Niseko Now: Saturday 22nd January 2022
- Jan 22, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 7, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 4cm
Snowfall at base this season 628cm
Posted on Saturday 22nd January 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Hello and good morning from Niseko.
It is a beautiful morning here. Lovely (borrowing the word from my Hakuba reporter friend) blue skies and bright sunshine. The top area of Mt Yotei is covered in cloud but it's blue all around that. Very photogenic. Such clear skies might not last the day as we are expecting more cloud.
Oh yes, there's some fresh snowfall as well. Just a little, slightly over 4cm. After the fab run of consistent snowfall we have enjoyed, forecasts do seem to be pointing to a quieter week ahead of us. We might get light snow at times, but it will probably just be light. Nothing major. As long as it stays cold, that should be fine - after all, we have a lot of snow!
Everywhere should be opening as scheduled this morning. The Holiday pair is up and running again at Hirafu for the weekend.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Moiwa base -6℃, 15cm new snow, light wind. Moiwa 800m: -8℃, N10m/s, 20cm new snow, cornice & snowdrift development. Annupuri 1150m: -9℃, strong N wind, snowdrift development, good visibility. Hirafu peak ridge: -11℃, strong N wind, snowdrift development, intermittent snow. Coastal data Benkei cape: NNW8m/s, Kamui cape: N8m/s, 1023hPa, 1.0m waves.
Above 800 snow drift development continues with the northerly snow wind. From 3am the isobars started to move apart and the wind drop. This year there has been a lot of wind blown snow buildup in SW gullies and under knolls around 1000m due to the persistent strong N winds. Care needs to be taken even on clear days in strong winds, avalanches can easily occur on weak layers within the snowdrifts. Peak gates are expected to open depending on lift operations. Please listen to the patrols advice and prepare before exiting the gates. The avalanche risk on south facing valley sidewalls like Kozan no Sawa continues. The avalanche risk 900-1000m on SW faces of Nitipuri and Chisepuri is also high. Take care on wind scoured ridges, there will be snowdrift buildup on leeward slopes. Off the side of the groomers and in the trees the avalanche risk is low. Have a good day.
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Planned ski area operations: Saturday 22nd January 2022
The below snow depth and snowfall data is manually checked each morning from official sources.
Lift information is the planned operations for the day (nature might intervene).
Niseko Grand Hirafu
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 330cm (no change)
- Base: 160cm (no change)
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 10cm
- Base: 10cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Ace Family quad
- Ace Number 2 Center Four quad [* open for night skiing until 7:00pm]
- Hirafu Gondola
- Holiday Number 1 pair
- King Number 3 quad
- King Number 4
- Swinging Monkey
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 270cm (no change)
- Base: 208cm (-2cm)
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 5cm
- Base: 7cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Hanazono Number 1
- Hanazono Number 2 quad
- Hanazono Number 3 quad
- Hanazono Symphony Gondola [* open for night skiing until 7:00pm]
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Niseko Annupuri
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 250cm (no change)
- Base: 185cm (no change)
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 6cm
- Base: 5cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- All lifts operating
- Annupuri Gondola
- Dream Number 1 quad
- Jumbo Number 1 quad [* open for night skiing until 7:30pm]
- Jumbo Number 2 pair
- Jumbo Number 4 pair
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Niseko Village
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 240cm no change
- Base: 180cm no change
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 0cm
- Base: 0cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Niseko Gondola
- Village Express
- Community Chair [* open for night skiing until 7:00pm]
- Banzai Chair
- Morino Chair
- Wonderland Chair
Niseko Now 2021-2022 season |
Data as of Saturday 22nd January 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 628cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 50 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (23rd December) November 2021 snowfall 85cm reported on 6 days December 2021 snowfall 307cm reported on 23 days January 2022 snowfall 236cm reported on 21 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.