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 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 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 Zao region of Yamagata New snowfall at base 2cm Snowfall at base this season 86cm Posted on Wednesday 21st December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Zao Now report can be found here . It's a cloudy morning but quite bright in places and we might get to see some sun. It's set to be slightly milder as well (though still cold), before a return to colder temps and snow again as we approach the Christmas weekend. I think I mentioned it before, wind might also be an issue, especially on Friday and maybe Saturday. Zao Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Wednesday 21st December 2022 Total snowfall at base 86cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 16 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 12cm (on 8th and 16th December) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 86cm 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 Zao 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 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

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Furano region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 6cm Snowfall at base this season 201cm Posted on Wednesday 21st December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Furano Now report can be found here . It is snowing lightly with a very slight breeze. Overnight there has been a further 6cm of new snow. The cloud is sitting high and visibility is reasonably good. It is -7c and the daytime high will reach -3c. Lift operations and open terrain remain unchanged. Operating lifts: Prince Romance Lift Downhill Romance chair 2 Furano Ropeway Furano Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Wednesday 21st December 2022 Total snowfall at base 201cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 18 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (15th and 18th December) November 2022 snowfall 2cm reported on 1 day December 2022 snowfall 199cm 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 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 Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 15cm Snowfall at base this season 273cm Posted on Tuesday 20th December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here There is more fresh snow to report again this morning. I just measured 15cm. The (ungroomed) Challenge course at Annupuri is now open as the mountain continues to open up. We are still waiting for the top lifts (and all connections) to open, but the mountain is mostly open outside of those. It seems it will be getting milder and calm over the next few days. And then we'll get more snow again by the end of Thursday. It looks like it is going to be snowing over Christmas. As everyone knows, Santa loves Niseko*, so no doubt he'll be pumped to hear that. As you probably (and hopefully) know, I like to avoid the overuse of superlatives and over-excited comments. Still, we are currently enjoying some beautiful December conditions. It's exciting to remember that the season has really only just started. May the rest of the season continue this way! * The Santas that appear at other ski areas are all clearly fakes. ;) --------------- Following my comments about night skiing yesterday, some people wrote in with some interesting points. After the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, the Japanese government closed down nuclear plants around the country. The subsequent call for less electricity to be used may have been a factor in earlier closing times around 2012. Also, there did indeed used to be more terrain open for night skiing at Hirafu. The Rinkan course was available by the side of the King Number 3 quad lift. Unfortunately, after closing that, I believe they removed the lighting. So there's not much chance that might return. It seems I am not the only one to hope that the ski areas in Niseko might extend the night skiing times again in the future. Night skiing can be a fantastic experience when the snow is in top condition and the weather is good. (I'm not as keen otherwise). Due to these comments today, I will wait until tomorrow to post that other trivia I promised. By the way, it's always lovely to hear from folks. At the same time, though, I am sorry, but I really cannot reply to all Niseko-related questions sent in. You get about as much of me as I am able to give with these reports every morning! --------------- Niseko Avalanche Report Mountain base: -7℃, 10cm snowfall in 12h, calm and good visibility. Moiwa 800m: -10℃, NW10m/s, 20cm snowfall with snowdrift development. Annupuri 1000m: -12℃, westerly 8m/s, 20cm snowfall, snowdrift development, good visibility. Hanazono peak: -12℃, calm, 20cm snowfall. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNW12m/s, Kamui cape W8m/s, 1016hPa, 1.8m waves. The isobars spread out and the wind has started to calm down. The wave height is stagnating within 2m and the wind around 10m/s. Intermittent snowfall continues dropping 10-20cm of new snow. Strong cold air mass remains. The general avalanche risk is low according to observations and weather data. The new snow is too light and dry due to the cold temperature, making it difficult to groom above 1000m elevation. The snow amount is plenty however the caterpillar digs to the ground in steep slopes. It will take some more time to open the peak chair lifts and gates. The snow quality is nice, but still insufficient. Bamboo and bushes are still thick below 800m elevation and creek lines are difficult to ride out. It is highly recommended to stick to the course side powder at the moment. Gate 7 (A-sawa) is scheduled to open today. Always use gates to go out of bounds. Do not duck ropes. The 25th annual Niseko Avalanche Meeting will be held at the Niseko Chomin Center at 4pm Dec 23rd. Details can be found at the Niseko Town Office website. The snow is good again today. --------------- Ski area information for Tuesday 20th 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 - Base: 20cm Official snow depth (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 200cm (+10cm since yesterday) - Base: 90cm (-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: 10cm - Base: 17cm Official snow depth (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 140cm (+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: 15cm - Base: 15cm Official snow depth (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 145cm (+10cm since yesterday) - Base: 110cm (+5cm 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: 10cm - Base: 10cm Official snow depth (reported by the ski area): - Peak: 115cm (+5cm since yesterday) - Base: 110cm (+10cm 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 Tuesday 20th December 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 273cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 24 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 21cm (17th December) November 2022 snowfall 17cm reported on 5 days December 2022 snowfall 256cm 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 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 Madarao region of Nagano New snowfall at base 2cm Snowfall at base this season 30cm Weather overview Cloud some blue sky Wind Light Temperature - Visibility Fair Posted on Tuesday 20th December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Madarao Now report can be found here . Hello from Madarao. Just a dusting/frosting really this morning and some bright conditions even though there is a lot of cloud still around. Madarao is reporting no new snowfall since yesterday. They remain open with the Paradise course open --- and ungroomed (due to there not being much snow yet). Tangram is now also part open and they have their Number 3 quad lift moving. The next snow we can expect is Thursday onwards. If the forecasts get it right (this time), things could be kicking off properly (or certainly in a bigger scale than now) by Christmas. Madarao Mountain Resort Small part open - Number 1 lift - Paradise course - Official snow depth: 20cm Tangram Ski Circus Closed - Number 3 quad lift - Official snow depth: 15cm Madarao Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Tuesday 20th December 2022 Total snowfall at base 30cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 9 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 7cm (on 12th December) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 30cm reported on 9 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 Zao region of Yamagata New snowfall at base 5cm Snowfall at base this season 84cm Posted on Tuesday 20th December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Zao Now report can be found here . It's still snowing. Not a huge amount of snow since yesterday but it is gradually building up. Probably not much due over the next few days and some milder temps forecast too. But back to cold and snow from around Friday and Saturday... might have to watch out for the wind too. Lifts: - Mikaeri pair - Chuo Number 1 pair - Chuo Number 2 pair - Diamond Number 2 pair - Utopia Number 1 pair - Kurohime Number 1 quad - Onsen Number 1 pair - Onsen Number 2 quad - Sunrise pair - Nakamori Number 1 triple - Yokokura Number 1 pair - Zao Ropeway - Zao Chuo Ropeway - Sky Cable Courses: - Large sections of the ski area are now at least part open with most areas available - Still unavailable: Paradise, Shobunuma, Omori Official snow depth: - Summit: 75cm - Paradise: 60cm - Chuo: 60cm - Utopia: 90cm - Uwanodai: 50cm - Yokokura: 50cm Zao Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Tuesday 20th December 2022 Total snowfall at base 84cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 15 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 12cm (on 8th and 16th December) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 84cm observed 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 Zao 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 Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 4cm Snowfall at base this season 11cm Posted on Tuesday 20th December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . It is good to see a covering of snow on the ground outside the Nagasaka gondola and other base areas this morning. It's not a large amount, for sure, but there is something reassuring about the whiteness. The ski area is reporting 5-8cm of fresh snowfall on upper levels since yesterday. Seeing stories of heavy snow (and trouble caused by it) in some areas of Niigata not too far away and comparing that with the weather we got yesterday was just a bit too 'does not compute'! So we don't expect much today and tomorrow (maybe a sunny day tomorrow), but snow is back on the forecasts after that. Heavy snow for Christmas, please! Fresh snowfall since yesterday morning (reported by the ski area): - Yamabiko: 10cm - Uenotaira: 6cm - Hikage: - - Nagasaka: - - Karasawa: - 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 - 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 Tuesday 20th December 2022 Total snowfall at base 11cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 6 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 4cm (20th December) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 11cm reported on 6 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 Myoko region of Niigata New snowfall at base 2cm Snowfall at base this season 39cm Posted on Tuesday 20th December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . Still no super-heavy snowfalls, although it looks like the highways and byways heading south from Niigata City are closed due to heavy snow. Hope that comes down to the southwest and to us. Don't mind road closures if they lead to open runs and operating lifts. Quiet and calm with a little bit of fresh snow in Myoko. Tangram and Madarao are both opening one lift, so things are heading in the right direction. Openings and operations Akakura Kanko: 70, -7 ° Myokokogen Sky Cable, Hotel No. 3, No. 5 lifts Akakura Onsen: 15cm, -2° Waiting for snow Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick 20, -4° Rescheduled opening to December 23 Myoko Suginohara: NO current data Saturday, December 24 Seki Onsen: 70, -4° Friday, December 23 Kyukamura RunRun: Waiting for snow Tangram Ski Circus: 10cm, -5° No. 3 lift Madarao Mountain Resort: 20cm, -5° No. 1 lift Lotte Arai Resort 148cm, 0.7° Arai Gondola and Zendana Lift only (I wish they would mark the lift and runs that are scheduled to open a little earlier; 8 am is late if you’re making a decision) Kurohime Kogen Snow Park 8cm. -6° Saturday, December 24 Myoko Now 2022-2023 season Data as of Tuesday 20th December 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 39cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 12 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 8cm (15th December) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 39cm reported on 12 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 Hakuba region of Nagano New snowfall at base 7cm Snowfall at base this season 99cm Posted on Tuesday 20th December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Hakuba Now report can be found here . Good morning from snowy Hakuba. Well, while it was snowing lightly earlier on, it's not actually snowing at the moment (and there's a lot of it around!) 5+cm or so around base areas since yesterday, with Happo-one reporting up to 20cm higher. This is the new snowfall that is being reported by ski areas this morning: - Happo-one: 20cm at Kurobishi; 5cm at Nakmiyama; 5cm at the top of Riesen quad - Hakuba 47: 10cm at top, 5cm at base - Hakuba Iwatake: 10cm - Hakuba Cortina: 5cm There is a lot of cloud about now, but some blue sky too. It seems it's a bit windy, too, in higher areas, with a few lifts at Happo-one (Alpen, Kuribishi 2 and Skyline) affected at the start of the day. But more of Happo-one is now open, and you can ride back down to base areas. The top quad is not scheduled to move yet. Wind conditions aside, pretty much all of the main areas at Happo-one are now open. Two lifts in the Iimori part of Hakuba Goryu are also opening this morning, along with a few runs. I think that's all the main headlines for the morning. Potentially heavy snow is due from Thursday. Hopefully, if we get that, it won't be long before we can settle down in 'all open' mode. (I always really look forward to that). --------------- 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 along with the delicious-sounding Soft Cream and Powder Snow courses. ------- 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: 150cm - 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 Courses: - Kurobishi - Usagidaira - Skyline - Panorama Official snow depth: - Kurobushi (1680m): 160cm - Usagidaira (1400m): 135cm - Nakiyama (800m): 60cm 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 arenot 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: 130cm - Base: ?cm ------- Tsugaike Mountain Resort Part open Lifts: - Eve Gondola - Tsuga Number 2 pair - Han-no-ki pair lift Courses: - Han-no-ki - Course down to gondola base Official snow depth: - Upper: 145cm - Base: 55cm Notes: You can now ride back down to base without taking the gondola down. Hakuba Now 2022-2023 season Data as Tuesday 20th December 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 99cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 9 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 23cm (15th December) November 2022 snowfall 0cm December 2022 snowfall 99cm reported on 9 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