Japan's major airports and railway terminals were packed Saturday with travelers returning from New Year's vacations at hometowns and resorts, according to airport and railway authorities.
Reservations for flights to Tokyo's Haneda airport on Saturday were almost fully booked, airline officials said.
The airport took every possible measure to avoid flights being canceled as heavy snow was expected to start falling in coastal areas along the Sea of Japan on Saturday afternoon, they added.
The number of returning passengers on bullet trains bound for the capital was expected to peak Saturday, but the rush is likely to continue throughout Sunday.
The return rush on highways continued into Saturday, according to the Japan Road Traffic Information Center. As of 4:30 p.m., the Tokyo-bound Tomei Expressway was choked with traffic for some 42 km from the Numazu Interchange in Shizuoka Prefecture.