Kyoto’s Biggest Snow in 58 Years

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 105mm — 1/500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 280 — map & image datanearby photos
Big Snow in Kyoto
biggest in 58 years, at least (though this photo was taken near the start)
京都市内の58年ぶりの大雪

While setting up in my living room for the silly photoshoot today, I noticed a few flakes of snow starting to fall a bit after 1pm. According to the news later in the evening, by 6pm it was already the biggest snowfall in Kyoto City in the last 58 years.

By 6pm the accumulation was only 16cm (6¼ inches), which is nothing for Ohio where I grew up, or New Hampshire where I went to grad school, but for Kyoto City it's a big deal.


Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/5, ISO 500 — map & image datanearby photos
Two and a Half Hours In
main gate of the Heian Shrine (平安神宮大鳥居)

Just to show how quickly it came down, here are two photos taken at the same spot in the Heian Shrine, three hours apart...


Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 140mm — 1/640 sec, f/2.8, ISO 140 — map & image datanearby photos
Leaving an Unlucky Fortune Behind
if your fortune paper is bad, you tie it here for better luck
12:35pm (午後12時半)

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 150mm — 1/640 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1100 — map & image datanearby photos
Same Spot
at 3:45pm (同じ所、午後3時45分)

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 105mm — 1/500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 400 — map & image datanearby photos
Whiteout Dash
I was maybe 20m or 30m from the building, but it was mostly invisible

The forecast is for substantial more snow tonight and tomorrow. I should take advantage of the rare opportunity to visit some temple gardens at first light, but after dinner I went out into the snow again for three hours of frozen photography and snow play with Anthony, and I'm exhausted to the bone. I think this is the most tired I've felt all year. 😉

I have plenty more to post from today, but these few shots will do until I can get some sleep under my belt.

Continued here...


All 3 comments so far, oldest first...

Great snow pictures. You managed to catch that sweet spot where the snow moves in the image, but not enough to be a blur. New Year best wishes from San Francisco.

— comment by Tom in SF on January 2nd, 2015 at 1:14am JST (9 years, 3 months ago) comment permalink

Kyoto looks lovely in the snow but here in Seattle, when it snows(rarely) we are all stuck. Happy New Year to you and your family. Mr friends and I all follow your photos.

— comment by Marilyn Tsuchiya on January 2nd, 2015 at 10:21am JST (9 years, 3 months ago) comment permalink

Given the crowd this morning at Kinkaku-ji the situation had to be exceptional. But 58 years, wow!
Last year about 30cm fell on Tokyo though, so we have some room for improvement… 😉

— comment by Damien on January 2nd, 2015 at 5:59pm JST (9 years, 3 months ago) comment permalink
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