Niseko Now: Tuesday 16th December 2025
- Dec 16, 2025
- 5 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 2cm
Snowfall at base this season 160cm
Hello from Niseko.
Wind was an issue yesterday and it affected lifts with only lower ones operating.
A few cm of fresh to report. Worth noting that the wind was blowing snow around a lot yesterday.
It wasn't snowing when I got up, but it is snowing now... and moderately so at times. May it continue.
There might still be wind this morning but it is less than yesterday and lifts should be moving as scheduled this morning.
Top lifts are not yet open this season.
The coming weekend looks like much of Japan is going to experience some unseasonably mild conditions (before a return to cold early week).
Hopefully we might get some more cm before then!
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I had a chat yesterday with Mr SnowJapan about a few things. One of those was lift ticket prices.
From what I gathered, ski lift ticket prices across Japan have increased at quite a few ski areas once again this season. The scale of price increases ranges from nominal (100 yen or so on a 1-day ticket) to large rises of over 30%. As you might expect, it's the bigger and more popular places that have seen the most significant price increases over the last couple of years. And, perhaps also unsurprisingly, the ski areas with a considerable percentage of overseas visitors are cranking up their prices the most.
Ski areas that are heavily leaning into foreign markets, both here in Niseko and other popular regions, seem to be leaning in more steeply every year. I suppose the companies feel compelled to go that way. But they are surely going to see fewer domestic skiers and snowboarders, as many feel increasingly priced out of the market. As my Hakuba Now colleague discussed last week, I wonder about some of the implications of that for the future.
The price rises aren't universal, though. Apparently, quite a few ski areas in Japan have actually kept their prices the same this year. Many of those are in Hokkaido - including the small Asahigaoka behind Kutchan Station - and there are still a bunch of small ski areas that remain free to use. Tiny places, for sure, but they do exist all the same.
This year, there are also an increasing number of ski areas in Japan offering lower prices for residents of the local town or prefecture. Perhaps we might see more of that kind of thing going forward. Personally, I'm pleased to see the distinctions in those cases as being 'resident or non-resident' rather than 'Japanese or foreign'.
All of this talk might seem uninteresting and irrelevant to some of you visiting Japan, who still feel that ski lift tickets here are relatively cheap compared to wherever you come from (helped by currency exchange rates).
That may well be the case, but locals are noticing, and not many are feeling particularly happy about it.
Complicated, for sure, but it sounds like an opportunity for other places to attract some new willing and adventurous visitors.
Anyway, I find it interesting that the days of the price of lift tickets being broadly similar everywhere - like they were up until not too long ago - seem to be well and truly over.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain base at 6am: -2℃, strongish wind, 5cm new snow, good visibility. Moiwa Mikaeri 800m: -5℃, WNW4.9m/s, large snowdrift development, good visibility. Hirafu Hanazono 800m: -4.8℃, NNW5.8m/s, trace new snow, snowdrift development. Coastal weather: Benkei cape NW15m/s, Kamui cape WSW12m/s, 1014hPa, 2.3m waves.
At elevations above 1000m, winds remain strong with significant snowdrift development. Winds have begun to decrease, and sea wave heights have dropped from 3.8m to 2.3m in the last 12 hours. However, observations and analysis of various data indicate a high avalanche risk on slopes with significant elevation differences, such as Backbowl sidewalls. Around 1100m elevation, snow cornice collapses or surface slab avalanches triggered by stimulation could occur. It’s still best not to ski there just yet. Bush is still dense, skiing off-piste is not yet suitable. Do not duck under the ropes. Be careful on steep south-facing slopes below 800m elevation, cliffs, and lift lines, where larger slab avalanches are likely to occur. Course conditions are improving daily. Watch for losing control and falling due to the narrow course width. Bamboo grass can scratch goggles and cheeks. Bamboo leaves are sharp. Beware. There is no such thing as safety in this sport. Don’t overestimate your knowledge or experience. Have a good day.
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 0cm
Base: 5cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 140cm (-10cm change since yesterday)
Base: 85cm (-5cm change since yesterday)
Planned lift operations:
All 4 lifts
Gondola until 7:00pm
Planned open courses:
All main runs apart from Legend of Shinya
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Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 5cm
Base: 5cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 210cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 40cm (-35cm change since yesterday)
Planned lift operations:
Ace Gondola
Ace Family quad (until 7:00pm)
Ace Number 3 pair
King Gondola
King Number 3 six
Swinging Monkey
Planned open courses:
Family
Sennoki
Alpen
Beginners access
Green
Shirakaba
Center
Kogen
Dai-ni no kabe
Kokutai
Holiday
Rinkan
Jumbo
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Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 115cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 55cm (no change since yesterday)
Planned lift operations:
Niseko Gondola
Upper Village Gondola (until 7:00pm)
Village Express (until 7:00pm)
Community Chair
Banzai Chair (until 7:00pm)
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Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 0cm
Base: 5cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 100cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 50cm (no change since yesterday)
Planned lift operations:
Annupuri gondola
Dream Number 1 quad (until 7:00pm)
Jumbo Number 1 quad
Jumbo Number 2 pair
Planned open courses:
Utopia
Shirakaba
Paradise
Junior
Family
Junior
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Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort
Planned lift operations:
All 3 lifts
Niseko Now2025-2026 season |
Data as of Tuesday 16th December 2025 Total snowfall at base so far 160cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 20 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (on 12th December) November 2025 snowfall 29cm reported on 7 days December 2025 snowfall 131cm reported on 13 days |
All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Kutchan/Niseko. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report.