STORY: Heavy snow storms in northern Japan's Hokkaido blanketed roads and snarled transport, leaving passengers stranded at one of the prefecture's major airports overnight after several dozen flights were grounded.

The prefectural capital Sapporo logged over 1 metre (3.3 feet) of record snowfall as of Monday (January 26) morning, according to the official website of the Japan Meteorological Agency's Sapporo Regional Headquarters.

Hundreds of train services were delayed or cancelled on Sunday (January 25), with some suspensions continuing on Monday.

Around 7,000 travellers were forced to spend Sunday night at New Chitose Airport after the cancellation of over 50 flights, Kyodo news agency reported.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: PEOPLE WALKING IN HEAVY SNOW / BUS STOPPED / HEAVY SNOW ON ROAD / PEOPLE QUEUING FOR TAXI / TRAVELLERS WAITING AT AIRPORT / SOUNDBITES FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS AND TRAVELLER

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO PREFECTURE, JAPAN (JANUARY 25, 2026) (NNN / JAPAN - No use Japan / Cannot re-use after 30 days from transmission without permission from NNN)

1. TRAFFIC ON ROAD SHROUDED IN HEAVY SNOW FALLING

2. PERSON WALKING IN HEAVY SNOWFALL

3. TOWER WITH ELECTRIC BOARD READING TIME 08:15 AM

4. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING WITH UMBRELLAS UNDER HEAVY SNOWFALL

5. MOUNDS OF SNOW NEAR ROAD / TRAFFIC LIGHT COVERED IN HEAVY SNOW

6. BUS STUCK IN ROAD COVERED WITH HEAVY SNOW

7. BUS WHEEL MOVING

8. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PUSHING MAIL TRUCK OUT OF SNOW

9. PEOPLE WALKING ON ROAD UNDER HEAVY SNOWFALL

SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO PREFECTURE, JAPAN (JANUARY 26, 2026) (NNN / JAPAN - No use Japan / Cannot re-use after 30 days from transmission without permission from NNN)

10. VARIOUS OF PERSON CLEARING SNOW NEXT TO VENDING MACHINE

11. PEOPLE WITH SNOW SHOVELS ON ROAD COVERED IN SNOW

12. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SHOVELLING AS SNOW FALLS

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) UNIDENTIFIED LOCAL RESIDENT, SAYING:

“Yeah it’s pretty terrible.”

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) ANOTHER UNIDENTIFIED LOCAL RESIDENT, SAYING:

“There's really nowhere left to dump the snow, so it’s getting pretty tough.”

15. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WAITING IN QUEUE FOR TAXI

16. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) UNIDENTIFIED MAN WAITING FOR TAXI, SAYING:

“I’ve been waiting for a taxi for about an hour now but it still hasn’t come.”

17. PEOPLE WAITING IN QUEUE FOR TAXI, TAXI AT ROADSIDE

18. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) UNIDENTIFIED MAN WAITING FOR TAXI, SAYING:

“I come here every year, but this is the first time I haven’t been able to go home.”

CHITOSE, HOKKAIDO PREFECTURE, JAPAN (JANUARY 25, 2026) (NNN / JAPAN - No use Japan / Cannot re-use after 30 days from transmission without permission from NNN)

19. VARIOUS OF TRAVELLERS WAITING AT NEW CHITOSE AIRPORT

CHITOSE, HOKKAIDO PREFECTURE, JAPAN (JANUARY 26, 2026) (NNN / JAPAN - No use Japan / Cannot re-use after 30 days from transmission without permission from NNN)

20. TRAVELLERS WAITING IN NEW CHITOSE AIRPORT, SOME LYING DOWN ON FLOOR AND OTHERS SEATED

21. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) UNIDENTIFIED TRAVELLER, SAYING: (PLEASE NOTE SOUNDBITE IS PARTIALLY OVERLAID WITH SHOT NUMBER 22)

“I’ve been waiting here all along. It’s already been six hours. Yes, I had been waiting up until just a little while ago, but I’ve given up now.”

22. MAN SITTING ON THE FLOOR AND USING HIS MOBILE DEVICE

23. PEOPLE LYING DOWN ON FLOOR