Asia Weekly Roundup #239

Farewell to Winter: Japan's Ski Season Nears End Amidst Golden Week Rainfall

• Japan's ski season is winding down, with warm temperatures and rainfall prompting closures for many resorts during the Golden Week holiday.
• Most of the remaining ski areas in Japan are set to close by the end of Golden Week, with only the Gassan summer ski center continuing operations.
• Despite the end-of-season conditions, some resorts like Niseko are still offering a portion of their terrain for skiing and snowboarding.

JAPAN REPORT

It’s really felt like the final days of the season for most of the resorts that remain open in Japan over the last week. We’re currently about halfway through the annual 'Golden Week' which is the last of the season for most of those centres still open from last autumn. That’s due to some warm temperatures (some seeing +20C by the afternoon) and rainfall, the latter leading a number of centres including Appi, to close terrain they had hoped to not have to until the season ends next weekend. That's when almost all of the centres still open in Japan plan to close, the exception being the recently opened summer ski centre Gassan (300/700cm / 120/280”) where the base depth continues its usual spring thaw but remains the world’s deepest. Of the big areas still battling on into the final week of their 23-24 seasons all have the final 5-25% of their terrain left open. Niseko (10/170cm/ 4/68”) is down to about 20% (10km/7 miles) of theirs.

JAPAN FORECAST

After some midweek rain showers, it is looking fairly dry and sunny for the final weekend of the season for most still-open areas. Temperatures between +2C overnight up high and +20C at resort level in the afternoons.