The strongest cold air of the season has been flowing over Japan since the 4th, raising the risk of heavy snow over a wide area, especially on the Sea of Japan side. On the Pacific side, including Kanto, sunshine is widespread; from the winter-clear rooftop of the Palaceside Building, a beautiful Mount Fuji capped in white snow stood out vividly.
The 3rd was Risshun, the start of spring, but from the 4th a strong winter-type pressure pattern took hold. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the peak of the cold wave and heavy snow will come around the 6th. A band of snow clouds that has brought disaster-level snow in the past—the Japan-Sea Polar-Airmass Convergence Zone (JPCZ)—has formed, and even the Kanto plains may see snowfall.