Niseko Nears Season End With Just 10% of Terrain Still Open

• Deepest Snow on Earth Still in Yamagata, Despite Spring Melt
• Late-Season Snowfall Drops to Base—Japan's Lower Slopes Get Fresh Fluff
• Gassan Summerski May Have Quietly Kicked Off 2025 Season
• Sunshine, Showers, and Spring Turns—Classic Freeze-Thaw Riding in Japan

JAPAN REPORT

Fluctuating weather conditions for Japanese slopes with more snow showers reported in the past few days, alternating with warm, sunny weather. Ski areas in Yamagata prefecture continue to post the world's deepest snowpack, although that's dropped from a high of almost 8 metres (27 feet) a month back to dropping down towards 6 metres (20 feet) now. Around half of the bigger resorts remain open, although most have much reduced, upper-mountain terrain only left to ski on. Hakuba's Happo One (10/370cm / 4/148") still has nearly half its slopes open, but Hokkaido's Niseko (50/180cm / 20/72") has less than 10% of its runs still available. The past few days have brought decent snowfall down to low elevations, however. The Gassan Summerski area is believed to have started its 2025 season, which usually runs to July, last weekend, but so far the centre has not published any updates on its status, so it's unclear if there's been a delay or not.

JAPAN FORECAST

It's the usual springtime mix of sunshine and showers. Temperatures still getting down to -5°C overnight on high slopes for freeze-thaw conditions on still-open terrain. Highs of +10°C in the afternoon up top though and +20°C in valleys.