Asia Weekly Roundup #236

From Sahoro to Niseko: Japan's Skiing Spectacle Continues Amidst Varied Conditions.

• Closing Dates: Ski areas in Japan typically close either at the start of April or continue operating until the beginning of May, with popular resorts like Niseko and Rusutsu staying open until Golden Week.
• Varied Conditions: While the weather has been mostly sunny with temperatures reaching around +10°C in valley bases, there has been recent snowfall, indicating varied conditions for skiers and snowboarders.
• Upcoming Weather: The forecast predicts mostly dry and sunny weather, but there's a possibility of snowfall in the next 24 hours, keeping the slopes fresh.

JAPAN REPORT

While we tend to see ski areas gradually close weekend after weekend from late March to early May in Europe and North America, Japan tends to see most areas close either at the start of April or continue another four weeks to the start of May. So it is that centres like Sahoro, Tomamu, Naeba, and Kamui are closed at the weekend. However, many others are open until the end of this month or longer, like the biggest and best-known Hokkaido resorts like Niseko and Rusutsu, most of which will keep skiing until Golden Week (the first week of May). While it's mostly been sunny since we last reported, with temperatures up to about +10C in valley bases, there has been some new snowfall in the last 24 hours, and more is forecast in the next day or so.

JAPAN FORECAST

Mostly dry and sunny but with some snowfall likely in the next 24 hours.