Conditions update: how have your favourite Japanese ski resorts fared so far?

Heavy snow hits ski resorts just in time, as one resort edges closer to 6 metres of cumulative snowfall for the season so far.

Conditions can change very quickly at Japanese ski resorts. In our last early season report, resorts were mostly bemoaning a slow start to the month (following what was admittedly an impressive November), with many facing periods of rain and plenty of uncertainty.

Read on below to find out how Niseko, Rusutsu, Furano, Hakuba, Nozawa Onsen and Geto Kogen have all fared since.

Niseko United

By its own lofty standards, Niseko suffered a very slow start to December, with only 43cm falling over the first 16 days of the month. Since last weekend, the tap has well and truly been turned on, with 122cm falling in just six days. Note that these figures come from Kutchan Town, near the base of Niseko Grand Hirafu (courtesy of Snow Japan).

“This all feels much more normal”, were the comments in this morning’s Niseko Now report. “…sweet conditions on the mountain with minimal wind and patches of sunshine”, wrote Glen Claydon in his daily report for 360niseko.

The good run looks set to continue, with consistently cold temps and snow in the forecast every day for the next six days. Hanazono now has all its lifts and runs open, and the remaining Niseko United resorts look likely to follow suit soon.

Niseko United lift status, 22 December 2023. View website

Lift status: Close to fully operational (top lifts closed). Check the Niseko United website for real-time updates.
Summary: Kicking into gear after a slow start to December
Live cam: Niseko Hanazono
Local report: Snow Japan / 360Niseko

Niseko Snow Forecast as of 22 December 2023. snow-forecast.com

Rusutsu

Over the last two weeks, Rusutsu has seen snowfall on all but two days. The best of the conditions have come over the last week, largely thanks to a storm that deposited 70cm of powder in a 48-hour window on Monday and Tuesday. Local reporter Rusutsu20-20 has recorded 290cm of cumulative snowfall for the season so far.

As a result, large parts of the resort are now in operation, including virtually everything on Mt. Isola, with more snow expected tonight and through Saturday.

Lift status: Large parts of the mountain open. Check the Rusutsu website for real-time updates.
Summary: Great winter conditions with a couple of epic days in the last week
Local report: Rusutsu 20-20

Rusutsu Snow Forecast as of 22 December 2023. snow-forecast.com

Furano

Furano skiers have woken up to 11cm of fresh snow this morning, with snowy conditions expected to continue through to Saturday night. Despite a day of heavy rain shortly after our last report, the resort has fared reasonably well over the last two weeks, with fresh snow on nine of the 14 days and a mammoth 46cm top-up on Monday – one of the biggest single day snowfalls in Furano in the last decade.

The Furano Zone is currently open with good coverage. The resort’s Kitanomine Zone is yet to open this season, however there are reports that it will open this weekend.

Lift status: Limited operations. Kitanomine Zone expected to open this weekend.
Summary: Consistent snowfall through December with good conditions.
Local report: Snow Japan

Furano Snow Forecast as of 22 December 2023. snow-forecast.com

Hakuba

Hakuba Valley was in good shape when we last checked, however with very little new snow and periods of rain between December 5 to 15, things were starting to look grim. Fortunately, there’s been fresh snow this week – the best of it coming in the last 48 hours, with ~30cm of fresh at the base and more higher up.

Unfortunately, there’s still a major need for more snow, with Tsugaike, Happo and Goryu all only opening runs higher up and requiring a download on the gondola. Hakuba 47 is the pick of the resorts.

There’s plenty of snow in the forecast for today and this evening, but only scattered periods of light snow for the next five days. Hakuba needs some luck to go its way.

Lift status: Limited operations (check the Hakuba Valley website for real-time updates)
Live cam: Happo-One
Summary: Heavy snow today and in the last 48 hours, but needs more.
Local report: Hakuba Now

Hakuba (Happo-One) Snow Forecast as of 22 December 2023. snow-forecast.com

Nozawa Onsen

Not unlike last year, it’s been a disappointingly slow start to the season for Nozawa. In our report two weeks ago, only the top Yamabiko area and Uenotaira run were open, which, after several days of no snow, dwindled to just the Yamabiko D course.

Thanks to about 45cm falling at the top of the mountain in the last 48 hours, the resort has reopened Uenotaira, Kokenashi and the rest of the Yamabiko area. There’s a massive dump in the forecast tonight, before things taper off again.

Snow Japan has recorded just 23cm in December for Nozawa so far, however last season shows us that things can change very quickly. At the same point in time, the resort had had even less snow, before a very strong final week of December set the scene for a genuinely epic January. Fingers crossed for a repeat.

Lift status: Limited operations (check the Nozawa Onsen website for real-time updates)
Summary: Very limited terrain, hope for more snow tonight and beyond.
Local report: Nozawa Now

Nozawa Onsen Snow Forecast as of 22 December 2023. snow-forecast.com

Geto Kogen

Geto Kogen was the clear winner from our last update two weeks ago, with almost 4 metres of cumulative snowfall by December 8. That tally has now reached 595cm – an incredible number to hit before Christmas, and an amount of snow that many international resorts would be lucky to see over the course of a whole season.

However, despite the heavy snowfalls, it’s been a mixed bag for Geto, who have also endured significant periods of rain through the early and middle of the month.

Things now appear to be in the clear, thanks partly to an enormous 91cm dump on Monday, as reported by the resort. Snow Japan reported 6cm of fresh snow this morning, and there is plenty more to come tonight and through Saturday if the forecast is correct.

All lifts and runs are now operating.

Lift status: All operational (check the Geto Kogen website for real-time updates)
Summary: Heavy snowfall mixed with periods of rain
Local report: Geto Kogen Now

Geto Kogen Snow Forecast as of 22 December 2023. snow-forecast.com