Snow removal work is underway on the road that crosses the Shiretoko Peninsula, located in the northeastern tip of Hokkaido, in preparation for its spring reopening.
The peninsula is registered as a World Natural Heritage site, and every year it attracts many tourists. The 23.8-kilometer-long national highway has been closed for the winter since Nov. 9 and is scheduled to reopen before the Golden Week holidays in late April.
Snow removal work began on March 10 from both sides of the peninsula, heading inland toward the Shiretoko Pass, 738 meters above sea level.
According to the local branch of the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry, the depth of the snow is up to about three meters on the Okhotsk Sea side, which is about the same level as the last couple of years.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
