Japan Snowstorm Forces 130 People to Shelter at a Shrine

Over 100 people were forced to take refuge at a mountain-top shrine in Japan after heavy snow made surrounding roads impassable.

Public broadcaster NHK reported that around 130 visitors spent Friday night in the halls and lobbies of Mitsumine Shrine in Saitama prefecture after authorities closed nearby roads over safety concerns. Local officials confirmed that occupants of roughly 50 cars stayed inside the shrine and said no one had become ill.

Japan is currently experiencing heavy snowfall, with up to 40cm expected in some areas on Saturday. The Japan Meteorological Agency reports that up to 80cm of snow has fallen in certain regions over the past 72 hours, with more predicted as a cold front continues.

Road closures around Mitsumine Shrine were prompted by multiple accidents, including cars sliding on icy surfaces, NHK said, citing local police. Temperatures in the region have dropped as low as -15C, creating hazardous conditions.

Mitsumine Shrine, situated 1,110m (3,640 ft) above sea level near the city of Chichibu, is a popular Shinto site dedicated to the divine couple Izanami and Izanagi, believed to have created the Japanese islands. According to tradition, the shrine was founded in the 1st century by Prince Yamato Takeru no Mikoto, son of Emperor Keikō.