Visit in Winter

Hi friends,
I intend to visit Japan(Kanto region) second half of January 2013. Could someone advise me as to the weather conditions and how it would affect travel by train and buses. Also will the snow be too thick for us to visit the usual tourist sites? I also would like to make a trip to Nagano as part of my trip to see the snow monkeys at Yamanouchi. It is probably much colder there then at the more southerly areas around Osaka but is it still easily accessible during this period.

Could someone advise me as to the weather conditions

Winter is the sunniest and driest time of the year in the Kanto Region. However, the situation changes drastically as you enter and cross the mountains north of the Kanto Region, where winters are extremely snowy.

Here are some basics:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2273.html

and how it would affect travel by train and buses.

Train and bus travel in the Kanto Region is not affected. Along the Sea of Japan coast, snow storms can occasionally lead to a suspension of service, just as can a storm during any other time of the year.

Also will the snow be too thick for us to visit the usual tourist sites?

Most of the Kanto Region does not receive any snow. All tourist sites are accessible. Only in the mountains will it snow, but most attractions are also open.

I also would like to make a trip to Nagano as part of my trip to see the snow monkeys at Yamanouchi. It is probably much colder there then at the more southerly areas around Osaka but is it still easily accessible during this period.

Yamanouchi is easily accessible around the year, while the snow monkeys are slightly challenging to access around the year, i.e. you have to walk the final 30-45 minutes there via a nature trail. The walk can be somewhat challenging to weak people or people inexperienced with winter and nature. Good shoes are recommended, as you will be walking in the snow:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6028.html

Thanks Uji, how about the Kansai and Chubu region? Any snow there during January/February other than in the mountains?

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2265.html

how about the Kansai and Chubu region? Any snow there during January/February other than in the mountains?

Most of the Kansai Region gets only little or no snow. In particular, in the large cities snow is very rare.

The Chubu Region is mostly mountainous and gets lots of snow. But in the big cities at sea level, such as Nagoya, snow is rare.

Hi guys,
Once again thanks for the input to my question regarding winter in Japan. I live in Singapore which has a tropical climate, in other words we see the sun the whole year round. I have visited Japan twice recently, once during early autumn and then during early spring. So for my next visit I would like to experience some winter. My concern about snow in the different region is neither because I would like to see snow nor avoid it. I would like to be able to control my trip so that I can go to areas covered by snow to see the winter scenery but at the same time I would not want snow to cause problem with in my travel arrangements and also cause major tourist sites to be closed because of the snow. Hope I have not confused.