The recent snow storms in northwestern Japan have claimed the lives of at least four people. Huge amounts of snow have left thousands of households without power, hundreds of cars have been stuck on the roads and train services have been stopped.
It is primarily the prefectures of Niigata, Yamagata and Aomori that have been affected.
In Niigata, hundreds of cars and trucks were stuck on the roads, there are reports of stationary vehicles for stretches of more than two kilometers. Volunteers have helped provide those stuck in their vehicles with food and other supplies.
See photos from Japan in the feature above.