Japan’s winter doesn’t ease its way in – it tends to announce itself. Two weeks into the season, Hokkaido is already showing why it’s often the safest early bet, Honshu is delivering some familiar early-December curveballs, and one lesser-known resort is quietly stacking numbers that demand a second look. The season isn’t settled yet, but there’s enough happening to make skiers sit up and pay attention.
Let’s take a look.
Hokkaido
Niseko United
Niseko has kicked off the season with strong early snow. Grand Hirafu reports a peak base of 145 cm and a base of 73 cm, giving a solid early-season foundation across open terrain.
According to Snow Japan, the cumulative snowfall from its Kutchan Town station is 149 cm, with 120 cm falling in December alone – 46 cm of which fell across a 48-hour period late last week. For comparison, last season saw 38 cm in November and 135 cm in December, putting this year’s early-season totals close to last year’s pace.
Snow Japan summed up the conditions on Friday:
“Those are all good healthy numbers and with it continuing to fall today, we will surely be treated to the best conditions of the season once this blast clears up. Beyond tomorrow there’s more snow lined up on the forecast. Looking like a normal winter pattern.”
Night skiing opened on Saturday, December 13, letting visitors lap the lit runs. Plenty of lifts and terrain have been open today, and forecasts suggest more light snow through the week – solid early-season coverage, nothing extreme, but enough to get skiers moving while the season builds.
Most lifts are now up and running across the Niseko United resorts
The verdict: Classic, reliable Hokkaido, with solid early-season conditions
Furano
Based on Snow Japan records, Furano has enjoyed its best first two weeks of December in the last 14 seasons, with 158 cm of cumulative snowfall, on top of the 45 cm that fell in November. Five days this season have already delivered 20 cm or more, underlining just how productive this early stretch has been.
A Facebook post from Furano Ski Area on December 10. Plenty of snow!
A recent Furano Now reports sums up the mood nicely:
“The fun continues with more snow falling yesterday and overnight. Looks like Mother Nature will take the day off tomorrow, it is Saturday after all, but then return Sunday for a 3-day engagement.”
And it’s not just about what’s already fallen. Snow remains in the forecast over the next few days, with temperatures staying decisively cold – dropping to -16 °C on Tuesday night, which should help preserve snow quality where terrain is open.
That said, Furano isn’t quite firing on all cylinders yet. Kitanomine isn’t scheduled to open until December 22, and the northern runs in the Furano Zone are closed for now, meaning there’s still some waiting to do before the resort hits full stride.
Still a bit to open up!
There is, however, some genuinely good news. The Furano Quad, which was plagued by mechanical issues and spent much of last season out of action, is now up and running – a welcome development for anyone with trips planned later this winter.
Verdict: Excellent conditions, but a little wait before terrain opens up.
Honshu
Hakuba Valley
Hakuba is serving up a proper early-season puzzle for skiers today. Rain has crept into some of the base areas, leaving snow damp and heavy, while higher slopes are still holding what’s already fallen. Earlier in the season, a couple of solid powder days gave skiers a taste of the snow Hakuba can deliver, but today’s conditions are a reminder that early-season runs can be unpredictable. As the Hakuba Facebook page (published by White Horse Hakuba) puts it:
“Snowing up top and wet down low. Tells me to get high. Get out early for some fun turns. Going to be a little slow and low gradient would be best. Goryu would be my pick. Tsugaike and Happo tied for a close second though. Freezing level will drop late this afternoon. Going to puke tonight.”
Numbers give the picture some shape: Snow depth at the Hakuba 47 peak sits at 105 cm with all courses open, offering a rare stretch of fully operational terrain. By contrast, Happo-one ranges from 59 cm at Usagidaira to 100 cm at Kurobushi, with only partial lift coverage (and periods today where everything was on hold due to wind). Goryu, Tsugaike, and Cortina partially open. Today is a mixed bag, and skiers will need to navigate both the weather and operational quirks to find the best turns.
Temperatures are the main concern for Hakuba
Snow-Forecast has the current freezing level hovering around 1000 m, meaning tonight’s forecasted dump could deliver fresh snow to the slopes – though lower areas may still see rain before temperatures drop. Light precipitation is expected over the coming week, making conditions highly temperature-dependent.
The verdict: Mixed bag, with warm temperature threatening to derail a decent start.
Wildcard: Geto Kogen
Geto Kogen has kicked off the season in spectacular fashion, living up to its reputation as a powder magnet. A massive 77 cm dump recorded on December 5 set the tone, giving skiers a taste of the deep snow the mountain is famous for.
Official snow depths currently measure 118 cm at the top and 63 cm at the base, providing solid coverage across the resort. Meanwhile, the seasonal accumulation is the headline: Snow Japan reports 245 cm so far from a measurement near the base (around 650 m), while the resort itself claims 433 cm of total snowfall this season. Many resorts around the world would be lucky to see that amount over an entire winter.
Geto Kogen website is reporting 433 cm of cumulative snowfall for the season!
Snow Japan captured the chaos of that early-season storm:
“The last few days have been a bit mad. We’ve gone from hardly any snow at all, to over 2 cm of snow being reported by the ski area up top (on their social media; the website says 100 cm, but maybe that is not updated yet). Whatever, a lot of snow all of a sudden. And it is due to continue until this evening.”
Most main runs are at least partially open, though tree-run courses have yet to open. Video footage from Geto’s Facebook page shows skiers lapping generous coverage and smooth, early-season powder, confirming that the mountain is already delivering the goods.
Snow is in the forecast for the first half of the week, but as with Hakuba, temperatures will be the key factor in determining the quality of riding, and there is still the possibility of rain at lower elevations.
The verdict: 433 cm of snow only two weeks into December. We see you Geto!
It’s still early in the season, and in Japan, conditions can turn on a dime. But with snow already on the ground, more falling in the forecast, and a full winter ahead, there’s plenty to get excited about for anyone planning to hit the slopes.
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