Niseko Now: Wednesday 28th January 2026
- Jan 28
- 3 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 8cm
Snowfall at base this season 668cm
Good morning from Niseko.
It is a lovely morning with some blue sky and sunshine. With more fresh snow again, it should be a very fine morning and no doubt a lot of people are thinking exactly the same thing.
It feels like quite a long time ago when the new snowfall I report was 'just' a single digit.
豪華
I'm hoping that I can report at least some fresh snow in every report through until the 31st (and beyond of course). Tomorrow might be a broken link in the chain.
Whatever, putting together my monthly recap in a few days time is going to be fun!
Talking of which, I have some very important things to do... got to go... :)
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Moiwa base: -8℃, 7cm snowfall, calm. Moiwa 800m: -9.1℃, data n/a. Annupuri 1100m: -10.2℃, data n/a. Village 1000m: -9.3℃, N2.3m/s. Hirafu Hanazono 1000m: -9.9℃, data n/a, 5-7cm snowfall, calm. Hanazono 800m: -8.2℃, W0.1m/s. Sea of Japan Benkei cape N9m/s, Kamui cape E3m/s, 1012hPa.
Do not enter the recently designated restricted area Anbetsu. Yesterday, over 30 people entered the area, likely because ski lines are shown on map apps, and many received warnings. Please understand that this restriction is an unavoidable measure to prevent fatal accidents. Based on morning observations and data review, the general avalanche risk remains low. Avalanches are natural phenomena; accidents are caused by humans. There are no accidents due to force majeure; accidents can be prevented if everyone exercises caution. Most avalanche accidents occur during blizzards or other severe weather. Leeward slopes during snowstorms are avalanche nests; recognizing this as common sense can reduce accidents. All gates will be open. Follow the patrol’s instructions. Remember, this is a ski resort. Guests must follow the rules. Be alert for sudden weather changes. Have a good day.
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 17cm
Base: 13cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 290cm (+2cm change since yesterday)
Base: 200cm (-3cm 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: 15cm
Base: 15cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 370cm (-10cm change since yesterday)
Base: 175cm (+15cm 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: 295cm (+5cm change since yesterday)
Base: 195cm (-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: 20cm
Base: 20cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 260cm (+10cm change since yesterday)
Base: 210cm (+30cm 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 Wednesday 28th January 2026 Total snowfall at base so far 668cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 57 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 450cm reported on 27 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.