One Japanese ski resort just received a staggering 3 metres of snow in 3 days

Photos of buried chairlifts at Japan's Kagura Ski Resort have gone viral on social media after a "record breaking" three metres of snow in three days.

Ski resorts in Yuzawa Town in Japan’s Niigata prefecture have endured one of the most chaotic weeks in recent memory, with strong winds and heavy snowfalls burying chairlifts and forcing lift closures. Kagura Ski Resort bore the brunt of the storms, reporting three metres of snow in just three days, forcing a total suspension of lift operations on Wednesday and Thursday and partial closures at other times. GALA Yuzawa ski resort was closed for the day on Friday – the first time is has ever completely closed due to heavy snowfall, according to a post on Snow Japan.

Kagura Ski Resort’s Facebook post on February 20, 2025

A Facebook post from Kagura on February 20, which has now had more than 4,000 engagements, apologised for the interruption and pleaded with followers for their understanding.

“We are experiencing record breaking snow and our staff are exhausted, so please understand”, reads a translated version of the post.

A buried chairlift at Kagura Ski Resort on February 19, 2025. Image: Facebook

The public response to the post has been overwhelmingly positive, with users thanking the resort for its efforts and encouraging management to prioritise safety.

“Thank you for your hard work so that we can operate safely”, wrote one user. “Work safety is important so be careful.”

Another user saw the positive side to the heavy storms.

“I have a feeling that we’ll still enjoy live snow during Golden Week [a Japanese national holiday beginning at the end of April] this year!”

The aftermath. Image: Facebook

Snow Japan’s Yuzawa Now report, which takes daily snowfall readings from the central town area of Yuzawa Town, has now tallied 483 cm in February alone. It will needs just 13cm from the last six days of the month to set a 13-year record (the length of time daily records have been kept by Snow Japan).

While Japan’s heavy snowfalls and powder conditions are responsible for attracting skiers from all corners of the globe each winter, there comes a point at which one wonders: “How much is too much?”.

Remarks from the Yuzawa Now report on February 20 indicate that we may have found our answer.

“I can’t remember there ever being as much snow piled up in my garden as there is right now. It’s getting to be pretty ridiculous and there is now probably above 4 metres in some places.

“And, of course, this unusually heavy snowfall is affecting peoples lives in many ways. At the moment, it feels more like ‘survival’ than thinking about skiing.

“The ski areas are troubled too… I think it’s fair to say that they all now very much want it to stop!”