General message from SnowJapan (added 20th April 2020):

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Original report:

Good morning from Niseko.

Today is the last day of operations at Niseko Grand Hirafu and therefore all of the ski lifts here in Niseko. Particularly gnarly folk may well continue their adventures, but the official ski season at the ski areas ends at 4:30pm today.

It has been a rather sad and sudden - or perhaps not so sudden? - end to the 2019-2020 season. This is the first time I can remember the season not finishing at the end of Golden Week in early May.
All for good reason, of course.

We end the season with Niseko Grand Hirafu still officially reporting a snow depth of 275cm on their upper slopes. (It’s a different discussion but worth noting that Niseko Annupuri were reporting 150cm on their upper slopes as of last Friday).

I find myself with little else to add to what I wrote a few weeks ago in my last monthly wrap up (here) and what I have been posting since then.

I suppose to sum up this season, in my humble opinion:

- Kind of odd
- Flashes of excellence
- ...but far from being a classic
- Below average (for Niseko)
- ...but good compared to lots of Japan
- Coronavirus
- 728cm of snowfall observed at base
- Toast

While that final snowfall number might be low for us, I am guessing that many ski areas in the world would love to be able to get that much snow at base.

Here’s my final observed snowfall totals for each of the last 8 seasons, for your let’s comparing pleasure.

2019-2020 season: 728cm
2018-2019 season: 951cm
2017-2018 season: 1,260cm
2016-2017 season: 688cm
2015-2016 season: 992cm
2014-2015 season: 1,144cm
2013-2014 season: 1,163cm
2012-2013 season: 1,491cm

Remember, my observed numbers are from base – there is more snow up there on the mountain.

All of these numbers can be found on the data tables below, the archived reports and the Snowfall Analysis page of this section. There’s lots of reading to be had.

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A big otsukaresama deshita to all the good people involved in helping everyone enjoy the winter here in Niseko. There are a lot of them.

To the many fine people I met on lifts and chatted with through the season: it was a pleasure. (Even if you didn’t know it was me!)

And a big shout-out and respect for my friends at SnowJapan.com for providing this truly wonderful and unique platform. I am not here without them. You can say 'thank you' to them simply by letting other people know about SnowJapan.com.

With my decision last Friday I thought that I was going to unfortunately be missing some reports if the ski areas had continued operating. In the end they made their decisions and I have been able to keep to my record of posting every day - a (very) small personal pleasure. I love writing these reports. I love Niseko and Japan. It is disappointing to be finishing the season like this.

It is now time for me to fill up on toast and then go into hibernation for about six months.

I hope that when I return, there will be much brighter news around the world. That we will all be here and safe and healthy. And that we will be starting to get excited about the prospect of winter 2020-2021.

I thank you for reading the Niseko Now reports.

See you in November.

Bai-bai.