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Hello

I am going to Niseko for 7 nights in late December. I have two times in which I can pick from: 20-28 Dec or 30 Dec-6 Jan. The first dates have accommodation that has been recommended to me (full note pension) whereas they are booked when we were originally going to go (30-6). I have found accommodation 1km out of Hirafu at a backpackers for the later dates. Would the time difference be enough for there to be more snow at the later dates or does a week apart not really matter (meaning the first set of dates will have enough snow fall)? This might be a useless question but any help would be appreciated!

 

I am travelling from Australia and coming for the powder that we dont see in Australia (unfortunately I cant come later in the snow season).

 

Thanks! :friend:

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Its still relatively early in the season, but there will be some sort of snow I'd imagine. The start of the consistent dumps is usually around New year, but that said it is weather and it is fickle and as this season showed, nothing is stick on guaranteed. If it were me, I'd come around the 30th for the snow but bear in mind that its gonna be full on packed. The earlier time might see you get similar conditions with less people

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Yeah I am counting on going early this year Dec 16th you can't pick it but have been on the 26th before and it was snowing alot

Check the resort snowfall history it changes every year

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In my experience over the past 8 seasons,

 

1. by 20 December between 2.5 - 3.5 m of snow has fallen in the Niseko Resort Area.

 

2. the snow falling from the sky won't be markedly different for the two time frames you've proposed.

 

3. the later date should see a greater base depth and more terrain open.

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There's always a reasonable amount of snow on the ground by the 20th of Dec. Certainly enough to have all the piste runs open. It really depends on how much off-piste you're wanting to do. There's a bamboo type grass off-piste that can require over 2m snowdepth to get completely covered and this can limit access to the off-piste in early season. It also means that the peak is rarely opened before the new year. Ideally the later dates would give you a better chance of all the terrain being open. If you're mostly going to be staying on-piste though the earlier dates would be fine.

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it's complete truth with the restaurant situation.

 

During the time the OP is intending to come, then yes the restaurants are busy..

 

The whole season, not in my experience.

 

 

Look at it from the complete holiday viewpoint.

 

The OP specifically asked about the snow component.

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To anyone who has skied at almost any other skijo in Japan - I would agree it is 'too busy'.

 

I don't like the waiting when I get to Niseko, as much as I love the mountain/snow.

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The purple patch for snow fall at Niseko 2013 - 14 was mid Jan for about 2 weeks - an odd occurrence in that in it is usually more consistant ( by that I mean it snows a lot and all the time) ! But have been there when there has been heavy snow falls around xmas and new year. Ya never know what mother nature will serve up .

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The most consecutive days of snowfall at MQ in Higashiyama during the 2013/14 season was 27 days between 22 December 2013 and 17 January 2014 when 534 cm (210") fell.

 

There was no snowfall on 18 January and 25 January 2014 but it snowed every other day until 08 February 2014 with a further 202 cm (80") falling.

 

That's 47 days snowfall in a 49 day period with 736 cm (290") of accumulation.

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