Tokyo and surrounding areas, including the cities of Chiba and Yokohama, saw the season's first snow Saturday as temperatures dropped to levels usually felt in midwinter in the Japanese archipelago, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The snow that fell early Saturday quickly melted in the metropolitan area but traces remained on the ground and on roofs in suburban areas, the weather agency said.
The season's first snow hit Tokyo 18 days later than last year but six days earlier than on average.
The agency said the lowest temperature in Tokyo on Saturday was 2.7 C lower than the average year, at 0.7 C, due to clouds lingering in the south of the Kanto area in eastern Japan being cooled by cold air above.