Niseko Now: Friday 1st November 2024
- Nov 1, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 9, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 0cm
Snowfall at base this season 0cm
Posted on Friday 1st November 2024 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Hello, and welcome back to the Niseko Now reports!
It has been a while. Just under 6 months, in fact. As always, it's one of those 'it seems so long ago, but the time went quickly' feelings. I was hibernating for most of the six months, of course, but that means I thankfully missed lots of the summer heat that we get even up here in Hokkaido. I'm really not a fan of hot weather. (I love me some - lots of - snow!)
I am gradually getting back into a daily routine, which has been helped along by a healthy intake of toast. I'm doing my best to stock up on lots of words, too, that I can put to use in these reports throughout the winter!
Over the last six months, quite a few people have sent comments to me via the site comments form. While I can't respond to them all, please know I read them and appreciate the support. Thank you very much. Getting feedback and knowing that so many people look forward to reading these reports is always really cool. While I don't think about those numbers and wide reach of my words as I write these reports, I do take that responsibility very seriously.
This week SnowJapan informed me that site usage is already tracking significantly higher than last year. That means that some of you reading this will be new to SnowJapan. So, in this pre-season period, please allow me to make some very important points.
* These reports are 100% independent. They are not sponsored. I'm not working on behalf of ski areas, etc. No-one has any say or influence on what is posted.
* I write what I see happening. At times that might not be what you want to read (for example, when it's raining or conditions are clearly rubbish).
* Exaggerations and marketing words/phrases, cheesy or otherwise, are not allowed (though may sometimes be used in jest). These reports are strictly a marketing/hype/promotional messaging-free zone.
* Sometimes, I comment on non-skiing stuff (and sometimes I can be bit silly).
* Whatever I write, I never try to be controversial. Simply not interested in all that kind of nonsense.
* I am not trying to encourage you to visit Niseko.
* I am not trying to discourage you from visiting Niseko.
* I love toast. (Thought bubble: but seriously, doesn’t everyone?)
Long-time readers will have heard all that before, but it is important. Hopefully, I won't feel the need to mention those things too often during the season!
OK, so here we are at the beginning of November. All the ski areas around our mountain plan to open for the ski season on Saturday 30th November 2024. That is just over four weeks from now.
The first signs of light snowfall on some mountain tops were spotted on 20th October. It is, of course, always exciting to see that.
Over the next few weeks, I will occasionally post some reports/news/thoughts as, hopefully, the snow will arrive on time, and we will get a good base to allow lifts to start moving on 30th November.
For my own sanity, I try to filter out all the marketing hype and 'politics' - all kinds of politics! - going on around me. Still, in my position, it is impossible to avoid it all. With more of it every year, I believe providing good, honest information people can trust is more important than ever. And that's what I will try to do again this year.
I look forward to (hopefully) being able to tell you about large amounts of snow and fab conditions across the coming season. I truly love this place and doing these reports. It's good to be back. I hope you might stick around to read them.
Yoroshiku!
Niseko Now 2024-2025 season |
Data as of Friday 1st November 2024 Total snowfall at base so far 0cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 0 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 0cm November 2024 snowfall 0cm |
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.