いやはや、さすがに完全にやられました。
　昨日の札幌は完全に降雪による都市マヒ状態。札幌市西区山の手のわが家では、清田区里塚のもうひとつの家の方で「法事」の予定でしたが、朝１番６時〜７時台の雪かき中も全然降雪が止まず、その時点ですでに都市高速道路が「通行止め」ということもあり午前９時段階で法事の予定断念を決断し、お坊さんと連絡を取り期日を順延。その旨早急に親族に連絡していました。
　まだその段階ではどの程度の「大雪」か見通せなかったのですが「安全側」の判断。結果として大正解。
　写真は本日のわが家前のヒマラヤ山脈（笑）と、きのうのわたしの「歩数計」状況。昨日は朝１番の除雪にひき続き、昼前12時前ころ、そして夕方16:00頃と合計３回の雪かき作業に没入。ほかに散歩はしていないどころか、雪かき以外は外にも出ていません。歩数は雪かきのみ。運動量的には歩数換算で2-3倍ということなので、1.6万から2.4万歩ほどに相当。う〜む、さすがにキビシイ。
　最後の除雪後おかげさまでようやく降雪が収まって、本日朝４時くらいまで降雪は確認されていません。
　きのうの札幌はほとんど都市マヒで高速道路は本日朝になっても通行止めが続いているし、JRや都市間バスも終日ほぼマヒ。みんな集中せざるを得ない一般道も除雪がまったく追いつかずに、超渋滞ノロノロ。
　わたしは自宅除雪防衛一択で、ムリに動くべきではないという北国人としての直感的な判断でした。
　運動量に見合ってバタンキュー状態。めざめて本日早朝４時頃にクルマ給油で周辺状況を確認してきましたが、道路脇はうずたかく雪山が絶壁を構成して、道路幅は２車線道路がほぼ全部１車線のみ。わが家のすぐ近くの繁華街「琴似」では大量の除雪車が活動していました。出勤時間に合わせて大車輪ぶり。
　本日は週初め月曜日ですが、さてどこまで都市機能が復元できるか、という札幌です。

●お知らせ
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English version⬇

【Snow Removal Three Times a Day: “Heavy Snow Hits Sapporo” Exhausting Sunday】
Record-breaking snow has completely paralyzed this city of 2 million. While snowfall has eased today, safety must remain the top priority when going out. Don’t push yourself. …

　Well, well, I was completely caught off guard.
Yesterday, Sapporo was completely paralyzed by the snowfall. At my home in Yamate, Nishi Ward, Sapporo, we had a memorial service scheduled at my other home in Satotsuka, Kiyota Ward. But even while shoveling snow first thing in the morning between 6 and 7 AM, the snowfall showed no sign of stopping. By that point, the city expressway was already closed to traffic. So, by 9 AM, we decided to cancel the memorial service, contacted the priest, and rescheduled the date. I promptly notified the relatives of this change.
　At that stage, we couldn’t yet gauge the full extent of the “heavy snow,” but we made a “safety-first” judgment. In hindsight, it was absolutely the right call.
The photos show today’s Himalayan mountain range (lol) in front of my house and yesterday’s status on my “pedometer.” Yesterday, following the first snow removal in the morning, I immersed myself in snow shoveling three times total: again around noon, and then around 4:00 PM. Not only did I not go for a walk, I didn’t even go outside for anything other than shoveling. My step count came solely from shoveling. In terms of exercise, shoveling counts as 2-3 times the steps, so that’s equivalent to about 16,000 to 24,000 steps. Hmm, that’s pretty tough.
After the last shoveling session, thankfully the snow finally stopped, and no new snowfall has been confirmed until around 4:00 AM this morning.
　Sapporo was practically paralyzed yesterday. The expressways remained closed even this morning, and JR trains and intercity buses were nearly shut down all day. Everyone had no choice but to use local roads, but snow removal couldn’t keep up at all, causing massive, slow-moving traffic jams.
My instinct as a northern resident was clear: stay home and focus solely on clearing my own driveway. Forcing myself to go out wasn’t an option.
I’m completely wiped out, matching my physical exertion. Waking up around 4 a.m. today, I went out to refuel my car and check the surroundings. Snowbanks piled high along the roadside formed sheer cliffs, reducing the two-lane road to barely one lane. In the bustling district of “Kotoni” right near my home, numerous snowplows were hard at work. They were operating at full throttle to coincide with the morning commute.
Today is Monday, the start of the week. The question is, how much of the city’s functions can Sapporo restore?

●Notice
My book “Writers and Living Spaces” published as an e-book by Gentosha
Available on Amazon.

Posted on 1月 26th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類