaganda and not science. Hey all of you, the earth is flat too. You read it here first.

While temperatures are shown in Fahrenheit in America. I am often puzzled. Unify the units.

Indeed, unify to Celsius and join the rest of the world. This is Japan, the website is JAPAN today, and Japan--in common with most countries--uses Celsius. The level of arrogance in the demand to unify shocks me.

Winter is cold!

Wrap up well and have good boots-no problem.

I'd say the people who live too far south miss out on a great experience

I think it’s an experience they could live without. Winter is downright miserable and these temperatures plus heavy snow can cause loss of life.

I’m so glad we moved to Okinawa!

22 degrees in Naha. Fancy taking a lodger in for 3 months of the year?

People in Hokkaido should be awful tough, used to this kind of weather. Not the first blow of cold northern weather, won't be the last. I'd say the people who live too far south miss out on a great experience, if you've never felt -35F/-36C cold air hit you, its quite an experience. -24C is a good, sharp slap in the face that wakes you up for good day in the cold, so long you've got your long underwear.

HK just reported -31 in one town. Makes me feel better about our low of 5 this morning in Kobe.

Sheesh! I LOVE winter and the snow, but I don't know about -31... that's a bit scary..

I was watching the news and there are parts of the US and Canada where its so cold the gov advises not being out in the cold for more than 15-20 minutes. WOW.

The amount of Chinese tourists that weren't dressed for snow was unbelievable.

Well, they could be from Guangzhou, in which case I'm sure they were suffering. Or they could also be from Harbin, which is regularly much colder than Hokkaido.

I spent my first winter in Hokkaido and it was hardly the cold that bothered me. It was the constant presence of a meter of snow on the ground. Fell all the time, even when sober.

Given the links between burning huge amounts of coal, oil and gas, and that Russia's economy's built on burning and selling coal, oil and gas, I guess that's to be expected.

Should have read: Given the links between burning huge amounts of coal, oil and gas, AND CLIMATE CHANGE,

For those who doubt the links between them: https://climate.nasa.gov/

and http://science.sciencemag.org/content/306/5702/1686

Was there a year ago and - 4°C was average, and enough to put a chill through the bones. The amount of Chinese tourists that weren't dressed for snow was unbelievable.

Our hotel owner was from Hiroshima, not far from us, and his description of the milder summers and less humidity, pretty much sealed the deal for me.

Hoping to one day move there and live.

Hokkaido could use some of that global warming. Quick, give them some carbon!

Finding humor in other's problems? Do you also find humor in this:

Record cold weather in Russiahttps://www.euronews.com/2019/01/10/record-cold-weather-in-russia-and-georgia

Given the links between burning huge amounts of coal, oil and gas, and that Russia's economy's built on burning and selling coal, oil and gas, I guess that's to be expected.

Still, I feel for people everywhere, including Russia, who have to contend with weather extremes, many a direct result of the oil, gas and coal burnt so their rulers can get richer and more powerful.

The latest fashion isn't helping.

I'm so glad we moved to Okinawa!

My old thermometer has Celsius and Fahrenheit as well but recent thermometers have only Celsius and do not have Fahrenheit. While temperatures are shown in Fahrenheit in America. I am often puzzled. Unify the units.

People that bang on about global warming when there are cold snaps are too ignorant to understand climate change.

Ignorance must be bliss.

Hokkaido could use some of that global warming. Quick, give them some carbon!

NHK just reported -31 in one town. Makes me feel better about our low of 5 this morning in Kobe.

Good thing it's a law that houses in Hokkaido have insulation, unlike the rest of Japan.