Yuzawa Now: Sunday 20th December 2015
- Dec 20, 2015
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 23, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Yuzawa & Minamiuonuma region of Niigata
New snowfall at base 0cm
Snowfall at base this season 19cm
Posted on Sunday 20th December 2015 This is an archived report. The latest Yuzawa Now report can be found here.
Good morning from Yuzawa where early on there's quite a lot of cloud around, though the forecast for the day is still clearer skies and sun. Looks like it's already sunny up in the Naeba area so I expect things to clear up this morning.
It is currently hovering around 0C degrees.
As I mentioned in my afternoon update yesterday, the Maiko Snow Resort is this morning going to be part open. Their Gondola will take people up to the 6 courses that will be open in the Okusoeji area. Apparently there is fairly decent snow cover but it's still pretty thin on the ground up there. New gear not recommended!
Apart from that I don't think there's any resort operation changes since what was reported yesterday.
We didn't get any new cm of snow during the day yesterday even though it was snowing lightly at times. It remained cold during the day though.
Taking a look at the forecast for the coming week... realistically the decent snowfall that we all need is going to be with us around Friday. Before then it is going to be getting warmer than we would like with a mix of sun and perhaps at times rain. As much as I don't want to report that! But, what is due at the end of the week is looking promising so we must keep an eye on that.
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In situations like this, when there's not enough snow for places to open as planned, you might think that people would just be sitting around with spare time waiting for the snow.
For most people, it's almost the opposite of that. There's so many things to do and many of those things are far from interesting! Things like re-arranging plans and dealing with cancellations. So people are busy, but they are busy doing stuff that they would very much prefer not need be doing.
Christmas is of course coming up later this week and it is one of the first 'events' of the season and so everywhere would dearly like to be up and running by then. It does look like decent snow is due around the end of the week, but it's going to be tight.
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Resorts that are now at least part open (Sunday 20th December 2015) - subject to change:
Kagura
A large part of Kagura Mitsumata is now open with natural snow - basically most areas up to and including the main Kagura runs are skiable.
(Mitsumata Family course and Chibbiko area; Kagura main gelende, Giant, Technical, Panorama and Gondola courses).
A decent part of Kagura Tashiro is also now open - up to the Tashiro Number 1 high speed lift.
(Tashiro Ladies course, Shirakaba course, Tashiro Alyeska course, Tashiroko course, Number 1 high speed connecting course, Skyline course).
Note that the connecting courses between the main Kagura area and the Tashiro areas are not yet open.
Naeba
Lower Number 4 and 5 courses are open with the help of artificial snow, and from today the upper Takenokodaira course opens (natural snow).
GALA Yuzawa
GALA Yuzawa is open from this morning - the Melody and Entertainment courses in the main Central Area are open.
Maiko Snow Resort
From this morning the Gondola will be taking people up to the Okusoeji area where the two lifts will be operating and 6 courses open.
Okusoeji RanRan, GuiGui, RunRun, SuiSui, RakuRaku and SanSan courses open.
Muikamachi Hakkaisan
Muimamachi Hakkaisan has also opened today - the Technical course and Rakuraku A courses open with just two pair lifts operating (one to get to the open area). The Gondola is not open yet.
Resorts on standby to open as soon as there is enough snow to open:
Ipponsugi
Ishiuchi Maruyama
Iwappara
Joetsu Kokusai
Kagura (Tashiro)
Kandatsu Kogen
Ludens Yuzawa
Muikamachi Ski Resort
Nakazato Snow Wood
NASPA Ski Garden
Yuzawa Nakazato
Yuzawa Park
Yuzawa Kogen
Planning to open on Thursday 24th December:
Chateau Shiozawa
Planning to open on Friday 25th December:
Hakkaisanroku
Planning to open on Saturday 26th December:
Itsukamachi
Ishiuchi Hanaoka
Mt Granview
Yuzawa Now 2015-2016 season |
Data as of Sunday 20th December 2015 Total snowfall at base so far 19cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 2 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 15cm (18th December) November 2015 snowfall 0cm December 2015 snowfall 19cm reported on 2 days |
All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Yuzawa. 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.