Thousands stranded and scores injured in snowbound Tokyo

Japan's weather agency recorded as much as 23 centimetres of snow in some parts of Tokyo, the biggest snowfall since February 2014

This picture, taken on January 23, 2018, shows a train on rail tracks covered with snow in Tokyo, Japan. Franck Robichon / EPA

A worker clears snow from a sidewalk after snowfall in Tokyo on Tuesday. Franck Robichon / EPA

Morning commuters walk across a snow-covered field on the grounds of the Imperial Palace as buildings stand in the business district in Tokyo on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018. Takaaki Iwabu / Bloomberg

A man walks past as a woman takes photographs on the snow-covered grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday. Takaaki Iwabu / Bloomberg

A morning commuter walks across a snow-covered street in Tokyo, Japan, on Tuesday. Akio Kon / Bloomberg

Japanese electricity prices surged to a three-year high after Tokyo was hit by heavy snowfall. Akio Kon / Bloomberg

Pedestrians walk past an electronic stock board outside a securities firm as snow covers a sidewalk in Tokyo on Tuesday. Akio Kon / Bloomberg

A man rides a bicycle past the Imperial Palace as snow covers the ground in Tokyo on Tuesday. Akio Kon / Bloomberg

A rare heavy blanket of snow in Tokyo on Tuesday left thousands of travellers stranded and scores injured, as frozen conditions snarled public transport in the Japanese capital.

The country's weather agency recorded as much as 23 centimetres of snow in some parts of Tokyo, the biggest fall since February 2014.

The weather paralysed Monday evening's commute as millions of workers battled to get home in one of the world's most populous cities.

Notoriously hard-working Japanese employees were urged to knock off early but this did not prevent delays and crushes at major stations.

Public broadcaster NHK said at least 180 people had sustained minor injuries on the frozen streets and there had been about 700 traffic accidents, police said.

Cars became trapped in a tunnel, sparking a 10-kilometre tailback from Monday evening through early Tuesday morning, broadcasters said.

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And for the second day running, dozens of domestic and international flights departing from and arriving at the Japanese capital were scrapped due to the snow, with more than 9,000 people stranded overnight at Narita airport, officials said.

Airport officials and airline staff handed out water, snacks and sleeping bags to the unlucky passengers.

"I had planned to visit the US after graduating from university but my flight was cancelled. Why today?" a female student told NHK.

Heavy snowfalls are common in northern areas of Japan but rare in the capital, which last saw this amount of snow in 2014.

The sun was shining brightly on Tuesday morning, but forecasters predict the mercury will stay well below zero this week causing treacherous roads. They warned of more injuries.

The greater Tokyo area will see lows of minus six degrees Celsius on Wednesday, the weather agency said.

"It's rare to have sub-zero temperatures for a few days in the Tokyo area, and that would freeze the snow," agency official Kenji Okada said.

"In the past, we have seen a lot of injuries caused by slipping and falling. Simply walking can be dangerous."