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 23cm Snowfall at base this season 300cm Posted on Wednesday 30th December 2015 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here It is one of those mornings when I would prefer to not have to turn on my computer and write a report before heading out to the slopes. You understand, right? But here I am, and actually I must say that I do enjoy telling everyone about what is happening here in Niseko. Especially on a day like today. It is a lovely morning here. Not only do we have another 'incredible' 23cm of fresh snowfall here at base, but right now there are lovely blue skies above us. It didn't start off like this with most clouds when I first looked out of the window, but they have cleared up pretty quick leaving us with what we have now. It really doesn't get that much better than this - a good delivery of fresh snow followed by clear skies and sun early morning. Lovely. "If only there were less people", I heard yesterday. Yes, there's a lot of people around. That's Niseko! The forecast didn't actually tell us to expect these clearer skies really, so there's a chance that the clouds may come back just as quickly as they have cleared (though currently it seems unlikely). Snow is expected through tomorrow and into New Year. And basically it's expected to be falling through into next week as well, so it would seem the New Year is going to start in style. After the somewhat dodgy start to the season, things are now getting into top gear. Niseko is bustling as well now. It's a good job that almost all of the mountain is now open. There might well be a few people out enjoying some drinks over the next few nights as well. Just a word of caution on that - there have in the past been some very sad stories of people having accidents and worse after a night out. Remember, it is very cold and slippy out there. Make sure you have a plan to get back to your accommodation and best to stick with friends. A bit like what you'd recommend for going out on the mountain as well. Have a great day and I'll see you on New Years Eve! -- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -8℃, 20cm of crystal snow, calm and no snowdrift development. Moiwa 800m: -10℃, mild wind, 20cm of new snow, snowdrifts developing slowly. Annupuri 1000m: WSW8m/s, 20cm of new snow. 1150m: -15℃. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW8m/s, Kamui cape NNW5m/s, 1022hPa, 1.5m waves. The isobars are spacing out and the weather is calming down in the mountains and the ocean. The snowdrifts have stabilized. The snowpack is growing, bushes filling in in higher areas, but still thick in lower elevation. Looking at the latest snowfall transition and observations, the general avalanche risk is relatively low except in south facing steep slopes. The out of bounds skiing in Niseko is still a tacit allowance by the government, yet to be officially approved, and anybody that is stepping out of bounds have to acknowledge that they are going out at their own risk. The ski resorts are concerned about all users’ safety and deploying various efforts in order to improve the situation. The freedom to ride out of bounds is only protected by the Niseko Rules; disregarding them will only end up in restraining this freedom. We strongly demand everybody to respect the Rules. Gates will open as they’re ready to. Gate 6 is scheduled to open at 10am. Please follow the patrol’s instructions. The snow is good but easy to get stuck. Enjoy the pow and have a nice day. --- Planned resort operations (subject to change due to weather conditions during the day) 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: - All open apart from Onsenzawa, Large, Miharashi and 'Path to King' Niseko HANAZONO Resort Lifts planned to be running: - All lifts - No night skiing in the Hanazono area Courses planned to be open: - All courses Niseko Village Lifts planned to be operating: - All lifts planned to be operating (apart from Country Road Chair) - Night lifts: Community Chair, Banzai Chair Courses planned to be open: - All courses 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 Wednesday 30th December 2015: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 270cm Base - 120cm Niseko Village: Top - 185cm Base - 100cm Niseko Annupuri: Top - 120cm Base - 100cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Wednesday 30th December 2015 Total snowfall at base so far 300cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 20 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 239cm reported on 16 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in 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 306cm Posted on Friday 1st January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning and a very happy New Year to you all. Did you have fun tonight? I enjoyed watching some fireworks from a relatively quiet corner and have managed to get myself up pretty much as normal this morning. Looks like quite a lot of people have also been able to, though I guess many will have a later start today. Just 1cm of fresh snow to report to you this morning but it is snowing again this morning so I expect more tomorrow. Some really great conditions to enjoy yesterday as well as some gate action. Now that almost all of the resort course areas are now open it won't be long before all of the gates join in the fun. Please keep an eye on the Avalanche Report posted below. The forecast remains good for continued snowfall in the coming week. Yey! --- Let's take a look at the snowfall numbers for December 2015 and the season as a whole so far. In December 2015 I observed a total of 244cm of snowfall here at Hirafu base, which made for a total of 308cm so far since the start of the season. Last year I observed 519cm of snowfall in the month of December, so effectively there was over twice as much as this year (though there was a bit more this year in November than the previous season). Here's the numbers lined up: December 2013 - 275cm (398cm since start of season) December 2014 - 519cm (549cm since start of season) December 2015 - 244cm (308cm since start of season) The Japan Meteorological Agency - who record numbers in Kutchan town (close by but a bit lower down than my position) - have the following numbers over the last three seasons. These numbers are as you might expect a little lower than what I observe up here. December 2013 - 258cm (357cm since start of season) December 2014 - 387cm (428cm since start of season) December 2015 - 194cm (229cm since start of season) It's worth noting again that higher up on the mountain there will be more snowfall than down here at base. It is often said that you can probably add about 50% extra on to what we get at base to get an idea of how much snow falls up there. The number to beat for the month of January? I observed 257cm in the month of January 2015 and 461cm for January 2014. Let's hope this January is a repeat of 2014! I'll keep a track on all of these numbers as the season progresses... --- Resort specific news/notes at time of writing (subject to change during the day) Niseko Grand Hirafu All courses now open. Niseko HANAZONO Resort All courses now open. Niseko Village Resort appears to be open as normal this morning. Niseko Annupuri 12 of 13 courses now open. Early gondola from 7:20am-8:20am on January 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th. Charge 1000 yen. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: light sprinkle of snow and calm. Moiwa 800m: -8℃, 5cm of new snow, W8m/s, 30cm snowdrifts. Anupuri 1150m: northerly 8m/s, -10℃, light development of snowdrifts. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNW11m/s, Kamui cape N6m/s, 1019hPa, 1.2m waves. Gates 4, 5, 6 and 10 will open today. Looking at the snowfall transition, weather data, and morning observations, the general avalanche risk is low. Out of bounds riding in Niseko and anywhere else in Japan is yet to be officially recognized by the Hokkaido and federal government. All activities outside the resort boundaries must be done at one’s own risk, however the ski resorts and the local community is deploying various efforts in order to improve the safety of all resort users. Search and rescue operations are still difficult to conduct due to lack of snow, which is one of the reason the opening of the peak gates is delayed, however, preparations is moving on and it shouldn’t be too long before we start opening all gates. We appreciate your patience. The slopes above 500m altitude has been moderately reset with the wind-drifts. Happy New Year and have a nice day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Friday 1st January 2016: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 255cm Base - 115cm Niseko Village: Top - 185cm Base - 100cm Niseko Annupuri: Top - 120cm Base - 100cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Friday 1st January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 306cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 22 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 1cm reported on 1 day Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in 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 14cm Snowfall at base this season 357cm Posted on Thursday 7th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Oh dear, I noticed yesterday afternoon that fairly soon after I had posted my morning report (when I was saying that all resorts were planning on being open as normal), wind was affecting some lifts around the resorts. Over at Annupuri early on it was the top Jumbo 4 lift; at Hirafu it was the top King Number 4 and Ace Number 3 lifts; and at Niseko Village the top Wonderland Chair. Later in the day around lunchtime the Annupuri Gondola and Jumbo Number 3 lift at Annupuri also stopped, with the Jumbo 3 lift starting up again fairly soon after. Hanazono also stopped their top Hanazono 3 quad mid afternoon. So, in the end we were affected by the wind. Sorry about that! I always try and give you the latest available information at the time of posting my report, and around 8:30am is usually a good time to be able to do that. But conditions (both nature and resort operations) can of course change quickly and alas I am not online all day doing live reports. Anyway, on to this morning and I have another respectable 14cm of fresh snow to report to you from by my base here in Hirafu. It's nice and cold and there seems to be less wind on mountain this morning, so fingers crossed resorts and lifts will be open as planned and able to stay all open for the day. It should be another excellent day out there and the forecast remains regular snowfall right through the coming week. Things are shaping up very nicely. --- This morning I thought it would be quite interesting to check out the Hirafu Ace Number 2 Quad lift webcam early in order to see when people start lining up for it. The first people in the queue seemed to arrive just before 7:50am and by 8am the line was long enough for it to fill the webcam image. That lift starts moving at 8:30am. I am referring to the third webcam image that can be found here by the way. I may be wrong but I'd be surprised if there were many ski resorts in Japan where people are queuing for a ski lift over 30 minutes before it opens. --- Niseko Grand Hirafu will start their 'Early Morning' (*rumours of it being re-named 'Early Moaning' are unconfirmed right now) service from January 9th and that should continue through until 31st January 2016. Basically they start up the Ace Quad lift Number 2 earlier than normal from 8am to 8:20am with the Super, Furiko, Green, Alpen and Sen-no-ki courses open. A special ticket is required for that 20 minutes and it costs 500 yen - it can be bought from the .Base lift ticket counter. Note that normal lift tickets will not get you a ride on the lifts during this special early time. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -7℃, 15cm snowfall, no development of snowdrifts. Moiwa 800m: NW8m/s, 60cm of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: -12℃, WNW15m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNW12m/s, Kamui cape WNW10m/s, 1019hPa, 2.1m waves. Typical winter pressure distribution is generating intermittent westerly wind with snowfall above 600m elevation. Looking at snow cat’s fracture test, the newly formed 50cm thick slab’s shock propagation is relatively small, showing that the snowdrifts are developing while stabilizing itself. The overall avalanche risk is relatively small in areas below 1000m elevation. The storm is stronger above 1000m and the wind-chill can easily lead to hypothermia. Wool base layers are recommended when touring. Gates 3 (Hirafu peak) and 2 (Annupuri peak) are scheduled to open today. Please follow the ski patrol’s instructions. Traversing across under cornices is as if trying to deliberately triggering an avalanche. DO NOT! Many hazards are present in the mountains, but can be avoided if you are aware of them and stay prudent. Never underestimate the dangers, always remain humble and think safety first. The snow is in a wonderful condition today. --- Official resort snow depths as of Thursday 7th January 2016: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 270cm Base - 120cm Niseko Village: Top - 190cm Base - 110cm Niseko Annupuri: Top - 140cm Base - 100cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Thursday 7th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 357cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 27 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 52cm 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 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 11cm Snowfall at base this season 368cm Posted on Friday 8th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here There's more snow to report this morning, 11cm of new fresh around my place. I was kind of expecting more this morning with the continued snowfall, but let's perhaps not get too greedy. Visibility looks more limited this morning as the snow continues to fall, sometimes heavier than others. As I write this report it is snowing lightly. And that forecast... well, it is still showing consistent snowfall and low temperatures over the coming week. Conditions are really great at the moment and the regular top-ups over the coming week probably mean that the good times are going to continue. We couldn't ask for much more than that. --- Yesterday I mentioned the Niseko Grand Hirafu early morning service, so this morning I thought I would gather up the other similar things going on at the other resorts. Monday 11th January is a national holiday in Japan - 'Coming of Age Day' - and to celebrate Niseko Annupuri and Niseko Village resorts are also offering early services. And here are the details: Niseko Grand Hirafu 'Early Morning' Dates: Saturday 9th January until Sunday 31st January 2016 Time: 8:00am until 8:20am Cost: 500 yen Details: Ace Number 2 Quad lift with the Super, Furiko, Green, Alpen and Sen-no-ki courses open Niseko Annupuri 'First Run' Dates: Saturday 9th, Sunday 10th, Monday 11th January 2016 Time: 7:20am until 8:20am Cost: 1,000 yen Details: Gondola operation Niseko Village 'Early Morning Gondola' Dates: Saturday 9th, Sunday 10th, Monday 11th January 2016 Time: 7:30am until 8:30am Cost: 1,300 yen Details: Gondola operation It's important to note that these early morning lift operations require special tickets, which basically means that you have to pay extra for them. Season tickets and normal day passes cannot be used. So if you want to lay down first tracks up there, then you need to get out your change. In the case of bad weather conditions any or all of these may be cancelled. Good timing with the snow and weather and it can be fantastic, I did it once myself. Personally though I can't help but feel that it would be good if they could all just open up early for everyone and drop the extra charges, but I suppose the 'premium' aspect then disappears doesn't it. --- And talking of first runs... Hirafu Ace Number 2 Quad lift early morning webcam watch! Following on from my highly scientific observations yesterday, I thought I would give it another go this morning. I actually started putting this report together at 7:45am and there were no people there yet, other than staff. The first people arrived to wait for the lift at 7:59am and the line was longer than the photo could cope with by 8:12am. I wonder how long it gets by the time the lift starts. I must admit I haven't been there at the start of a day in quite a number of years (other things keep me busy around that time!) --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko Base 6am: -5℃, 10cm snowfall, light development of snowdrifts. Moiwa 800m: -8℃, 20cm snowfall with development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: -11℃, W15m/s, 10cm new snow on the courses and development of snowdrifts. Hirafu 1000m: -10℃, 15cm snowfall and snowdrifts developing slowly. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW17m/s, Kamui cape WSW12m/s, 1009hPa, 2.6m waves. Isobars are momentarily narrowing in the winter pressure distribution chart generating snowdrifts development above 800m elevation. The snowfall amount is not big but weak and easily collapsible new slabs have formed under cornices and knoll terrain above 900m elevation. Better not traverse or group-ride these features. The avalanche risk is considerable in 40°slopes above 1000m. Be well aware and prepared. The snow under treeline is wind-packed suitable for skiing, overhead conditions in some places. Cornices are unstable and could fall anytime. Most gates are scheduled to open, please follow the ski patrol’s instructions. Have a nice day. Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Friday 8th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 368cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 28 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 63cm reported on 7 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in 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 11cm Snowfall at base this season 379cm Posted on Saturday 9th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning from Niseko and the start of the long weekend as Monday being a holiday in Japan (Coming of Age Day). As far as I can tell this morning Niseko Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village and Niseko Annupuri resort areas all went ahead with their planned early morning services and they will also be happening tomorrow and Monday - more details on those can be found below. So yes, I have more fresh snow to report this morning as it continues to pile up. My ruler tell me it's another 11cm, so the last five days it has been around 10cm-15cm of fresh per day. (Here at base of course. No doubt more up there on the mountain). If you take a look at the graph near the bottom of the page as well (during today), you will see just how consistent the last few weeks has been. Very nice. There still doesn't look like there will be much of a break in the snowfall in the coming week as it is still forecast to be falling from the skies at a consistent pace. Soon we will no doubt be hearing some folk yearning for clear sunny weather rather than snow. Actually I wouldn't mind that myself - as long as we get the snow overnight before it of course. It is snowing still as I write the report this morning and should continue be for most of the day with some forecasts predicting the snow easing off this afternoon but back later tonight. There's not much else to report really - all is good. Very good, in fact. I hope that you have a very enjoyable weekend. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -6℃, 10cm of new snow, no development of snowdrifts. Moiwa 800m: -8℃, light westerly breeze, 15cm of new snow with snowdrift development. Mikaeri anemometer: -10.8℃, W1.8m/s. Annupuri 1150m: -9℃, W15m/s, snowdrifts developing. Hirafu 1000m: -10℃, mild westerly wind, 10cm new snow with overnight snowdrift development. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW18m/s, Kamui cape WSW12m/s, 1009hPa, 2.6m waves. The winter pressure distribution continues with moderate snow and wind above 800m, stronger wind in higher elevation. The new snowdrifts are forming soft slabs, the general avalanche risk is moderate in most areas. Peak gates are scheduled to open. Listen to the ski patrol’s instructions before stepping out of the gates. Intermittent stronger snowfall and wind are predicted as the isobars moves on. Beware of hypothermia and frostbites. The hazard evaluation is relatively low at this stage but the conditions may change quickly. Always remain prudent and humble in the mountains. The snow is in a fantastic condition. --- Niseko Grand Hirafu 'Early Morning' Dates: Until Sunday 31st January 2016 Time: 8:00am until 8:20am Cost: 500 yen Details: Ace Number 2 Quad lift with the Super, Furiko, Green, Alpen and Sen-no-ki courses open Niseko Annupuri 'First Run' Dates: Sunday 10th, Monday 11th January 2016 Time: 7:20am until 8:20am Cost: 1,000 yen Details: Gondola operation Niseko Village 'Early Morning Gondola' Dates: Sunday 10th, Monday 11th January 2016 Time: 7:30am until 8:30am Cost: 1,300 yen Details: Gondola operation It's important to note that these early morning lift operations require special tickets, which basically means that you have to pay extra for them. Season tickets and normal day passes cannot be used. In the case of bad weather conditions they may be cancelled. Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Saturday 9th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 379cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 29 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 74cm reported on 8 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 399cm Posted on Sunday 10th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here A very good morning to you from Niseko. And this morning I have another full 20cm of light fresh snow to report. That's since my last report up until the time I took my measurement at 8am this morning. Oh yes. I like 20cm and above. It's enough to fill in the tracks very nicely. And there's lots of tracks to fill in here in Niseko of course. Since I started putting this report together it has been snowing lightly and then eased off. And there's actually a hint of sun coming through the clouds at the moment in some places but that probably won't last long with continued snowfall forecast for the day. Yesterday we did see some wind higher up that was threatening to affect everyone's fun again, but today I hope there won't be much of that. It seems fairly calm this morning actually here in Hirafu, though I note that Niseko Village and Niseko Annupuri have clocked up some stronger wind numbers this morning (up to 14m/s westerly). To start the day though all four resort areas are opening as planned. What can I say other than it should be another excellent day out on the slopes today. People here in Niseko at the moment are getting to experience it at it's best. Wrap up well, have fun and... take care out there. --- With the consistent snowfall we have enjoyed here over the last few weeks - and seemingly that is still set to continue - it's hard to believe how lots of areas on the main island of Honshu are suffering this season; it just doesn't seem to want to snow properly yet in some places. Like I mentioned before I do not see it as a competition - something you get by not being in the 'selling' business! - so I'd be very happy for everyone and everywhere to have at least a normal season in terms of snowfall. But I have heard a few people up here almost enjoying reading the news from other places which seems somewhat... nasty. That's not cool. We had a pretty poor start as well this season, if you remember. Happily, nature turned on the snow taps for us. It can happen to us all so let's not get carried away and just hope for a very snowy Japan winter everywhere. That's what I think anyway. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -5℃, 20cm new snowfall, no snowdrift development. Moiwa 800m: -9℃, W10m/s with snowdrift developments. Annupuri 1150m: -10℃, W10m/s, snowdrifts above 1100m. Hirafu 1000m: -6℃, 20cm snowfall, light development of snowdrifts. Benkei cape: NNW13m/s, Kamui cape W8m/s, 1012hPa, 1.9m waves. A passing small low-pressure system dropped 20cm of fresh snow in areas above 800m Looking at observations, the snowdrifts’ growth is relatively slow and seems stable, however it is strongly recommended to stay away from cornices, refrain from dropping into a slope at once and to stay away from valley bottoms. The snow condition is very different in areas above 1100m. If the westerly wind picks up during the day, the avalanche hazard will rise drastically in areas above 1000m. Most of the accidents occur in snowdrifts loaded slopes during stormy weather. Be flexible with your touring routes. The snow in the trees is in excellent condition. Beware of collision and falling into cracks, which are difficult to notice from above. Most gates are scheduled to open, please follow the patrol’s instructions, be aware and be prepared of the risks you’re taking. Have a nice day. --- Niseko Grand Hirafu 'Early Morning' Dates: Until Sunday 31st January 2016 Time: 8:00am until 8:20am Cost: 500 yen Details: Ace Number 2 Quad lift with the Super, Furiko, Green, Alpen and Sen-no-ki courses open Niseko Annupuri 'First Run' Dates: Monday 11th January 2016 Time: 7:20am until 8:20am Cost: 1,000 yen Details: Gondola operation Niseko Village 'Early Morning Gondola' Dates: Monday 11th January 2016 Time: 7:30am until 8:30am Cost: 1,300 yen Details: Gondola operation It's important to note that these early morning lift operations require special tickets, which basically means that you have to pay extra for them. Season tickets and normal day passes cannot be used. In the case of bad weather conditions they may be cancelled. --- Official resort snow depths as of Sunday 10th January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 285cm Base - 140cm Niseko Village Top - 190cm Base - 110cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 150cm Base - 100cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Sunday 10th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 399cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 30 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 94cm 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 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