KAMAKURA, Kanagawa -- At around noon on Aug. 20, a beautiful blue sky spread over Yuigahama Beach in this east Japan ... finds the sea more appealing now than the time when the sand was packed ...

mainly on the Sea of Japan side, after snow covered several municipalities on Feb. 6. More than 60 centimeters of snow has fallen over a 24-hour period in some parts of the Hokuriku region.