Japan’s Deepest Snowpack Grows as Tengendai Kogen Hits 780cm
Updated March 12, 2025: Japan’s deepest snowpack at Tengendai Kogen hits 780cm (312")! Nozawa Onsen hovers near 400cm (160")—more snow expected this week. Click for the full report.
- Nozawa Onsen Hovers Near 4m Base with Fresh Snowfall
- Fluctuating Temps Bring Freeze-Thaw Conditions to Japan’s Slopes
- More Snow Incoming: 5-15cm Daily Through Next Week
- Most Japanese Resorts Fully Open with All Lifts Running
JAPAN REPORT
Japan’s ski season seems to be on the cusp, as you’d expect as we approach mid-March, with some resorts still reporting bases going up, others beginning to drop and many seeing a bit of yo-yoing as there have still been good fresh snowfalls, but then warm spells, sometimes with rain, leading to a drop. At the top end though the ski area posting the world’s deepest snowpack, Tengendai Kogen Ski Area (780/780cm / 312/312") at Yonezawa City, Yamagata prefecture, has seen its base depths edge a little higher still over the last seven days. It's one of Japan's ski areas open to May, so should have no problem staying fully open until then. Of the best-known resorts Nozawa Onsen (200/395cm / 80/158") has been hovering around the 4m (160") base mark, very healthy for this point of the season, getting above it with a 12cm (5") fall on Friday/Saturday but then dipping back below at the start of the week. Like all Japanese areas (and much of the rest of the northern hemispheres) spring temperatures are fluctuating between -10 and +10oC, approximately, giving freeze-thaw conditions. Most areas are fully open with all runs open and all lifts running.
JAPAN FORECAST
Winter should continue on Japanese slopes for the latter half of this week and through the weekend. Temperatures will mostly be below-freezing and light to moderate snowfall (5-15cm / 2-6") per 24 hours is expected through into next week.
