We didn't ski Niseko last time I went but intending to give it a shot this time...only problem is I got lazy while searching for accommodation and just decided to book somewhere in Sapporo, so it'll be 2hrs in the car to get to Niseko
And then 2 hours for the lift!
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@BobinCH, indeed. It does make me want to venture to a few more of the smaller areas. Last time we went to Asarigawa Onsen which was something like 6 lifts and 6 runs. It was midweek and almost exclusively attended by Japanese school kids, so meant a lot of the runs were pretty quiet. You also get the added benefit of being able to jump the lift queues. Obviously you end up with a day of just lapping the same runs, but we actually had a pretty good time there so I've been scouring the SnowJapan website to see what else might be a bit quieter on the Western front.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Last couple of days we hit Asahidake, and then Pippu. Asa has just the one lift… it’s like a mellow certain of la Grave. Pippu has two lifts…. Both were quiet.
Pic of the ‘white room’ route in Asa…
And then the front of Pippu….
And then where we skied…
If you time it right, sun, powder and no people.
We went with Whiteroom Guides… I’d highly recommend them.
After all it is free
After all it is free
PowderAdict wrote:
Niseko is very much like Whistler in that respect, hundreds if not thousands of expert local skiers and boarders who only appear on powder days, and don’t bother otherwise. They of course have as much right to be there as anyone else, but if you’re not expecting it you wake up to a powder day, can’t get near the lifts, and when you do everything is tracked by 10am.
In Japan it is common to place hold your position in the queue with your skis, then go for a coffee, and when they lifts were about to open, stroll back to the front of the queue and get on the lift. Try that anywhere else……….
When I am there they are going to be in for a surprise with their skis. There will be a new sheriff in town.
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Sunday saw a warm front move in bringing the dreaded rain at lower elevation so we moved up to central Hokkaido in search of colder temps. New team member is raising the bar…
Just dropping a quick note in here to catch any ongoing updates. Am considering Japan for 2026 but only just started investigating as know nothing!
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@BobinCH, Did you ski AK face? I've looked at it longingly in past years but it always seemed dangerous and exposed, particularly around the main cliff band across the face!
It's been quite a different trip to normal in Hokkaido this year. It essentially hasn't snowed at all for the past 10 days! Skied good powder on 17th and 18th January, then it warmed up (freezing level to ~700m for consecutive days), and has yet to snow again. Took advantage of the clear weather with some spectacular touring up Asahidake and in the Tokachidake range, but we were skiing super firm grippy wind blasted snow rather than anything powdery.
The lack of snow in Sapporo city is quite stunning compared to last year.
Snow is finally due to return tomorrow as the winds go back to the more typical NW direction for about 3 days.
@BobinCH, Did you ski AK face? I've looked at it longingly in past years but it always seemed dangerous and exposed, particularly around the main cliff band across the face!
Yep you can see our tracks lookers left in the pic above. Central face had more wind on it so we stayed left side which was excellent…
It's been quite a different trip to normal in Hokkaido this year. It essentially hasn't snowed at all for the past 10 days! Skied good powder on 17th and 18th January, then it warmed up (freezing level to ~700m for consecutive days), and has yet to snow again. Took advantage of the clear weather with some spectacular touring up Asahidake and in the Tokachidake range, but we were skiing super firm grippy wind blasted snow rather than anything powdery.
After the cracking conditions in Kiroro from 16th to 18th. The Sunday 19th warming wrecked the snow in the Otaru / Niseko area. So we went north to Kamikawa which still had great conditions for a couple more days, before the bluebird day on 22nd which was a perfect Asahidake day. Then we got the storm from the east which hit the area east of Kamikawa and scored some fresh pow on 24th and 25th. The trick was leaving accommodation to the last minute after studying windy.com. And finding an incredible guide in Kamikawa who took us to spots I’d have hesitated to self-guide in.
@BobinCH, Sounds like it all worked out well for you despite the unusual weather pattern recently! I'm jealous you got to ski the AK face, it's definitely on my list. And I've not been to the Kamikawa area before.
Did you have any trouble finding last minute accomodation? I found it super easy to do it like this before COVID, aiming for about £30-40 per night for a basic single room in a convenient location, or £200-250 for 1 week studio or 1 bedroom Airbnb apartment. Last year it was possible for similar prices but I found the options more limited at times.
But this year I've found it super hard, we have ended up staying in remote locations, and paying a lot more than before. Around £80 per person or more for the most basic hotel single room, or similar per person per night in Airbnbs. Couldn't find anything realistic for our budgets in central Sapporo or Asahikawa at all this year. The hotel we stayed at last year in Susukino for £35 last minute (ish) is charging upwards of £120 this year
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
musehead wrote:
@BobinCH, Sounds like it all worked out well for you despite the unusual weather pattern recently! I'm jealous you got to ski the AK face, it's definitely on my list. And I've not been to the Kamikawa area before.
Did you have any trouble finding last minute accomodation? I found it super easy to do it like this before COVID, aiming for about £30-40 per night for a basic single room in a convenient location, or £200-250 for 1 week studio or 1 bedroom Airbnb apartment. Last year it was possible for similar prices but I found the options more limited at times.
But this year I've found it super hard, we have ended up staying in remote locations, and paying a lot more than before. Around £80 per person or more for the most basic hotel single room, or similar per person per night in Airbnbs. Couldn't find anything realistic for our budgets in central Sapporo or Asahikawa at all this year. The hotel we stayed at last year in Susukino for £35 last minute (ish) is charging upwards of £120 this year
Yep it was harder than last year. OMO5 Otaru was great value. We paid approx £75 each a night which included the Kiroro day pass (it’s basically half price) but could only get in for 1 night. Then we stayed at a very basic guest house @£50 a night after which my buddy booked us into the Unwind at Otaru for a very pricey £170 a night. Kamikawa we stayed at Yukiumi house which we thought was decent value at £75 a night including excellent breakfast and dinner. K’s house Asahidake we got for £40 a night 3 of us sharing a 5 person room which went up to £55 when there were 2 of us.
The OMO5 Otaru, OMO7 Asahikawa, Yukiumi House and K’s house Asahidake are the ones I’d look at next time.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@BobinCH, many thanks for info re K's house - looked at that one online before but was unsure. OMO3 Sapporo is shutting this Spring (sadly) but Otaru and Asahikawa were busy/excellent as you say in early-mid Jan, so hopefully they carry on the good work.
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K’s House Asahidake is simple but brilliant. I might have been under the influence of the whole area though. It does have a special feeling (not only for skiing).
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@BobinCH, Thanks for the info. I think for next year's trip, I might have to be a bit more organised and not leave it all totally last minute.
The snow finally returned to the Sapporo / Otaru area, with a vengeance! Teine and Kokusai both skied as deep as I've ever skied them the last couple of days. Both reported 70cm total over the two days, but it seemed like more, and probably was more dependent on aspect etc. Kokusai we struggled to find pitches steep enough to actually ski properly! Saw a lot of boarders grinding to a halt and having to hike/swim out
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@musehead, IG is taunting me! Green with envy. Enjoy
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Agree on the accommodation- we have found it harder this time around. Snow arrived 2 or 3 days ago and we’ve been taking a break from touring and skiing a little resort for lift served pow.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Northern Japan has seen record snowfall in Feb 2025.
Hokkaido last week got slammed with 4ft in 12 hours.
Japan remains the world's snowfall paradise.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Quote:
Northern Japan has seen record snowfall in Feb 2025.
Hokkaido last week got slammed with 4ft in 12 hours.
Japan remains the world's snowfall paradise.
I'd heard all that, but spoke to someone yesterday whose friend who is on Honshu at present. They apparently reported unseasonably tropical temperatures and eating ice cream instead of skiing powder...
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
mountainaddict wrote:
How are Hokkaido conditions at the moment?
I've heard (indirectly) that it's warmed up and things aren't great
We had a few days of warm weather, and even some rain yesterday but the weatherman is calling for a nice Siberian front to come in with over 50cm of that cold fluffy powder over the next few days:)
Just spent a week in Rusutsu. Three powdery days including a stunner on Friday, a sunny Saturday and two days cruising on piste afterwards. Couldn’t have asked for more
Northern Japan has seen record snowfall in Feb 2025.
Hokkaido last week got slammed with 4ft in 12 hours.
Japan remains the world's snowfall paradise.
I'd heard all that, but spoke to someone yesterday whose friend who is on Honshu at present. They apparently reported unseasonably tropical temperatures and eating ice cream instead of skiing powder...
Eating ice cream??
Sapporo is famous for.its ice cream in Japan.
One evening we got a scoop in a cone to eat as we walked back to the hotel.
The ice cream came out of a freezer, probably at about -10c or so.
Delicious!
A few minutes later we threw it in the bin...totally inedible!
What had changed??
It was about -30c and the ice cream had frozen so incredibly solid that it was literally inedible...in the sense that teeth couldn't dent it, licking risked attaching one's tongue to it by freezing.
It was nice ice cream, while it was edible
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Niseko is definitely back on, and the snow is still falling. Peak gates were still closed today so this is out of gate 8 in the Osawa bowl.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Fair dos, everyone! Thanks for the updates. It appears that reports of the demise of Japanese snow conditions may not have been 100% correct! As mentioned earlier, they were second hand/from the friend of a friend, so to speak.
Quote:
Eating ice cream?? Sapporo is famous for its ice cream in Japan
Yep, I've had it (on my 2023 Hokkaido ski trip) @rungsp. And very nice it was too. I'd mentioned it in the context of the second hand report I'd heard - with it being reported that the Honshu visitor in question had apparently resorted to eating ice cream to cool down amidst rising temperatures
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Whitegold wrote:
Hokkaido last week got slammed with 4ft in 12 hours.
Just to correct this sweeping statement... it wasn't Hokkaido that got slammed, it was specifically Obihiro and the area around it in SE Hokkaido. It was notable because that area doesn't usually get much snow. It came up from the south along with a low pressure system and warmer temperatures. I was staying in Bibai, a couple of hours drive to the NW at the time and didn't get any snow.
There's been a lot of snow in the area to the West of Sapporo the past couple of days. Teine reported 50cm this morning and it continued snowing pretty heavily all day up the mountain. The snow was quite sluffy / unstable and the backcountry gate was officially closed although that didn't stop everyone going through anyway. Kokusai was closed completely today as the road was closed in both directions due to snow.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@musehead, is that the gate to get to the chutes?
We were there last week in amazing snow
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