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More than 100 people had to take refuge at a shrine on a mountaintop in Japan as heavy snow disrupted road traffic.
About 130 people were forced to spend the night in the halls and halls of Mitsumine Shrine in Saitama Prefecture on Friday as surrounding roads were closed due to safety concerns, public broadcaster NHK reported.
Local authorities confirmed there were about 50 cars inside the shrine building and said no one fell ill.
Japan is currently experiencing heavy snowfall, with up to 40 centimeters expected to fall in some areas on Saturday.
According to data from the Japan Meteorological Agency, up to 80 centimeters of snow has fallen in some parts of Japan in the past 72 hours, and as the cold front persists, the amount of snowfall is expected to increase further.
Several accidents occurred around the Mitsumine Shrine, including cars slipping, leading to road closures, NHK reported, citing local police.
The area received up to 4 centimeters of snow, while temperatures dropped to a chilly -15 degrees Celsius.
Located 1,110 m (3,640 ft) above sea level in the mountains near Chichibu City, Mitsumine Shrine is a popular Shinto worship center dedicated to Izanami and Izanagi, the sacred couple believed to have created the Japanese archipelago.
This shrine is said to have been founded in the 1st century by Yamato Taken, the son of Emperor Koko.
