The Otemachi financial district of downtown Tokyo saw nine centimeters (3.5 inches) of snow accumulated by 5:00 pm, while 10 centimeters of snow covered neighboring Yokohama city, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The agency expected as much as 11 centimeters of snow to fall in Otemachi by 9:00 pm, making it the heaviest snow fall since January 27, 2001, when the area saw eight centimeters of snow.

"Today's snow is wet, so it might not stay on the ground to accumulate. But certainly it is a heavy snow fall," said an agency official.

At least 114 people suffered broken bones and bruises in the morning from slipping over in snow in the Kanto region of eastern Japan, said national broadcaster Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK).

The snow also caused the cancellation of at least 101 domestic flights departing or arriving at Haneda airport in Tokyo, NHK said.

Major train lines were also experiencing delays, with the Shinkansen bullet train service delayed for up to 10 minutes.

The meteorological agency issued heavy snow warnings for most of Japan through Saturday evening, with many areas facing the Sea of Japan (East Sea) also receiving avalanche warnings.

The coastal regions have experienced Japan's deadliest winter in more than two decades, with at least 102 deaths recorded by Tuesday, many of them crushed by snow or falling from buildings while clearing snow on roofs.

Most of the dead have been elderly people. It has been the highest death toll since 1983-1984 when 131 people died in snow-related incidents.

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