Japan’s Northern Island, Hokkaido, is completely covered in snow on February 5, 2026. Photo: NASA
The recent snowstorms that hit Japan made global headlines for the toll they brought to the nation. Some parts of Japan enjoyed endless powder days and stories of mind-blowing snow totals collected overnight. In many places, though, the continued snowfall through the end of January and into February brought power outages, blocked roads, and tragic accidents that resulted in 46 deaths and 558 injuries.
Aomori, a city in the Tōhoku region, was hit especially hard, where the Japan Meteorological Agency reports residents are still navigating 1.3 meters (more than four feet) of snow still on the ground. Meanwhile, a new satellite image highlights those conditions just north of Aomori on the northern island of Hokkaido. The island typically sees more than 140 days of snowfall each year and more than six meters of snow accumulation (20 feet). And the image from NASA’s Terra Satellite on February 5 shows the entire island covered in white. Every inch of it on screen, including a massive collection of sea ice to the north of the island.
“On February 5, 2026, the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this image of snow-covered landscapes across Hokkaido. With more than 31 active volcanoes, the island features several large caldera lakes, including at least five that are visible in the image (Calderas are large depressions formed by volcanic eruptions.),” wrote NASA. “In the east, forested windbreaks around Nakashibetsu form a checkerboard pattern, while to the north, swirls of drifting sea ice adorn the Sea of Okhotsk.”
Another image from NASA’s image of the day database shows all of Japan at the end of April, 2018. Hokkaido, which sits in the top right corner of that image (below), looks nothing like this winter’s version.
Japan in April 2018, as seen from the Terra satellite. Photo: NASA
