Independent snow and weather reporting from the Myoko region of Niigata New snowfall at base 1cm Snowfall at base this season 9cm Posted on Sunday 1st December 2024 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . A little pre-season report today. It is white out there, with a dusting of snow overnight. Let’s put 1cm on the record, just to note when we get snowfall. Today is the official opening of the mountain, with a meeting and ceremony at Akakan. The resorts give a quick report on new developments, so I’ll report if anything unusual happens (which I doubt). A little party afterwards, too, so hopefully the roads will clear up a bit before us locals find our way home later in the afternoon. Akakura Kanko: Planned opening December 14 Akakura Onsen: Planned opening December 14 Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick: Planned opening December 14 Myoko Suginohara: Planned opening December 21 Kyukamura RunRun: Planned opening December 21 Seki Onsen: 120cm, 00° Planned opening late December Tangram Madarao Tokyu Resort: Planned opening December 21 Madarao Mountain Resort: Planned opening December 14 Lotte Arai Resort: 187cm, 13° Gondola and Zendana lift Kurohime Kogen Snow Park: Planned opening December 21 Myoko Now 2024-2025 season Data as of Sunday 1st December 2024 Total snowfall at base so far 9cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 2 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 8cm (19th November) November 2024 snowfall 8cm reported on 1 day December 2024 snowfall 1cm reported on 1 day Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Myoko. 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Myoko region of Niigata New snowfall at base 0cm Snowfall at base this season 1048cm Posted on Sunday 31st March 2024 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . Here we are on the last day for most resorts, and your reporter is at one of the last events of the season, the Fischer Cup cross country race out in the woods and golf course between Ikenotaira and Akakura. We're not going to have new reports from the resorts, I fear, so I will tell you about the weather, which is not good, but at least there's still snow everywhere, which we really worried about early this season. It is really foggy out there at the moment, with some very fine rain at moments, but nothing you really notice (at least at the moment). The weather report says we could have rain or sun; maybe that comes together as fog, I don't know. I'll keep posting when something new comes up, and since I have a morning now out in the woods tomorrow I'll give a review of the season, and share some new info as well. Closing dates: Akakura Kanko: Today Akakura Onsen: Today Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick: Today Myoko Suginohara: Today Kyukamura Run Run: Closed Seki Onsen: May 12 (depending on snow, and it's really doubtful) Tangram Madarao Tokyu Resort: Today Madarao Mountain Resort: Today Lotte Arai Resort: May 12 (depending on snow) Kurohime Kogen Snow Park: Closed Akakura Kanko: 210cm, 7° All lifts except Champion No. 3 Akakura Onsen: 190cm, 5° (yesterday's report) Kumado No. 1 lift only Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick: 130cm, 5° (yesterday's report) Two lifts running today Myoko Suginohara: 110cm, 5° Gondola only Kyukamura RunRun: Closed Seki Onsen: 280cm, 00° (continuing a tradition of unchanged info) Tangram Madarao Tokyu Resort: 100cm, 5° (yesterday's report) Three of five lifts running Madarao Mountain Resort: 160cm, 6° Six lifts running Lotte Arai Resort: 348cm, 12.6° Kurohime Kogen Snow Park: Closed Myoko Now 2023-2024 season Data as of Sunday 31st March 2024 Total snowfall at base so far 1048cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 62 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 70cm (8th January) November 2023 snowfall 42cm reported on 1 day December 2023 snowfall 135cm reported on 9 days January 2024 snowfall 404cm reported on 19 days February 2024 snowfall 218 cm reported on 17 days March 2024 snowfall 249cm reported on 16 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Myoko. 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Myoko region of Niigata New snowfall at base 0cm Snowfall at base this season 1048cm Posted on Monday 1st April 2024 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . OK, the season is pretty much over, and what a strange one it was. Really low snow levels for most of the season; we never got multiple days of heavy snow, something we used to expect. Instead we'd get a day of snow, then a day of sun and warmer temperatures. Then March arrived (as the international crowds left) and the snow started to fall. And it's decided to stay pretty cold, although the recent winds have eaten up a lot of the snowpack. The closing day, too, kept up the craziness with soupy fog and almost zero visibility. Always something unexpected for 2023-24. The local opinion: people are nervous that this will be the new normal for us (and not just Myoko). Less snow, greater temperature changes, less safe conditions in the backcountry (and less access to our backcountry, which needs some pretty good snowfall early on to bury the small trees and vines and other obstacles - we have no Alpine zone here). There's lots of talk about the potential big investments coming in, and I know many of you have voiced your concerns too (and thanks for your affection for Myoko!), but a lot of the locals are simply saying, we might not have the snow in 10 or 20 years that will make any massive investment worth it. My own feeling is that this is a skier's mountain, with an amazing natural world all around, and not a place for shopping centers and glitzy five-star hotels. OK, we have the Akakura Kanko Hotel (and its ski area) which is one of the oldest ski resorts anywhere, and a multi-star hotel that also boasts a unique style with a lot of history behind it. I should note, too, that Akakan is not running this spring so construction can begin on the Sky Cable gondola. They're putting in new cabins that are taller/larger than the current ones, so the access areas have to be reconfigured. That's a welcome investment, because the gondola is pretty old and was never built for snowboards and bigger skis. My other rant: resorts, get your information up earlier in the morning! Maybe they're still thinking in the old style where people from the big cities are going to be coming to their favorite resort regardless of the conditions, so the websites are only there for confirmation (such as, are the lifts all running, etc.). The local tourist office does have an aggregator page where all the information is gathered, but it's not getting information any faster than I do by going through all the websites every morning (we don't give you half-baked information, readers, we're out there digging up the freshest news). But Seki Onsen isn't on there, and Seki's website is never updated (how long have they been posting 280cm of snow and 00°?). Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick gets a nod, too, for not updating regularly. At the other end is Lotte Arai, which is the most automated of all the websites, so new information is always available. My only grump with them is that the temperature data is from the base area, which is the lowest of the local resorts, while the snow depth info is from the deepest areas up high. I really felt this at the end of February when I was there at the base for a training session; there were bare spots and a base of about 50cm, while the resort posted a depth of three meters. But they do get snow there, and they will continue to operate through this month, so I'm not that bothered by the extremes. Just know before you go. I'll check back in if we do get a sudden snowfall, or if something interesting comes up. As a last note, though, there was some pretty good skiing this year, and I'm happy to say I was out a lot on both skis and snowshoes, gliding and sliding and checking out the beautiful natural world out there. And thanks to everybody who joined us here, too! Akakura Kanko: Closed Akakura Onsen: Closed Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick : Closed (special re-open on 6th/7th April) Myoko Suginohara: Closed Kyukamura RunRun: Closed Seki Onsen: 280cm, 0° Tangram Madarao Tokyu Resort: Closed Madarao Mountain Resort: Closed Arai Snow Resort: 38cm, 14.5° Kurohime Kogen Snow Park: Closed Myoko Now 2023-2024 season Data as of Monday 1st April 2024 Total snowfall at base so far 1048cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 62 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 70cm (8th January) November 2023 snowfall 42cm reported on 1 day December 2023 snowfall 135cm reported on 9 days January 2024 snowfall 404cm reported on 19 days February 2024 snowfall 218 cm reported on 17 days March 2024 snowfall 249cm reported on 16 days April 2024 snowfall 0cm Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Myoko. 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Myoko region of Niigata New snowfall at base 0cm Snowfall at base this season 1048cm Posted on Monday 8th April 2024 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . A quick update; nothing new on the snow front, except that it is melting very quickly now. There are some big patches on the slope below Akakura Kanko now (I'm just using this because it's the most public of the resorts in a lot of ways; I'm sure it's pretty much the same elsewhere). I have to add, though, that my favorite weather site is noting that there might be snow tomorrow evening, as a cold northwest wind comes in. I will let you know if things go white one last time.... Lotte Arai has moved its end date to May 6, and the bottom Sanroku 1 and 2 lifts are now closed. I will keep an eye on this, because I was in that area yesterday (more about flowers than snow) and, man, it is disappearing quickly. Arai Onsen is closed this week, although it will open again on Friday, April 12. Akakura Kanko: Closed Akakura Onsen: Closed Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick: Closed Myoko Suginohara: Closed Kyukamura RunRun: Closed Seki Onsen: Closed until Friday, April 12 Tangram Madarao Tokyu Resort: Closed Madarao Mountain Resort: Closed Lotte Arai Resort: 284cm, 12.4° Gondola and upper lifts Kurohime Kogen Snow Park: Closed Myoko Now 2023-2024 season Data as of Monday 8th April 2024 Total snowfall at base so far 1048cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 62 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 70cm (8th January) November 2023 snowfall 42cm reported on 1 day December 2023 snowfall 135cm reported on 9 days January 2024 snowfall 404cm reported on 19 days February 2024 snowfall 218 cm reported on 17 days March 2024 snowfall 249cm reported on 16 days April 2024 snowfall 0cm Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Myoko. 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Myoko region of Niigata New snowfall at base 0cm Snowfall at base this season 1048cm Posted on Saturday 27th April 2024 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . An update as we are officially down to one resort open, with Seki Onsen finally posting that the season is over. Good thing, too, as there is no snow on the ground over there (well, not enough to run a resort on). I'm not sure when Lotte Arai is closing, too, as they don't have the date posted anywhere. The town aggregator site still says May 6 as the last day, but the resort did earlier announce that they were going to close earlier than that. Sorry to be a bit unclear, but the end is coming soon.... Get out there now is what I am saying, and it will be a nice spring weekend, especially tomorrow when it will be sunny and quite warm. Akakura Kanko: Closed Akakura Onsen: Closed Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick: Closed Myoko Suginohara: Closed Kyukamura RunRun: Closed Seki Onsen: Closed Tangram Madarao Tokyu Resort: Closed Madarao Mountain Resort: Closed Lotte Arai Resort: 113cm, 15° Gondola and Zendana lift Kurohime Kogen Snow Park: Closed Myoko Now 2023-2024 season Data as of Saturday 27th April 2024 Total snowfall at base so far 1048cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 62 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 70cm (8th January) November 2023 snowfall 42cm reported on 1 day December 2023 snowfall 135cm reported on 9 days January 2024 snowfall 404cm reported on 19 days February 2024 snowfall 218 cm reported on 17 days March 2024 snowfall 249cm reported on 16 days April 2024 snowfall 0cm Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Myoko. 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Myoko region of Niigata New snowfall at base 0cm Snowfall at base this season 1048cm Posted on Monday 6th May 2024 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . Last day for snow fun in Myoko, and just barely. This is the final day at Lotte Arai, and it's just barely there, with a snowpack of 14cm at the top Zendana lift. I saw the ski area from below yesterday, and there was a nice, clean, white area of ski runs up there at the top. I have to give them credit, because as fast as the snow is melting, and as rapidly as the mountain is turning green from the base up, they were able to keep going to their planned final day. I have to add, though, that the wind has been blowing pretty steadily and strong from the southwest, so there is a chance of wind closures, and rain is also forecast. So if you're a hardcore skier, and you want bragging rights for being out on the last day, today is your chance. See you in autumn, when we preview the new season! The following message was originally posted in the Myoko Now report from 1st April 2024: OK, the season is pretty much over, and what a strange one it was. Really low snow levels for most of the season; we never got multiple days of heavy snow, something we used to expect. Instead we'd get a day of snow, then a day of sun and warmer temperatures. Then March arrived (as the international crowds left) and the snow started to fall. And it's decided to stay pretty cold, although the recent winds have eaten up a lot of the snowpack. The closing day, too, kept up the craziness with soupy fog and almost zero visibility. Always something unexpected for 2023-24. The local opinion: people are nervous that this will be the new normal for us (and not just Myoko). Less snow, greater temperature changes, less safe conditions in the backcountry (and less access to our backcountry, which needs some pretty good snowfall early on to bury the small trees and vines and other obstacles - we have no Alpine zone here). There's lots of talk about the potential big investments coming in, and I know many of you have voiced your concerns too (and thanks for your affection for Myoko!), but a lot of the locals are simply saying, we might not have the snow in 10 or 20 years that will make any massive investment worth it. My own feeling is that this is a skier's mountain, with an amazing natural world all around, and not a place for shopping centers and glitzy five-star hotels. OK, we have the Akakura Kanko Hotel (and its ski area) which is one of the oldest ski resorts anywhere, and a multi-star hotel that also boasts a unique style with a lot of history behind it. I should note, too, that Akakan is not running this spring so construction can begin on the Sky Cable gondola. They're putting in new cabins that are taller/larger than the current ones, so the access areas have to be reconfigured. That's a welcome investment, because the gondola is pretty old and was never built for snowboards and bigger skis. My other rant: resorts, get your information up earlier in the morning! Maybe they're still thinking in the old style where people from the big cities are going to be coming to their favorite resort regardless of the conditions, so the websites are only there for confirmation (such as, are the lifts all running, etc.). The local tourist office does have an aggregator page where all the information is gathered, but it's not getting information any faster than I do by going through all the websites every morning (we don't give you half-baked information, readers, we're out there digging up the freshest news). But Seki Onsen isn't on there, and Seki's website is never updated (how long have they been posting 280cm of snow and 00°?). Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick gets a nod, too, for not updating regularly. At the other end is Lotte Arai, which is the most automated of all the websites, so new information is always available. My only grump with them is that the temperature data is from the base area, which is the lowest of the local resorts, while the snow depth info is from the deepest areas up high. I really felt this at the end of February when I was there at the base for a training session; there were bare spots and a base of about 50cm, while the resort posted a depth of three meters. But they do get snow there, and they will continue to operate through this month, so I'm not that bothered by the extremes. Just know before you go. I'll check back in if we do get a sudden snowfall, or if something interesting comes up. As a last note, though, there was some pretty good skiing this year, and I'm happy to say I was out a lot on both skis and snowshoes, gliding and sliding and checking out the beautiful natural world out there. And thanks to everybody who joined us here, too! Myoko Now 2023-2024 season Data as of Monday 6th May 2024 Total snowfall at base so far 1048cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 62 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 70cm (8th January) November 2023 snowfall 42cm reported on 1 day December 2023 snowfall 135cm reported on 9 days January 2024 snowfall 404cm reported on 19 days February 2024 snowfall 218 cm reported on 17 days March 2024 snowfall 249cm reported on 16 days April 2024 snowfall 0cm May 2024 snowfall 0cm Previous report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Myoko. 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 0cm Snowfall at base this season 2cm Good afternoon. I'm just posting a quick report to let you know about some colder conditions since early morning today and a bit of snow falling around lunchtime. It did not really amount to much more than a dusting around some base areas and perhaps a little more than that higher up. Webcam updates on the site are upcoming. As you might imagine, around this time of year there are tons of different things to be updated. And such updates are, I believe, happening every day. But they can't all be done at the same time! So, patience, friends. The Niseko United ski areas all open to open on Saturday 29th November. Niseko Now 2025-2026 season Data as of Friday 7th November 2025 Total snowfall at base so far 2cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 1 day Most snowfall observed in 1 day 2cm (1st November) November 2025 snowfall 2cm reported on 1 day Previous report Next report 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Myoko region of Niigata New snowfall at base 2cm Snowfall at base this season 799cm Posted on Thursday 29th February 2024 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . I wish I had been more forceful in my message yesterday, about the potential dangers out there after all that wind and snow.... Two accidents, one injury, one fatality. It's always tough, because you know it's people out there to have fun who are involved. Take the gear, have the education, get as much info as possible. That's not our main thing here, of course, but I will add a few notes when we can see the danger level increasing! Otherwise, it's going to be a great day of skiing. The snow is good, the sun is out, the mountains are beautiful. Savor every turn! Akakura Kanko: 190cm, -6° Akakura Onsen: 205cm, -3° Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick: 140cm, -7° (yesterday's report) Myoko Suginohara: 110cm, -6° Kyukamura RunRun: 150cm, -4° Seki Onsen: 280cm, -3° Tangram Madarao Tokyu Resort: 120cm, -3° (yesterday's report) Madarao Mountain Resort: 140cm, -2.8° Lotte Arai Resort: 323cm, 1.6° Kurohime Kogen Snow Park: 70cm, -4° Myoko Now 2023-2024 season Data as of Thursday 29th February 2024 Total snowfall at base so far 799cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 46 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 70cm (8th January) November 2023 snowfall 42cm reported on 1 day December 2023 snowfall 135cm reported on 9 days January 2024 snowfall 404cm reported on 19 days February 2024 snowfall 218 cm reported on 17 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Myoko. 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Myoko region of Niigata New snowfall at base 7cm Snowfall at base this season 69cm Posted on Monday 18th December 2023 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . Not much to report, with the potential of heavy snow resulting in just seven centimeters overnight. The coming days could be interesting, though; we might get a bunch or, as the winds shift to the west, the coastline might get hit more heavily. It happened about this time last year; my car got buried at the Niigata Airport, right on the coast, where the snow usually falls fast and horizontally and not in huge quantities. Always interesting this time of year — and as I have often written (and told tons of people expecting early-December skiing in Myoko), think Christmas Day to get out there. We do have one area open, though, if on a very limited scale. Lotte Arai has opened the gondola and upper Zendana lift. They're listing a meter of snow as the base, so just enough to get things going. Otherwise, all the other resorts are either now waiting, or planning for the 23rd. It will come. Myoko Now 2023-2024 season Data as of Monday 18th December 2023 Total snowfall at base so far 69cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 3 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 42cm (25th November) November 2023 snowfall 42cm reported on 1 day December 2023 snowfall 27cm reported on 2 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Myoko. 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Myoko region of Niigata New snowfall at base 8cm Snowfall at base this season 1029cm Posted on Sunday 9th April 2023 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . As the forecast predicted, snow overnight in Myoko! The crazy season continues.... Not enough to change conditions on the slopes, really; they maybe got 10cm or a bit more up high, so it looks nice, anyway, even if you still can't ski down to the base at Akakan. There were a lot of bare spots at Seki Onsen, too, but I'm not sure what the conditions are. But there's still a day of skiing to be enjoyed; the sun is out; that snow did make things nice and white; and we even had the unusual sight of snow on some almost-open cherry blossoms around the base of the areas. Just to repeat, here's the year-end report previously posted: It's been an unusual season in many ways. We did see the return of international tourism, not to pre-covid levels yet, but there a lot of people did come and visit, despite pretty high airfare and the inconvenience (for European travelers in particular) of much longer flights due to the situation in Eastern Europe. So thanks to them for coming to visit! Pretty low snow levels in January meant it was a tough to get out in the backcountry. Just a note to future visitors: don't expect to be able to get out in the backcountry until maybe mid-January, even in a good snow year. There's no real Alpine terrain here, so you need a lot of snow to cover all the small trees, vines and stuff that make up our summer jungle (and this is true for many of Japan's great backcountry destinations). It's not a problem in the resorts, of course - but even for the resorts, think Christmas Day to really be sure the runs will be open and all the lifts running. There's been more international investment in the area, too, with two of the resorts now owned by non-Japanese companies, although the actual running of the areas was still handled by the existing domestic teams. Let's see what develops in the coming seasons; the main thing is that things are changing, as always. Hopefully (as I've often mentioned this season) they will be more proactive in using their websites to get information out earlier. The city does have a page that collects information, too, but many people will go directly to the resort's page first (why look at everything if you want to get specific information?), so they really should update their own site first. But many don't. And that is the end of that rant for the season. And there's still skiing available, and I think spring is a great time to get out and enjoy a good slide. White snow and new green leaves; suntans and cold beverages..... Akakura Kanko: 60cm, 0° Myokokogen Sky Cable gondola and Hotel No. 3 lift (no longer possible to ski to the base) Scheduled closing: Today Akakura Onsen: Closed Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick Closed Myoko Suginohara: Closed Seki Onsen: 180cm, no temp. info Scheduled closing: Today Kyukamura RunRun: Closed Tangram Madarao Tokyu Resort: Closed Madarao Mountain Resort: Closed Lotte Arai Resort 257cm, 8° Arai Gondola, Zendana and Okenashi lifts Scheduled closing: May 14 Kurohime Kogen Snow Park Closed Myoko Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Sunday 9th April 2023 Total snowfall at base so far 1029cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 57 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 66cm (21st February) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 134cm reported on 19 days January 2023 snowfall 491cm reported on 19 days February 2023 snowfall 371cm reported on 15 days March 2023 snowfall 25cm reported on 3 days April 2023 snowfall 8cm reported on 1 day Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Myoko. 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Myoko region of Niigata New snowfall at base 0cm Snowfall at base this season 1029cm Posted on Monday 8th May 2023 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . Time for the official close of the 2022-2023 ski season, with Lotte Arai finally closing down the last runs at the top of the mountain. Even there, we have some conflicting information on their website, because while they do say things end on May 7, they still have two lifts and two runs marked as operating (and this is on the Japanese-language site). Looks like it's info from a few days ago, so I think we can be sure that there's no official ski area operation going on. But thanks to them for making the most of the low season-end snow; I know there were events and ski school activities that could only be completed because Lotte Arai kept going. So now it's waiting time again! There's still snow up on the high mountains, with green foliage now marching pretty much all the way up to the top of Mt. Myoko. Treeless, slightly higher Mt. Hiuchi to the northwest of Myoko is still shining and white; the famous Haneuma snow shape will soon appear on the north slopes of Mt. Myoko, as will the Chinese character for mountain (山, or yama) about to emerge right below the east summit of Mt. Myoko. There's some local details for you. Thanks for coming by this year; let's hope for a little more snow next season, and look forward to seeing you sooner than we might think now! Just for the record, here's the previously posted message (originally posted at the end of the main season): It's been an unusual season in many ways. We did see the return of international tourism, not to pre-covid levels yet, but there a lot of people did come and visit, despite pretty high airfare and the inconvenience (for European travelers in particular) of much longer flights due to the situation in Eastern Europe. So thanks to them for coming to visit! Pretty low snow levels in January meant it was a tough to get out in the backcountry. Just a note to future visitors: don't expect to be able to get out in the backcountry until maybe mid-January, even in a good snow year. There's no real Alpine terrain here, so you need a lot of snow to cover all the small trees, vines and stuff that make up our summer jungle (and this is true for many of Japan's great backcountry destinations). It's not a problem in the resorts, of course - but even for the resorts, think Christmas Day to really be sure the runs will be open and all the lifts running. There's been more international investment in the area, too, with two of the resorts now owned by non-Japanese companies, although the actual running of the areas was still handled by the existing domestic teams. Let's see what develops in the coming seasons; the main thing is that things are changing, as always. Hopefully (as I've often mentioned this season) they will be more proactive in using their websites to get information out earlier. The city does have a page that collects information, too, but many people will go directly to the resort's page first (why look at everything if you want to get specific information?), so they really should update their own site first. But many don't. And that is the end of that rant for the season. And there's still skiing available, and I think spring is a great time to get out and enjoy a good slide. White snow and new green leaves; suntans and cold beverages..... Myoko Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Monday 8th May 2023 Total snowfall at base so far 1029cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 57 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 66cm (21st February) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 134cm reported on 19 days January 2023 snowfall 491cm reported on 19 days February 2023 snowfall 371cm reported on 15 days March 2023 snowfall 25cm reported on 3 days April 2023 snowfall 8cm reported on 1 day Previous report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Myoko. 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Myoko region of Niigata New snowfall at base 0cm Snowfall at base this season 1021cm Posted on Tuesday 28th March 2023 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . I wanted to put up a report, even if it is late/midday, just to update the resort information, since I've been out early in the morning and they don't report early (most, anyway). There is nice snow out there, I have to say! With the blue skies and warm temperatures we're going to be having up to the end of the month (at least), it's still great to be out on the hill. I'll do a windup of the main season after this weekend, since we'll be down to just a few resorts still operating (and we're all wondering how long they really can go, because it is not a generous snowpack out there!) Please note that the temperatures (and image) were as of early in the morning; it's about 14° now. Akakura Kanko: 130cm, 2° Champion #3 not running Scheduled closing: May 7 Akakura Onsen: 130cm, -1° Yodel Nos. 1, 4, 5; Kumado 1 and 4 lifts Scheduled closing: April 2 Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick Closed Myoko Suginohara: Closed Seki Onsen: Still says 300cm and 00°, but there’s not that much snow out there Scheduled closing: April 9 Kyukamura RunRun: 90cm, 4° Scheduled closing: this weekend? Tangram Madarao Tokyu Resort: 60cm, 2° Lifts 1, 3, 5 running Scheduled closing: April 2 Madarao Mountain Resort: 110cm, 1° Lifts Nos. 1, 2, 3 only Scheduled closing: April 2 Lotte Arai Resort 300cm, 11.5° Scheduled closing: May 14 Kurohime Kogen Snow Park Closed Myoko Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Tuesday 28th March 2023 Total snowfall at base so far 1021cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 56 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 66cm (21st February) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 134cm reported on 19 days January 2023 snowfall 491cm reported on 19 days February 2023 snowfall 371cm reported on 15 days March 2023 snowfall 25cm reported on 3 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Myoko. 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com