Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 5cm Snowfall at base this season 279cm Posted on Friday 23rd December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here While yesterday started off nice early on, sadly, that didn't last. We got rained on, which is always kind of annoying. It did turn to snow overnight and has left us with some wet cm of snow, though that delightfully fluffy look isn't a feature of this morning. Hopefully, we will be able to erase the memory of that fairly quickly with the snowfall that is due ahead of us. It feels relatively mild this morning and cloudy, but we should be back to more like normal service pretty quickly. Don't want to disappoint Santa! The gondola at Hanazono is not opening on time this morning. Not sure why. Very possibly, it's just a temporary delay. In ski area news, the Konayuki run at Hirafu is now open. And back on the subject of night skiing. From tomorrow the Ace Family Quad lift will join the Ace Number 2 Quad Center for night skiing at Niseko Grand Hirafu. Until 7:00pm, of course. ;) --------------- Niseko Avalanche Report Mountain base: +2℃, light winds , 10cm wet snow over last 12hrs. Moiwa 800m: -1℃, 10cm snowfall, light winds, heavy snow, thick fog, poor visibility. Annupuri 1000m: -3℃, 10cm snowfall, light wind, good visibility once above clouds. Hirafu Hanazono 1000m: -4℃, light winds, 10cm wet snowfall, minor snowdrift development. Coastal data: Benkei cape S2m/s, Kamui cape ENE5m/s, 985hPa, 0.9m waves. Currently we are under a low pressure trough with light winds and calm seas on the western Sea of Japan. Above 1000m cold air is flowing in, however below 800m there is warm air and wet snow accumulating. It looks like Niigata out there. Above the treeline only a small amount of new snow has fallen and minor snowdrift development. Conditions are not as bad as expected but they are still a bit tricky. If the atmospheric pressure gradient steepens, wind and snow will pick up above 1000m and the avalanche risk will rapidly increase. Pay attention to weather changes. If we get a strong NE wind >20m/s a thin hard crust will form on Back bowl side wall, making shallow surface avalanches likely. Expect to slide a long way at high speed. Best to not enter these valleys from the Goshiki side. This information is provided for the safety of all skiers and boarders. Most accidents can be avoided with caution. The 25th Niseko Avalanche Meeting is on at the Niseko Choumin Center 4pm today. See the Niseko Town website for details. Snow conditions are slowly getting better. Be careful not to fall into a creek. Have a good day. --------------- Ski area information for Friday 23rd December 2022 The below snow depth and snowfall numbers are manually checked each morning from official sources. Lift information is the planned operations for the day at the time of writing. Official snow depth numbers in brackets show the change since previous report. Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 0cm - Base: 0cm Official snow depth (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 195cm (+15cm since yesterday) - Base: 70cm (-10cm since yesterday) Lifts: - Ace Family quad [* FROM TOMORROW open until for 7:00pm for night skiing] - Ace Number 2 quad (Center Four) [* open until for 7:00pm for night skiing] - Hirafu Gondola - Holiday Number 1 pair - King Number 3 quad Courses: - All courses are now open except Large, Miharashi and Dynamic ------- Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 20cm - Base: 10cm Official snow depth (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 140cm (+13cm since yesterday) - Base: 90cm (-10cm since yesterday) Lifts: - Hanazono Number 1 - Hanazono Number 2 quad - Hanazono Number 3 quad - Hanazono Symphony Gondola [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing] ------- Niseko Annupuri Kokusai Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 10cm - Base: 10cm Official snow depth (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 130cm (-15cm since yesterday) - Base: 100cm (-5cm since yesterday) Lifts: - Annupuri Gondola - Dream Number 1 quad - Jumbo Number 1 quad [* open until 7:30pm for night skiing] - Jumbo Number 2 pair ------- Niseko Village Ski Resort Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 0cm - Base: 0cm Official snow depth (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 95cm (-15cm since yesterday) - Base: 90cm (-5cm since yesterday) Lifts: - Niseko Gondola - Village Express - Community Chair [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing] - Banzai Chair [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing] ------- Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort Lifts: - Number 1 pair lift - Number 2 pair lift - Quad lift Niseko Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Friday 23rd December 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 279cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 26 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 21cm (17th December) November 2022 snowfall 17cm reported on 5 days December 2022 snowfall 262cm reported on 21 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 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 Geto Kogen region of Iwate New snowfall at base 16cm Snowfall at base this season 479cm Posted on Friday 23rd December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Geto Kogen Now report can be found here . Morning from Geto Kogen. It started as rain, but overnight we have 15 plus cm of fresh snow on the ground and some blue skies now. Should be a very fine morning out there. Snow might well be back quickly today as forecasts tell us to expect changeable conditions and maybe some strong winds too. Christmas weekend should be very snowy. Snowfall statistics (as reported by the ski area): New snowfall (top): 20cm Current snow depth (top): 190cm Current snow depth (base): 120cm Total season snowfall so far at top: 572cm Lifts: - Number 1 Gondola - Number 1 pair lift - Number 2 pair lift - Quad lift Courses: - All normal courses now open (tree run courses to follow later) Geto Kogen Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Friday 23rd December 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 479cm Number of days snowfall observed 17 days Most snowfall observed on 1 day 100cm (on 16th December) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 479cm observed 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 Geto Kogen. 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 Furano region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 14cm Snowfall at base this season 216cm Posted on Friday 23rd December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Furano Now report can be found here . The strong wind of yesterday has passed and wind conditions are calm this morning. Yesterday the temperatures climbed into warm territory and the brought rain to the town last night. This has now changed to snow, and there is 14cm of new snow at base level. Visibility conditions are fair. Snow is wet and heavy. Kitanomine Zone begins operation this morning. The Kitanomine quad chair, Kitanomine 2 and link lift will be operating. The link course will be open, so skiers can take the link lift from Kitanomine Zone over to Furano Zone, and then ski back. Operating lifts: Prince Romance Lift Downhill Romance chair 2 Furano Ropeway Kitanomine quad chair Kitanomine 2 chair Furano Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Friday 23rd December 2022 Total snowfall at base 216cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 20 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (15th and 18th December) November 2022 snowfall 2cm reported on 1 day December 2022 snowfall 214cm reported on 19 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 Furano. 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 5cm Snowfall at base this season 44cm Posted on Friday 23rd December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . Another day when it seems like it's snowing everywhere except where it normally does. I think we can point to some super-strong winds sweeping along the coastline, dropping lots of snow in places like Kita-Kyushu, Hiroshima, Kanazawa (yes, I've been watching the morning shows today). People who've been in the area over the past few years will probably remember when Joetsu City, on the coast just to the north of us, got absolutely buried in snow (a friend couldn't move his car for days), while the sun came out amidst light flurries up on the peaks here. Appears to be a similar case of the winds that usually hit the mountains and give us tons of snow are instead moving along the ocean side of the coastal mountains and dropping snow there. But it is snowing here; the wind is gusting now and then. It's still not Christmas Day, which I still see as the typical day when we should have a good amount of snow on the ground. At least enough to have most ski runs going. Could still happen! The reporting from the resorts is kind of all over today (see below). The weather report says it's colder than they're reporting; Tangram and Madarao apparently have stopped running the one lift each had going; impossible to know in the morning what Lotte Arai is doing.... At least the rain is gone. Openings and operations Akakura Kanko: 50, 2° Myokokogen Sky Cable, Hotel No. 3, No. 5 lifts Akakura Onsen: 15cm, 3° Waiting for snow Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick Rescheduled opening to December 24, but they’re also noting a possible delay Myoko Suginohara: Saturday, December 24 Seki Onsen: Friday, December 23 Kyukamura RunRun: Waiting for snow Tangram Ski Circus: 10cm, -5° Lift not running today; waiting for more snow Madarao Mountain Resort: 5cm, 2° Lift not running today; waiting for more snow Lotte Arai Resort 143cm, 1° Unknown: all the lifts are marked with “x” (no go), and they haven’t added any comments for today (and I won't go to the patrol's Twitter account, just because....) Kurohime Kogen Snow Park Saturday, December 24 Myoko Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Friday 23rd December 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 44cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 13 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 8cm (15th December) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 44cm reported on 13 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 Shiga Kogen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 3cm Snowfall at base this season 58cm Posted on Friday 23rd December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Shiga Kogen Now report can be found here . It's bright at the moment, but another storm is brewing. It is going to be interesting to see how it shapes up. That last one deposited large amounts of snow in some irregular locations and missed others that expect it. We shall see... heavy snow, please! It is already quite windy this morning. Today I see the Ichinose quad lift is being prepared and it looks like a few more lifts at Yokoteyama and Shibutoge are opening. A few days of heavy snow and we will quickly see many more of the ski areas and lifts opening. Fingers crossed. The information below is manually checked with official sources and updated for every report. Please note that details can change quickly, especially at the beginning of the season, and official information may take a bit longer to update. All information is subject to change. Ichinose Family - 3 ski lifts operating (Ichinose Quad, Number 2 pair AB) - Official snow depth: 25cm Kumanoyu - 2 ski lifts operating (Number 2 pair AB) - Official snow depth: 35cm Takamagahara Mammoth - 1 ski lift operating (Number 2 triple) - Official snow depth: 40cm Yakebitaiyama - 2 ski lifts operating (Number 2 quad and Number 4 romance pair) - Official snow depth: 50cm Yokoteyama - 5 ski lifts operating (Number 1 Sky B, Number 2 Sky, Number 3 Sky, Number 4 pair, Shibutoge) - Official snow depth: 50cm Shiga Kogen Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Friday 23rd December 2022 Total snowfall at base 58cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 17 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 7cm (11th and 18th December) November 2022 snowfall 6cm reported on 2 days December 2022 snowfall 52cm reported on 15 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 Shiga Kogen. 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 Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 2cm Snowfall at base this season 13cm Posted on Friday 23rd December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . After the wet of yesterday, this morning we have another dusting of white down to lower areas. Though, curiously, the ski area isn't reporting any fresh snowfall - even up top. Cloudy skies around the region as of 8am with the sun shining through, so it is quite bright in places. It's due to start snowing late today and through the weekend. Let's see what nature deals this time. Big numbers please! Fresh snowfall since yesterday morning (reported by the ski area): - Yamabiko: 0cm - Uenotaira: 0cm - Hikage: 0cm - Nagasaka: 0cm - Karasawa: 0cm Official snow depth numbers (reported by the ski area): - Yamabiko: 45cm - Uenotaira: 45cm - Hikage: - - Nagasaka: - - Karasawa: - Lifts: - Nagasaka Gondola (8:30am open) - Hikage Gondola (8:30am open) - Yamabiko Number 2 Four quad - Yamabiko Four quad - Skyline pair - Uenotaira quad - Yu Road (8:00am open) Courses: - Yamabiko A - Yamabiko B - Yamabiko C - Yamabiko D - Yamabiko E - Uenotaira - Uenotaira Family Lane - Kokenashi AB The top section of the ski area is now open. You need to get a gondola back down to base. Nozawa Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Friday 23rd December 2022 Total snowfall at base 13cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 7 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 4cm (20th December) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 13cm reported on 7 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 Nozawa Onsen. 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 Madarao region of Nagano New snowfall at base 5cm Snowfall at base this season 35cm Weather overview Cloud Wind Light Temperature - Visibility Fair Posted on Friday 23rd December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Madarao Now report can be found here . Hello from Madarao. There's some fresh snow on the ground since yesterday, around 5cm or so, and that is what Madarao is reporting too. We had some blue sky earlier on but it's more grey and cloudy now. It's not what I want to report, but Madarao is not opening today. That follows on from yesterday when Tangram was closed too (I didn't catch that in my early report). We just need snow. The next few days should really see things change, and I look forward to the prospect of telling you about it. Come on!!! Madarao Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Friday 23rd December 2022 Total snowfall at base 35cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 10 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 7cm (on 12th December) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 35cm reported on 10 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 Madarao. 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 Hakuba region of Nagano New snowfall at base 7cm Snowfall at base this season 107cm Posted on Friday 23rd December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Hakuba Now report can be found here . Good morning from Hakuba. Ski areas this morning generally reporting 5-10cm of fresh snow, with Cortina coming in with 15-20cm. Forecasts are looking very good for potentially heavy snow. It might not sound ideal (to some) for the Christmas weekend, but it should help let ski areas further open up and let us approach that ideal 'fully open' status. Sanosaka did a 'pre-open' yesterday, I hear, and Kashimayari is opening from tomorrow. That means that from tomorrow all of the ski areas in the region should be open. By the way, my reports might need to be be a little later than usual over the coming few days. My apologies in advance for that. --------------- ABLE Hakuba Goryu Mostly open Lifts: - Telecabin gondola - Alps Number 1 pair - Alps Number 3 pair - Toomi quad - Milky Four - Number 1 high speed pair - Number 6 pair Courses: - Panorama - Grand Prix - Technical - Super - Champion Dynamic - Woody - Toomi - Soft Cream - Merry Land - Powder Snow Official snow depth: - Upper: 160cm - Toomi: 65cm ------- Hakuba 47 Winter Sports Park Open Lifts: - All lifts (* Line D usually only opens when the Gondola is closed) Courses: - All main courses - Tree Riding Zones will open at a later date Official snow depth: - Upper: 160cm - Base: 75cm ------- Hakuba Happo-one Mostly open Lifts: - Alpen quad - Happo Riesen quad - Nakiyama Number 3 triple - Adam Gondola - Shirakaba Number 1 pair - Panorama pair - Kokusai Number 1 pair - Kokusai Number 3 pair - Kurobishi Number 2 quad - Skyline Number 2 pair - Sakka Kitaone quad - Sakka Number 2 pair Courses: - Most runs are now open - Top Riesen Grad quad not available yet Official snow depth: - Kurobushi (1680m): 170cm - Usagidaira (1400m): 134cm - Nakiyama (800m): 50cm ------- Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field Part open (Mountain Side) Lifts: - Noah Gondola - View 2 - 4 Sen East - 5 Sen South Courses: - East - South / Five Side (part) - Iwatake Back Bowl (part) Official snow depth: - Upper: 90cm - Base: 20cm ------- Hakuba Cortina Part open Lifts: - Number 1 pair - Number 2 quad - Number 4 pair Courses: - Ikenoda - Ipponmatsu - Hiedayama 1 - Hiedayama Rinkan - Itabira Official snow depth: - Upper: 115cm ------- Tsugaike Mountain Resort Part open Lifts: - Eve Gondola - Tsuga Number 2 pair - Han-no-ki pair lift - Han-no-ki Number 3 quad - Maruyama Number 1 quad - Tsugaike Chuo triple lift Courses: - Han-no-ki - Courses down to gondola base Official snow depth: - Upper: 143cm - Base: 52cm Hakuba Now 2022-2023 season Data as Friday 23rd December 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 107cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 11 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 23cm (15th December) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 107cm reported on 11 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 Hakuba. 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 Furano region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 1cm Snowfall at base this season 202cm Posted on Thursday 22nd December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Furano Now report can be found here . Winds around the base area are very strong and the resort has advised that lift operations are likely to be affected by the wind. It is clear sky above and visibility is good. There is only a dusting of snow since yesterday. It is a wintery start to the day at -6c but the high will push through to a warm +3c. Operating lifts: Prince Romance Lift Downhill Romance chair 2 Furano Ropeway Lift operations may be suspended due to strong wind. Furano Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Thursday 22nd December 2022 Total snowfall at base 202cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 19 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (15th and 18th December) November 2022 snowfall 2cm reported on 1 day December 2022 snowfall 200cm reported on 18 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 Furano. 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 Hakuba region of Nagano New snowfall at base 1cm Snowfall at base this season 100cm Posted on Thursday 22nd December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Hakuba Now report can be found here . Up to 5cm of fresh snow is being reported at both Happo-one and 47 this morning, and it seems to be snowing in upper areas. It's a relatively mild feeling morning. After some snow very early morning, lower down it's a mix of rain or sleet. It does seem to be trying to snow. Gambare! Beyond the less than exciting weather conditions this morning, forecasts are looking promising. I hope to have snow to report over the next few days, and there's a chance of some big numbers too over the weekend. Santa is going to need some layers! --------------- ABLE Hakuba Goryu Mostly open Lifts: - Telecabin gondola - Alps Number 1 pair - Alps Number 3 pair - Toomi quad - Milky Four - Number 6 pair Courses: - Panorama - Grand Prix - Technical - Super - Champion Dynamic - Woody - Toomi - Soft Cream - Powder Snow Official snow depth: - Upper: 160cm - Toomi: 65cm Notes: Two lifts in the Iimori section of the ski area are now open. The Cosmo quad lift in that section is yet to get started. ------- Hakuba 47 Winter Sports Park Mostly open Lifts: - All lifts (* Line D usually only opens when the Gondola is closed) Courses: - All main courses - Tree Riding Zones will open at a later date Official snow depth: - Upper: 155cm - Base: 70cm Notes: All of the regular ski runs are now available. Tree Run Zones will open at a later date. ------- Hakuba Happo-one Mostly open Lifts: - Alpen quad - Happo Riesen quad - Nakiyama Number 3 triple - Adam Gondola - Panorama pair - Kokusai Number 1 pair - Kokusai Number 3 pair - Kurobishi Number 2 quad - Skyline Number 2 pair - Sakka Kitaone quad - Sakka Number 2 pair Courses: - Kurobishi - Usagidaira - Skyline - Panorama Official snow depth: - Kurobushi (1680m): 160cm - Usagidaira (1400m): 130cm - Nakiyama (800m): 50cm Notes: Most of the main runs at Happo-one are now open and you can ride back down to base areas. The top lift and Riesen Grat Course are not yet open. ------- Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field Part open Lifts: - Noah Gondola - View 2 - 3 Sen North - 4 Sen East Courses: - View C - North - East Official snow depth: - Upper: 90cm - Base: 20cm Notes: Part of the Mountain Side is open. Access to and from the open area is via the Gondola. ------- Hakuba Cortina Part open Lifts: - Number 2 quad - Number 4 pair Courses: - Ikenoda - Hiedayama 1 - Hiedayama Rinkan - Itabira Official snow depth: - Upper: 120cm ------- Tsugaike Mountain Resort Part open Lifts: - Eve Gondola - Tsuga Number 2 pair - Han-no-ki pair lift - Han-no-ki Number 3 quad - Maruyama Number 1 quad - Tsugaike Chuo triple lift Courses: - Han-no-ki - Courses down to gondola base Official snow depth: - Upper: 128cm - Base: 42cm Notes: You can now ride back down to base without taking the gondola down. Hakuba Now 2022-2023 season Data as Thursday 22nd December 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 100cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 10 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 23cm (15th December) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 100cm reported on 10 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 Hakuba. 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 1cm Snowfall at base this season 274cm Posted on Wednesday 21st December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here There is hardly any snow to report this morning with a slight snowfall yesterday and none overnight. It is mostly just cloudy as I put this report together, with some light snow falling in places. Forecasts hint that tomorrow will be somewhat milder. The snow clouds shouldn't be too far away over Christmas. Interesting to note in the Avalanche Report that the top lifts might not be running 'for another while'. Still, there is plenty of terrain to enjoy in the meantime, Annupuri added their "S"-ji course to the list of available runs this morning. --------------- Here's the other Hirafu trivia I promised yesterday. The ski area opened as Niseko Hirafu in 1961. It changed its name to Niseko Kokusai Hirafu in 1970. Kokusai means ‘international’. There were quite a few ski areas in Japan using that word in their name. Ironically, that was back when skiing in Japan was far from being 'international'. In 2004, the ski area's name was changed to Niseko Mountain Resort Grand Hirafu. And in 2021, it officially changed to its current name, Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu. Omoshiroi! By the way, Tokyu comes from the name of the company that owns and operates the ski area. That company has also had various name changes but always included the 'Tokyu' bit. The current company name is 'Tokyu Resorts & Stays'. --------------- Niseko Avalanche Report Mountain base: -5℃, no snowfall, good visibility. Moiwa 800m: -8℃, W5m/s, no snowfall but wind-snowdrifts developed. Annupuri 1000m: -8℃, westerly 10m/s, no snowfall, wind-snowdrifts developed from pre-dawn. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW16m/s, Kamui cape W14m/s, 1016hPa, 2.0m waves. Slight snowfall. A westerly wind kept relatively strong above 1000m elevation, which blew the surface snow forming snowdrifts. Leeward slopes have been mostly reset and although yesterday’s tracks are still present, the snow in the forest is looking good. Beware of obstacles and holes hiding under the surface. The snowdrift on top of Dec 13th layer has reached 150cm in Moiwa 800m area. This layer let go with the snowcat's pressure, however the overall avalanche risk is relatively low today. A high pressure system is laying over the area and it’s a good day for riding. Beware of overspeeding and hitting trees. Keep in mind that winter weather can change very quickly. Many of the avalanche accidents occur as the developing snowdrift slab breaks during bad weather. If 20m/s winds last for over 12h, the consolidation of the snowpack delays and the snowdrifts remain structurally unstable, raising the avalanche risk. Avalanches do happen even in early season if the conditions align. Avalanches triggered by 200+cm thick snowdrifts can reach 70m/s, 220km/h speeds. These types of avalanches can destroy bridges and buildings. Better not underestimate the power of avalanches. The chairlifts above 1000m elevation won’t run for another while as the course maintenance is delayed. Please be patient. The morning groomer condition is fantastic. Please respect the Niseko Rules. --------------- Ski area information for Wednesday 21st December 2022 The below snow depth and snowfall numbers are manually checked each morning from official sources. Lift information is the planned operations for the day at the time of writing. Official snow depth numbers in brackets show the change since previous report. Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 20cm (* perhaps not updated since yesterday?) - Base: 20cm Official snow depth (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 180cm (-20cm since yesterday) - Base: 85cm (-5cm since yesterday) Lifts: - Ace Family quad - Ace Number 2 quad (Center Four) [* open until for 7:00pm for night skiing] - Hirafu Gondola - Holiday Number 1 pair - King Number 3 quad Courses: - All courses are now open except Large, Konayuki, Miharashi and Dynamic ------- Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 3cm - Base: 10cm Official snow depth (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 135cm (-5cm since yesterday) - Base: 105cm (no change since yesterday) Lifts: - Hanazono Number 1 - Hanazono Number 2 quad - Hanazono Number 3 quad - Hanazono Symphony Gondola [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing] ------- Niseko Annupuri Kokusai Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 0cm - Base: 0cm Official snow depth (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 145cm (no change since yesterday) - Base: 110cm (no change change since yesterday) Lifts: - Annupuri Gondola - Dream Number 1 quad - Jumbo Number 1 quad [* open until 7:30pm for night skiing] - Jumbo Number 2 pair ------- Niseko Village Ski Resort Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 0cm - Base: 0cm Official snow depth (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 110cm (-5cm since yesterday) - Base: 95cm (-15cm since yesterday) Lifts: - Niseko Gondola - Village Express - Community Chair [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing] - Banzai Chair [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing] ------- Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort Lifts: - Number 1 pair lift - Number 2 pair lift - Quad lift Niseko Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Wednesday 21st December 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 274cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 25 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 21cm (17th December) November 2022 snowfall 17cm reported on 5 days December 2022 snowfall 257cm reported on 20 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 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 Geto Kogen region of Iwate New snowfall at base 6cm Snowfall at base this season 463cm Posted on Wednesday 21st December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Geto Kogen Now report can be found here . Morning. Just a little snow yesterday, basically on and off during the day, and then cloudy overnight. This morning it is still cloudy with snow due again from tonight. The Number 2 pair lift should be back open from tomorrow. Snowfall statistics (as reported by the ski area): New snowfall (top): 10cm Current snow depth (top): 240cm Current snow depth (base): 165cm Total season snowfall so far at top: 552cm Lifts: - Number 1 Gondola - Number 1 pair lift - Quad lift Courses: - All normal courses now open (tree run courses to follow later) Geto Kogen Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Wednesday 21st December 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 463cm Number of days snowfall observed 16 days Most snowfall observed on 1 day 100cm (on 16th December) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 463cm observed 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 Geto Kogen. 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