Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 16cm Snowfall at base this season 592cm Posted on Wednesday 27th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning, and I have a decent amount of fresh snow to report this morning... a good 16cm of it observed by myself and the Avi report mentioning up to 30cm of fresh up there. Nice. And the regular snowfall should continue through at least into next week. This morning there's lots of cloud around but some blue sky as well. Perhaps snowfall arriving overnight tonight - just how it should be! Should be a good morning. --- Soon after my report went up yesterday, it seems that wind had it's own ideas and was causing problems with summit lifts. The top lifts at Niseko Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village and Niseko Annupuri were quite quickly put on hold due to wind and apparently poor visibility; to be joined by the Niseko Gondola early afternoon and then the top Niseko Hanazono lift mid afternoon. Oh dear, so much for all being open! Sorry about that - all was looking 'normal' with the information I had available when I was preparing the report. As the Avalanche Report noted so well in the same report, 'be aware of a sudden change in the weather and bad visibility'. It can and does happen. --- It is interesting to see the large messages that are popping up on the Niseko United website and in other places at the moment. It seems that the resorts need to remind some people that season passes are not transferable and that they'll be doing more checks on them from now on - and cancelling any passes that are being used by anyone other than the original owner. Obviously there must have been more than a few instances of people passing around season passes. They have every right to not be happy if people are doing that - it's pretty clear that the passes are not transferable. Anyway, I can't remember seeing such a prominent message like that before so it looks like they are now taking action on it. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -4°C, 20cm new snow, minor snowdrift development, stormy. Moiwa 800m: -6°C, NW10m/s, 30cm new snow, snowdrift development. Mikaeri 740m: NNW10m/s, 30cm new snow, snowdrift development. Annupuri 1150m: -8°C, W15m/s, 30cm new snow, poor visibility, snow drift development. Hirafu ridge line -8°C, blizzard conditions, 30cm new snow, snowdrift development. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:NNW12m/s. Kamui Cape W9m/s, 1016hPa, wave 1.3m. Maritime and mountain data suggests the wind below 1000m is starting to drop, however above 1200m blizzard conditions will persist. From observation, around 800m western aspect knolls , 60cm new slabs have grown which will easily fracture from skier stimulation this morning. Peak gates opening times yet to be decided. Please listen to the patrols decisions. Do not ignore the rules and duck the ropes to go out of bounds. Most avalanches occur during and just after snowstorms. The newly developed slabs are unstable and will fracture easily. The frost layer formed from Jan 26 low pressure snowfall will become a weak layer in the future snowpack. Snow conditions change daily, today's avalanche conditions are higher than yesterday. Cautious behavior is prudent. Is your beacon turned on? Snow in the trees is reset and in great condition. --- Official resort snow depths as of Wednesday 27th January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 320cm Base - 130cm Niseko Village Top - 270cm Base - 160cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 260cm Base - 160cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Wednesday 27th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 592cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 43 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (17th January) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 287cm reported on 22 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 Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 12cm Snowfall at base this season 562cm Posted on Saturday 23rd January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning from Niseko where the headline for the day is 12cm of fresh light snowfall round my place here near Hirafu base. Interestingly the Avalanche report (below) is reporting 20-40cm of snow on the mountain which I think definitely needs to be investigated first hand this morning. I will selflessly volunteer for such a job! It was a lovely day yesterday and there's lots of blue sky around this morning as well. There is more cloud around than yesterday and shadows being cast, but still the blue skies are generally winning out just at the moment. It is pretty calm here at base though I hear there's a moderate westerly wind as you get higher up the mountain. As of 8:30am though all of the resorts appear to be opening up as normal. We are told to expect the chance of some snow later on today - and regular top-ups through the coming week as well. What we can expect over the coming days still seems to be more a case of 'steady regular' than 'huge dumpage'. --- Niseko Grand Hirafu today have upped their snow depth for upper slopes to 315cm. Of more interest, as of yesterday I had recorded/observed more snowfall for the month of January 2016 than I did for the whole of December 2015. Today that January 2016 observed snowfall number for here at base rises to 257cm... which just so happens to be exactly the number that I recorded for the whole of January 2015 (last season). That means that any further snowfall we get this month will be more than January last season. We're still quite a ways behind the ongoing total for the season though. You can find these numbers lower down on this page. (If you are viewing this on the mobile site, please go to the PC version to see it all). --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -7°C, 20cm new snowfall, calm. Moiwa 800m: -10°C, NW8m/s, 30cm new snowfall. Mikaeri 740m: -9.7°C, light winds, 40cm new snow, no snowdrift development. Annupuri 1150m: -13°C, NW13m/s, 40cm new snowfall. Hirafu 1000m: -10°C, NW10m/s, 30cm new snow, snowdrift development on eastern aspect.. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:NW10m/s. Kamui Cape SW8m/s, 1017hPa, wave 2.3m. A passing small low pressure system has dropped 30cm of crystal snow overnight. Above 1000m there is moderately strong NW wind and on leeward slopes snowdrifts are growing gradually. From data and observation general avalanche risk is low. All peak gates are expected to be open. Please listen to the patrols advice before passing through gates. Take care in Higashi one(east ridge) area, the surface has been scoured by past wind and now covered by snowdrifts. The newly developed cornice will easily fracture which can trigger an avalanche below. Dont wait on steep leeward slopes or at the valley bottoms. Always be aware of avalanches from above. Snow around 800m is reset and the snow in the trees is very good. Do not overestimate your skills or equipment. Through caution and care avoid having an accident. --- Official resort snow depths as of Saturday 23rd January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 315cm Base - 140cm Niseko Village Top - 270cm Base - 160cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 250cm Base - 160cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Saturday 23rd January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 562cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 41 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (17th January) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 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 Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 14cm Snowfall at base this season 576cm Posted on Tuesday 26th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here A very good morning to you from here near Hirafu base. I have 14cm of fresh snow to report here at base this morning with most of that was falling later on in the day yesterday and late night. Not bad! More please. (I always want more). First lifts should be good today and it looks like there are lots of people thinking the same too waiting for the lifts to start moving. Wind doesn't seem to be an issue this morning and so I expect the resorts to be opening as planned and gates are expected to be open. It is snowing as I write this and indeed the 6-day forecast has regular snow lined up each day so hopefully we will get the daily top-ups. --- It is Australia Day today and of course there are more than a handful of good Australian folk here in Niseko, either on holiday or working. No doubt there will be some fun celebrations as well, so I will see you in the bar tonight! --- A close friend mentioned to me last night that I'm still not half way through my daily reporting duties for the season (if you didn't know, I continue posting these reports every day right through until the end of the season in early May). It's pretty daunting when I think about it like that, just have to take it one day at a time. Help me out by keeping on reading even if your Niseko visit is over and done for the season, ok! Arigato. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -7°C, 15cm crystal snowfall, calm. Moiwa 800m: -8°C, W5m/s, 20cm new snow, minor snowdrift development. Mikaeri 740m: -8.0°C, light winds, 30cm new snow. Annupuri 1150m: -9°C, W10-15m/s. Hirafu ridge line -10°C, w5m/s, 20cm new snow, minor snowdrift development. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:WNW14m/s. Kamui Cape SW14m/s, 1015hPa, wave 1.4m. Isobars are far apart and the weather is calm. Snow fell till around midnight and has settled till dawn. Leeward slopes are reset. From data and observation general avalanche risk is low. All peak gates are expected to be open. Please talk to the patrol before going out of bounds. It is possible the wind will pick up above 1000m with the passing of a low pressure trough. Be aware of a sudden change in the weather and bad visibility. Snow conditions above 1000m are crusty, snow in the trees is good. Do not enter Strictly Off Limits areas(Yu no Sawa, Haru no Taki). If you get caught you will loose your pass and you season will be finished. Respect and follow Niseko Rules. Your freedom and a minimum level of safety to ride out of bounds is protected by Niseko Rules. Have a safe day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Tuesday 26th January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 310cm Base - 135cm Niseko Village Top - 270cm Base - 160cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 250cm Base - 160cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Tuesday 26th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 576cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 42 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (17th January) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 271cm 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 Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 21cm Snowfall at base this season 277cm Posted on Tuesday 29th December 2015 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here A very good morning to you from Hirafu. Back at base here and the snow keeps on coming. The tap has truly been turned on over the last five days. I have another 21cm to report this morning which to my reckoning makes that 96cm. A refresh of about 20cm a day sounds somewhere near perfect to me. Just quickly let's take a look back at last December. For the whole of December 2014, I observed 519cm of snowfall here at my Hirafu base location. Up until today for this month I have observed a total of 216cm. So we are a fair way behind in that respect. (In December 2013, the same number was 275cm for the whole month). But it's the here and now that is most important of course; and here and now the conditions are really great. Those of you who know me - and the way SnowJapan generally does things* - will know that I never go on about amazing conditions when they aren't amazing. Substitute the word amazing with any other overly-dramatic adjectives or made up cheesy words! Doing that just takes away from when things really are amazing doesn't it? (Quite apart from the fact that it's misleading). Those lucky enough to be able to get out there today will be able to tell just how the good conditions are. I think I might have to get out and do some exploring myself once I post this report... As you can see from the Avalanche Report below, Moiwa Gate 6 is being considered for opening for today. We must be fairly close now to all of the resort areas being fully open - and not too far away for more talk of gates and backcountry. The forecast for the coming week has a fair amount of snow on it so we should be good for further build up and regular refills. I do like the sound of that! Hope you can enjoy the day wherever you are. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -8℃, 30cm of crystal snow in 12 hours, calm. Moiwa 800m: -11℃, 50cm of fresh snow, snowdrifts developing in Mikaeri area. Annupuri 1000m: -13℃, WSW10m/s, 70+cm of new snow and snowdrifts developing. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNW19m/s, Kamui cape W9m/s, 1015hPa, 2.1m waves. The wind is calming down but momentarily gusts are still blowing as the isobars tightens. Snowdrifts in 800m leeside slopes are stabilizing while slowly growing. The avalanche risk remains high. 80cm surface slab avalanches are likely to occur in 800m south-facing knolls and cornice slopes. Avoid dropping into steep slopes without evaluating the risk. The snow condition in the trees is fantastic. Gates will start to open as they’re getting ready. Moiwa gate 6 opening is being considered today, please follow the patrol’s instructions. A single track under the rope would lead many others to follow it and increase the chances of accidents to happen. Have a nice day. --- Planned resort operations (subject to change due to weather conditions during the day) The lifts market with an asterix (*) below are planned to be open for night skiing Niseko Grand Hirafu Lifts planned to be running: - All lifts except Ace Number 4 and King Number 2 - Night lifts: Ace Family Pair, Ace Number 2 Quad, Hirafu Gondola, Holiday Number 1 Courses planned to be open: - Family - Beginners access - Center - Shirakaba - Green - Kokutai - Furiko - Ni-kabe - Alpen - Sen-no-ki - Kogen - Boyo - Rinkan - Jumbo - Dynamic Niseko HANAZONO Resort Lifts planned to be running: - All lifts - No night skiing in the Hanazono area Courses planned to be open: - Connecting - Parallel - Silver Dream - Stairway to Heaven - Setsuzoku course - Crystal Garden - Yotei Sunset (ungroomed) - Legend of Shinya Niseko Village Lifts planned to be operating: - All lifts planned to be operating (apart from Country Road Chair) - Night lifts: Community Chair, Banzai Chair Niseko Annupuri Lifts planned to be operating: - All lifts planned to be operating - Night lift: Jumbo Number 1 quad Courses planned to be open: - Champion - Utopia - Shirakaba - Paradise - Junior - Family - Dynamic - Silver - Merchen - Challenge --- Official resort snow depths as of Tuesday 29th December 2015: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 260cm Base - 100cm Niseko Village: Top - 180cm Base - 100cm Niseko Annupuri: Top - 115cm Base - 100cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Tuesday 29th December 2015 Total snowfall at base so far 277cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 19 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 216cm 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 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 Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 20cm Snowfall at base this season 232cm Posted on Sunday 27th December 2015 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here There are lots of smiling faces at the moment here as our Christmas period haul of fresh snowfall continues. I have another 20cm of fresh snow outside my place here in Hirafu base this morning, and it is still snowing now, and forecast to continue for the next few days as well. This is what we like. I am happy that Santa and his creature friends held on to their promise. Not that I ever doubted them of course. Some of the smiles might be temporarily wiped off faces when people realise that it's also very windy this morning and affecting some lifts at the start of the day. Though maybe not! After the start to the season we have had lovely fresh snowfall and lots of it is by far the biggest thing right now and I think we can put with some wind if that's part of the deal for getting the snow. Though it would be good if we could just get the snow without the wind. At the time of writing, strong winds on the mountain are affecting resorts in this way: Niseko Grand Hirafu - Top King Number 4 lift on hold. Snow moving going on at King Number 3 which may open a bit late. Niseko Hanazono - Top Hanazono Number 3 lift on hold. Niseko Village - Gondola and top Wonderland lift on hold. Niseko Annupuri - Jumbo Number 1 running slow with all other lifts on hold. It's limited visibility on the slopes this morning along with the windy conditions. Have fun in all that snow, but don't forget to be careful and to always stay safe. An extra layer and face masks are recommended today - it's cold out there. As I mentioned snowfall is due through until around Tuesday; the resort areas should be 'all open' sometime soon I think. Oh yes! :) --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -9℃, 20cm of crushed crystal snow in 12hours, small development of snowdrifts. Moiwa 800m: -12℃, NE15m/s, large cornices and snowdrifts development up to 100cm. Annupuri 1000m:-16℃, NW25m/s, poor visibility and large development of snowdrifts. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW17m/s, Kamui cape W12m/s, 1007hPa, 3.1m waves. The strong winter pressure distribution has generated powerful wind and snowfall during the night. The wind at lower elevation has calmed down in the morning, however the storm is persisting above 600m elevation. Snowdrifts and cornices are continuing to grow and are extremely unstable. Avalanche risk is very high in leeward slopes above 800m and open leeside steep slopes above 600m in all mountain areas in Shiribeshi sub-prefecture. Many of the accidents occur in those slopes loaded with snowdrifts. Stay away from these aspects when planning your touring routes. Great condition in the trees. --- Planned resort operations (subject to change due to weather conditions during the day) The lifts market with an asterix (*) below are planned to be open for night skiing Niseko Grand Hirafu Lifts planned to be running: - Ace Family pair* - Ace Number 1 pair - Ace Number 2 Quad Center Four* (for transport) - Ace Number 3 pair - Hirafu Gondola* - King Number 1 pair - King Number 3 triple - King Number 4 - Holiday Number 1 pair* - Swinging Monkey Courses planned to be open: - Family - Beginners access - Center - Shirakaba - Green - Kokutai - Ni-kabe - Alpen - Sennoki - Kogen - Boyo - Rinkan - Jumbo - Dynamic Niseko HANAZONO Resort Lifts planned to be running: - Hanazono Number 1 quad - Hanazono Number 2 quad - Hanazono Number 3 quad Courses planned to be open: - Connecting - Parallel - Silver Dream - Stairway to Heaven - Setsuzoku course - Crystal Garden - Yotei Sunset (ungroomed) Niseko Village Lifts planned to be operating: - Niseko Gondola - Community Chair* - Banzai Chair* - Morino Chair - Wonderland Chair Niseko Annupuri Lifts planned to be operating: - All lifts planned to be operating Courses planned to be open: - Champion - Utopia - Shirakaba - Paradise - Junior - Family - Dynamic - Silver --- Official resort snow depths as of Sunday 27th December 2015: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 230cm Base - 80cm Niseko Village: Top - 100cm Base - 100cm Niseko Annupuri: Top - 105cm Base - 80cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Sunday 27th December 2015 Total snowfall at base so far 232cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 17 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 171cm 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 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 Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 24cm Snowfall at base this season 256cm Posted on Monday 28th December 2015 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning from Niseko. My report is going to be a bit on the shorter side this morning as I need to get myself to Sapporo. I have another 24cm of fresh snowfall to report to you as the plenty refills continue with easily more than 30cm higher up. And it keeps on snowing and is due to for most of the coming week. Brilliant! There might be wind issues today again up there, it looks like early morning the situation is quite similar to how things were yesterday. It should be a very excellent day on the slopes and I hope you can enjoy it. See just how quickly things can change? ;) --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -8℃, 30cm of crushed crystal snow, ne snowdrift development. Moiwa peak: NW15m/s, -10℃, large development of snowdrifts and cornices delaying grooming operations. Annupuri 1000m: NW25m/s, snowdrifts growing and poor visibility. Coastal data: Benkei cape WNW20m/s, Kamui cape W16m/s, 1013hPa, 3.0m waves. The isobars on the pressure distribution chart are still tight and the storm is persisting above 600m. Some cornices’ overhangs have grown up to 5m in Moiwa 800m area, snowdrifts up to 2m in some knoll terrain. Both extremely unstable and easily collapsing. According to observations and snowfall transition, the avalanche hazard is very high and surface slab slides of up to 1m thickness are likely to occur in 800m leeside knolls, open steep slopes and areas with large cornices development. Avalanches are natural phenomena that only become an accident if human beings are in the way. Know where/what/when needs to be avoided. Slopes conditions are ever-changing, a slope that was good yesterday may be in critical condition today. Always be prudent and humble in the mountains. The snow in the trees is deep and little heavy due to the wind. Gates will start to open once the storm calms down and the snowpack stabilizes. Please respect the Niseko Rules. --- Planned resort operations (subject to change due to weather conditions during the day) The lifts market with an asterix (*) below are planned to be open for night skiing Niseko Grand Hirafu Lifts planned to be running: - Ace Family pair* - Ace Number 1 pair - Ace Number 2 Quad Center Four* (for transport) - Ace Number 3 pair - Hirafu Gondola* - King Number 1 pair - King Number 3 triple - King Number 4 - Holiday Number 1 pair* - Swinging Monkey Courses planned to be open: - Family - Beginners access - Center - Shirakaba - Green - Kokutai - Ni-kabe - Alpen - Sennoki - Kogen - Boyo - Rinkan - Jumbo - Dynamic Niseko HANAZONO Resort Lifts planned to be running: - Hanazono Number 1 quad - Hanazono Number 2 quad - Hanazono Number 3 quad Courses planned to be open: - Connecting - Parallel - Silver Dream - Stairway to Heaven - Setsuzoku course - Crystal Garden - Yotei Sunset (ungroomed) Niseko Village Lifts planned to be operating: - Niseko Gondola - Community Chair* - Banzai Chair* - Morino Chair - Wonderland Chair Niseko Annupuri Lifts planned to be operating: - All lifts planned to be operating Courses planned to be open: - Champion - Utopia - Shirakaba - Paradise - Junior - Family - Dynamic - Silver --- Official resort snow depths as of Monday 28th December 2015: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 245cm Base - 90cm Niseko Village: Top - 180cm Base - 100cm Niseko Annupuri: Top - 105cm Base - 80cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Monday 28th December 2015 Total snowfall at base so far 256cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 18 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 195cm reported on 14 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 Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 7cm Snowfall at base this season 313cm Posted on Saturday 2nd January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Hello and a very good morning to you from Hirafu base. We had light snowfall during the day yesterday, though it didn't amount to much, and some more snow overnight - bringing us a total of 7cm of fresh according to my highly technical and complex measuring system (*a ruler). I actually ordered 20cm of snowfall every night, so I don't know what could have happened to the rest of the delivery. I'll lodge a complaint! Niseko has in recent years become extremely popular... in large part of course due to the quality snow conditions that can often be enjoyed here. With popularity and reputation comes more and more people - and the need for regular fresh snow to refil tracks. It's like a hunger that never goes away. Luckily we often get that, though obviously not always. If you want empty slopes, Niseko perhaps isn't for you. It is continuing to snow this morning - lightly as I write this - and I think there's a decent chance I'll be able to bring you bigger numbers tomorrow. It's not as cold this morning and temperatures may even rise into low positive numbers today. I see that many regions of Japan are going to be warming up over the next few days but here fingers crossed it will remain quite low and quickly get back down below zero. While it doesn't feel particularly windy down here, it seems that some gusty winds higher up on the mountain are affecting top lifts at the time of writing - details added below. The forecast remains good for snow every day in the coming week. Bring on those refils! --- Resort specific news/notes at time of writing (subject to change during the day) Niseko Grand Hirafu Top King Number 3 and Ace Number 4 lifts on hold early on due to wind conditions. Niseko HANAZONO Resort Hanazono Number 1 lift running slow early on. Niseko Village Top Wonderland Chair lift on hold early on due to wind conditions. Niseko Annupuri Top Jumbo 4 lift on hold early on due to wind conditions. 12 of 13 courses now open. Early gondola from 7:20am-8:20am on 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th. Charge 1000 yen. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -2℃, light breeze and 5cm of low-pressure system generated snowfall. Moiwa 800m: -2℃, light breeze and 5cm snowfall. Annupuri 1150m: -4℃, NW12m/s, light snowfall. Coastal data: Benkei cape NWN8m/s, Kamui cape WSW11m/s, 1011hPa, 1.3m waves. A passing pressure trough is generating snowfall since pre-dawn and shallow surface slab slides will be likely to occur as the snowpack grows in south facing steep slopes, triggered from Jan 1st surface layer. Today’s snowfall will remain as a notable layer in future snowpack. Looking at the snowfall transition and observations, the snowdrifts development is minimal and the general avalanche risk remains low. The slopes have been moderately reset and are in decent condition. The visibility is bad due to the fog generated by the air mass displacement. Be conservative and ride safe. Prudence is key to prevent accidents. Gates 4, 5, 6 and 10 are scheduled to open. Please follow the patrol’s instructions and refrain from ducking ropes. --- Official resort snow depths as of Saturday 2nd January 2016: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 255cm Base - 110cm Niseko Village: Top - 185cm Base - 100cm Niseko Annupuri: Top - 130cm Base - 100cm --- Lifts planned to be open for night skiing: Niseko Grand Hirafu: Ace Family Pair lift, Ace Number 2 Center Four lift, Hirafu Gondola, Holiday Number 1 Pair lift (There is no night skiing at the Hanazono area) Niseko Village: Community Chair and Banzai Chair Niseko Annupuri: Jumbo Number 1 Quad Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Saturday 2nd January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 313cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 23 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 8cm 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 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 Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 15cm Snowfall at base this season 343cm Posted on Wednesday 6th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here This morning there's 15cm of fresh snowfall outside my place here in Hirafu. It's mostly just cloudy at the moment though it was snowing earlier and may well be soon again. Perhaps it will be one of those days when it's on-off snowfall. The fresh snow that we have this morning looks like good stuff as well - nice and dry and light - so it should be a very fine start out on the mountain. I don't always check but it looks from the webcam like people were starting to gather at the Ace Number 2 lift since before 8am when I started putting this report together - first lifts up have that certain allure don't they, especially when there's fresh snow to play in. I hope they took a flask of hot tea and some onigiri for the wait. Fairly light wind this morning here at base though Niseko Annupuri and Niseko Village seem to be reporting stronger winds (14m/s) on their upper areas. Still, all four of the resort areas appear to be opening as normal at the start of the day. Hopefully we'll see no lift disruption due to wind conditions -- like we had with some lifts at times during the day yesterday. The weekly forecast remains pretty much unchanged so we are expecting regular and consistent snowfall through the coming week. It might get even colder over the weekend so come prepared. One thing that can spoil a day for me is being too cold. --- It's now 8:30am and I am just about to post this report. Thought I would mention that I can see a bit of blue sky out there now and the sun is breaking through in places. It should be a good morning, hope you can enjoy it. --- After that really great end to the year with that run of five days when I was able to report 20+cm of fresh each day, it's been a generally more modest but respectable start to January. Including today I have observed 38cm since we entered 2016. Remember, last year I observed 257cm for the whole of the month of January 2015, and I observed 461cm for the whole of the month of January 2014. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -7℃, light wind, 10cm of new snow and no snowdrift development. Moiwa 800m: -8℃, 10cm snowfall, moderate development of snowdrift. Annupuri 1150m: -11℃, W12-15m/s, 40cm of snowdrifts. Hirafu 1000m: -10℃, 10cm snowfall, moderate development of snowdrifts. Coastal data: Benkei cape WNW13m/s, Kamui cape SW12m/s, 1015hPa, 2.1m waves. There are no notable snow-clouds around Niseko area. All top gates except gates 1 & 2 In Annupuri are scheduled to open today. Listen to the patrol’s instruction before stepping out of the gates and be aware that you are going out of bounds at your own risk. Consequences can be more severe than you expect, better not take the winter mountains too easy. Do not cut across cornice slopes or knolls. Keep ample spacing between riders and ride one by one. Avalanches run along the valleys, stay away from the valley bottom. Snow is still insufficient and the creeks are still running fast. Many holes are still present, be careful not to fall. Please don’t take beginners in hazardous areas such as the Backbowl, leaders are responsible for the whole group’s safety. Have you turned your beacon on? Have a nice day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Wednesday 6th January 2016: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 260cm Base - 120cm Niseko Village: Top - 190cm Base - 100cm Niseko Annupuri: Top - 130cm Base - 100cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Wednesday 6th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 343cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 26 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 38cm reported on 5 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 Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 5cm Snowfall at base this season 318cm Posted on Sunday 3rd January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Sorry, I don't have that 20cm to report to you, as it's another modest delivery of 5cm this morning since my last report. Still, 5cm is better than 0cm. And Hokkaido regions do seem to be doing considerably better than many regions of Honshu this winter so far. It doesn't make me happy to hear of other regions struggling with snow - we all know what it's like and the more snow the better in all Japan if you ask me. Here's hoping that we all get our fair share for the remainder of the (long) season! Anyway back to the details. Yesterday felt a bit odd in some ways. At times it was snowing quite heavily though it remained relatively mild and so the snow falling was not top quality and somewhat wetter than we are used to. There are no major wind issues this morning affecting lifts with them all moving as planned early on. It's currently cloudy and overcast with the earlier snow now eased off, and it might just end up being a generally cloudy day and not too cold again. Having said that, it should stay just below zero through the day. We are expecting the snow to return overnight tonight and the forecast still has snow at times every day through until at least the end of the week. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -3℃, no snowfall and calm. Moiwa 800m: -5℃, W8m/s, no snowfall and light development of wind snowdrifts. 1000m: W10m/s, Annupuri 1150m: W12m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW12m/s, Kamui cape W11m/s, 1012hPa, 2.2m waves. Although no snow-clouds can be observed over the Sea of Japan, a moderate westerly wind is persisting in higher elevation. New snowfall is almost non-existent, but the wind has moderately reset the slopes around 800m. Sasa-bamboo and bushes are still thick below 500m, making route finding difficult. Gates 4, 5, 6 and 10 will open. Gate 11, Mizuno no sawa, is scheduled to open tomorrow. Please follow the patrol’s instructions. Do not enter strictly off-limits areas (Haru no taki & Yu no sawa) to seek fresh tracks or duck any ropes to step out of bounds. The freedom to ride the out of bounds area in Niseko can only be maintained by having everyone respect the Rules. There’s been many reports of inbounds collision injuries. Always keep an eye around you and ride within your limits. Your safety is our number one concern. Have a nice day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Sunday 3rd January 2016: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 240cm Base - 100cm Niseko Village: Top - 185cm Base - 100cm Niseko Annupuri: Top - 130cm Base - 100cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Sunday 3rd January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 318cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 24 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 13cm 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 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 Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 10cm Snowfall at base this season 328cm Posted on Tuesday 5th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Greetings from Niseko and this morning I have 10cm of fresh snow to report from my base here in Hirafu. I have been talking about 'lots of snowfall on the forecast over the next week' for a few days now I recall, but so far over the last few days it has been somewhat modest deliveries rather than blizzard snowstorms depositing huge amounts of deep. Still, we'll happily take it. The updated forecast still has regular snowfall on it right through until at least the end of the weekend. Just how much snow actually falls I suppose we will have to just wait and see. As well as regular snowfall, it's also very likely to keep cold and maybe some stronger winds at times. Oh yes, talking about those strong winds. They're here this morning and stopping some lifts from moving - the situation at the time of writing has been added below. Fingers crossed the affected lifts will be able to start during the day. Wind is expected to get less later on but still might cause problems. Check with the resorts. Other than that, it is continuing to snow lightly again this morning and mostly rather grey and cloudy, current temperature of -5C. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: There is no Niseko Avalanche bulletin today. Please seek further information from the ski patrols before stepping out of the gates. There are many risks involved in out of bounds riding. Avalanches, hitting trees, falling in creeks, sudden changes of weather, suffocation and loosing way are some of them. The out of bounds area is outside the ski resort’s management. You are self-responsible for all your actions. Be prepared and be prudent. Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Tuesday 5th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 328cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 25 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 23cm reported on 4 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 Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 1cm Snowfall at base this season 536cm Posted on Wednesday 20th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Morning from Hirafu where there's just 1cm of new snowfall to report to you this morning. We were expecting and hoping for more, but shall try to not be too greedy. Yesterday wind messed around with top lifts, with the Niseko Annupuri resort only ending up opening up late morning with the Jumbo 1, 2 and 3 lifts eventually moving by noon. Other top lifts were affected through the day as well. So how will today turn out? Unfortunately it looks like there's going to be less lifts open than yesterday at the beginning of the day. The Niseko Annupuri lifts will all be closed again due to the strong winds up to 20m/s over there on their upper slopes, and it's lower lifts only at Niseko Village and Niseko Grand Hirafu. The two lower quads at Hanazono are set to be both operating, but the top lift won't be. It's not the best of news for today and somewhat challenging conditions if you decide to get out there. It doesn't feel particularly cold down here in the village but with the wind conditions I would think it will feel mighty cold if you get on the lifts. Snow is forecast for the day today though and with less wind likely (hopefully!), conditions should be good tomorrow morning. --- Resort specific lift opening news at time of writing (subject to change during the day): Niseko Grand Hirafu Just lower lifts open at the start of the day - Ace Family, Ace Number 1, King Number 1 and Holiday Number 1 pair. Gondola and other lifts not operating. Niseko HANAZONO Resort The Hanazono 1 and 2 lifts are operating, but the top Hanazono Number 3 lift is not starting the day. Niseko Village The lower Community, Banzai and Morino lifts plan to start the day but the Niseko Gondola and top Wonderland Chair not operating. Niseko Annupuri All lifts not operating at the start of the day due to strong winds. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -4℃, strong northerly wind, light snowfall with snowdrift development. Moiwa 800m: -10℃, E15m/s, no snowfall but large development of snowdrifts. Mikaeri 740m: -6.7℃, W9m/s, development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: -8℃, NW20-27m/s. Hirafu 1000m: -13℃, strong NE wind with large development of snowdrifts. Benkei cape: ENE17m/s, Kamui cape: E6m/s, 1003hPa, 5.5m waves. Although new snowfall is scarce, the strong easterly wind has developed new snowdrifts all around the mountain. SW facing slopes of the valleys are covered with wind-packed snowdrifts forming unstable slabs. The wind is forecasted to shift west and the snowfall will also pick up as it does. The avalanche risk in steep slopes, knolls, under lifts and under cornices above 600m elevation is high. Gates 1 & 5 as well as all peak gates will be shut. Refrain from ducking ropes. Avalanche accidents mostly occur during and just after storms. Going to an onsen and relax until the storm calms down is recommended for today. The visibility is poor on and off the mountain, pleaser be careful on the road and drive safe. If your car happen to get stuck in a blizzard, it is best to turn the engine off and wait for rescue. Have a nice day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Wednesday 20th January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 300cm Base - 130cm Niseko Village Top - 260cm Base - 150cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 230cm Base - 160cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Wednesday 20th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 536cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 39 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (17th January) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 231cm 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 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 Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 14cm Snowfall at base this season 550cm Posted on Thursday 21st January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Yesterday the Niseko Annupuri resort area did actually manage to get their Jumbo Number 1 quad operating late on in the afternoon, but it was generally a day of strong winds and lots of lift disruptions unfortunately. Today will hopefully be much better in that respect... There's a new 14cm of fresh snowfall to report to you this morning. The other good news is that there is much less wind around this morning (always good to hear that), or there certainly seems less down here in the village. I note that the Avalanche Report is saying there's still some strong winds above 800m, but it looks like the lifts at all four resort areas are going to be opening as planned this morning. Fingers crossed it stays that way. (Update since I started making this report: It seems the opening of the top lifts at Hirafu is questionable... doh!) It is just cloudy at the moment but snow could be falling any time as those clouds are still hanging around and due to be with us into the weekend. It does look like any deliveries of snow we get will be more modest than heavy snow, and there's a chance of some clearer skies as well particularly on Saturday. Anyway keep an eye on the weather forecast (link below) for all of that. --- Resort specific lift opening news at time of writing (subject to change during the day): Niseko Grand Hirafu Top Ace Number 4, King Number 4 and King Number 3 lifts may not be opening as planned. Niseko HANAZONO Resort It seems Niseko Hanazono is opening as normal. Niseko Village Niseko Gondola and Wonderland chair may be late getting going due to some early morning maintenance and checks (or something). Niseko Annupuri It seems Niseko Annupuri is opening as normal. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -5℃, 10cm snowfall, small development of snowdrifts. Moiwa 800m: W10m/s, 20cm snowfall and snowdrifts development. Mikaeri 740m: -7.6℃, W7.1m/s, 50cm new snow and development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: -11℃, NW10m/s, 50cm snowdrifts. Hirafu 1000m: -12℃, no snowfall but snowdrifts development. Benkei cape: N11m/s, Kamui cape: N11m/s, 1014hPa, 3.2m waves. The wind remains strong above 800m elevation and snowdrifts are continuing to develop. 80cm thick slabs are present and growing in knoll terrain above 800m elevation. The avalanche risk is high this morning, especially in upper parts, knolls and cornice slopes with heavy load of wind-affected snowdrifts. Peak gates opening is still undecided, please respect the patrol’s decision. Many of the accidents occur during and just after storms. Avalanches are natural phenomena; in Niseko, most of them are caused by collapsing unstable snowdrifts. Do not drop into snowdrift loaded slopes. Accidents can be averted by avoiding hazardous slopes. The snow in the trees is a bit shallow but in good shape, beware of tomahawking into hidden pockets of heavy snowdrifts. Avalanche mechanism related experiments are in operation around the Mikaeri cat track, we appreciate your understanding and cooperation. --- Official resort snow depths as of Thursday 21st January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 300cm Base - 120cm Niseko Village Top - 270cm Base - 160cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 240cm Base - 160cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Thursday 21st January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 550cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 40 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (17th January) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 245cm 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