Tokyo in snow : Nishi Kasai, Seishin cho goes white and silent

February 14, 2014. The local weather in Tokyo had reported snowfall through the night and we were prepared for the next morning to be a rough one with snow accumulated on the neighborhood streets. What we were not prepared however was the amount of snowfall and the overall impact it would have on the city. The first view that we got from our apartment balcony, below, was sufficient enough to tell us that we were headed for a snow dump we had not seen in Tokyo for sometime now….
Wakakusa Garden
The pictures are primarily from the Edogawa Ward Seishin Cho where we have stayed for several years. We always see Tozai Line running to the near Nishi Kasai Station and on this day it was eerily silent, probably the train line was out of action. The Wakakusa Garden in front of our apartment was truly all WHITE.
Seishincho Parking area 1-35
The weather had timed itself perfectly since the morning of 15th was a Saturday and no need to get on the cramped trains for the day. Sit back relax, but had to go out to the nearby department store to get some supplies and the walk was one hell of a slow stomping exercise, taking care not to slip. Made way through the path following in the footsteps of the people who passed on it before us…. The parking lot and the cars were all drenched in snow.
Seishincho Parking area 1-1-3
Spending the day back home in the cosy setting of our apartment, we took a photo shoot in the evening and it was still snowing with the parking lot now looking odd with all the snow accumulating beyond what we saw in the morning. Some car owners had taken the trouble to lift the wipers so that they don’t get stuck in the snow and break.
Parking lot 1-35 of Seishin cho Edogawa ku
We stepped out and the Seishin Cho and not much surprise by the silence since it is usually a very quiet area, the white blanket on the road just made it all the more quiet with no one out in the cold.
Edogawa Ku, Seishin cho
The Wakakusa Garden in the front and the Edogawa Joggin Track on the left we waded through the snow pile up going to the Funabori Kaidou.
Road in Seishin cho
The walk way on the Funabori kaidou was no fun like the morning walks we enjoy here and with the snowfall ongoing, balancing the walk, the umbrella all started to become a pain than fun. Wonder how people mnage back in Niigata for three months with the white powder all around.
Road going to Funabori Kaidou
At Nishi Kasai Station the snowfall still continued, but the roads were much clearer due to regular traffic there clearing out the snow. Hello lot slippery ground though.
Nishi Kasai Station Area in snow
Back in the apartment we took a night view of the parking area below and saw this so RARE view of Seishin Cho with all cars decked WHITE.
Seishincho Parking area 1-35 at night
The next day, the weather cleared brilliantly and the Tokyo Skytree in the distance was once again visible and the snow cover considerably less to allow us Tokyoites life to limp back to normal
Seishincho Parking area 1-35 in morning

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