Niseko Now: Tuesday 20th January 2026
- Jan 20
- 3 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 21cm
Snowfall at base this season 515cm
Good morning from Niseko and I need to be quick today.
21cm of fresh snow to report with more incoming over coming days.
Top lifts on hold at the start of the day due to wind and it looks like limited visibility up there.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Moiwa base: -10℃, 30cm snowfall. Moiwa 800m: -14.4℃, data n/a, heavy snowfall, cornice and snowdrift development. Annupuri 1100m: -18.6℃, WNW6.6m/s, heavy snowfall, cornice and snowdrift development. Village 1000m: -15.2℃, WSW4.1m/s. Hirafu Hanazono 1000m: -15.7℃, data n/a. Hanazono 800m: -13.6℃, NNE4.9m/s. Sea of Japan Benkei cape NW18m/s, Kamui cape WSW17m/s, 1001hPa, 1.7m waves.
From midnight, a strong winter-type pressure pattern has developed, causing significant cornice and snowdrift development in the mountains, particularly on the west-facing slopes. Avalanche risk rapidly increases in Annupuri Oosawa, Kōzan-no-sawa, and the southeast face of Mikaeri. It’s better to stay in the resort today. Avalanche risk will similarly increase in the strictly off-limits area, such as Haru-no-taki, Yunosawa, and Anbetsu. Stay away. Here, the Niseko Rules urge caution against out-of-bounds skiing. Beyond the gates is not the ski area.
Designating Anbetsu as a strictly off-limits area has drawn significant opposition, particularly from locals. Forty years ago, during Niseko’s first powder skiing boom, numerous avalanche accidents occurred. Fearing reputational damage, the ski resorts banned all out-of-bounds skiing, but accidents continued. Niseko became Japan’s most avalanche-prone mountain, and Japan’s first fatal snowboarder accident also occurred in Annupuri’s Osawa. The establishment of restricted areas under the Niseko Rules wasn’t simply because those areas were dangerous. Skiing out of bounds from resorts has been practiced for many years here in Niseko and has become part of Niseko’s culture. We ask for your understanding that the Niseko Rules were made out of necessity to preserve that culture, respect the freedom of out-of-bounds skiing, and simultaneously reduce accidents. If you voice complaints demanding freedom and continue ducking ropes, that freedom will only shrink further. The background to this latest designation of the Anbetsu restricted area mirrors that of 30 years ago. Do not cut ropes. A single careless rope-ducking track can trigger an accident. The weather will be bad for a while. Have a good day.
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 15cm
Base: 15cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 235cm (+5cm change since yesterday)
Base: 160cm (+5cm change since yesterday)
Planned lift operations:
4 of 4 lifts
Gondola until 7:00pm
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Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 20cm
Base: 20cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 320cm (+10cm change since yesterday)
Base: 110cm (no change since yesterday)
Planned lift operations:
9 of 9 lifts
Ace Gondola, Ace Family quad, King Gondola and King Holiday pair until 7:00pm
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Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 230cm (+10cm change since yesterday)
Base: 135cm (+5cm change since yesterday)
Planned lift operations:
7 of 8 lifts (not Country Road)
Upper Village Gondola, Village Express and Banzai Chair until 7:00pm
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Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 15cm
Base: 15cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 220cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 140cm (no change since yesterday)
Planned lift operations:
6 of 6 lifts
Jumbo Number 1 quad until 7:30pm
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Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort
Planned lift operations:
3 of 3 lifts
Niseko Now2025-2026 season |
Data as of Tuesday 20th January 2026 Total snowfall at base so far 515cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 49 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 36cm (on 12th January) November 2025 snowfall 29cm reported on 7 days December 2025 snowfall 189cm reported on 23 days January 2026 snowfall 297cm reported on 19 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.