Hokkaido snow forecast

Skiing in Hokkaido

Hokkaido is the northern island of Japan and the reason Japanese powder has its reputation. Through the winter, cold air from Siberia crosses the relatively warm Sea of Japan, picks up moisture and drops it as light, dry snow on the island's mountains. The resorts are not high, mostly topping out between about 1,000 m and 1,300 m, but snowfall is heavy and frequent, especially from December to February.

The area has two sections. On the western side, near the coast, Niseko is a group of four linked resorts on Mt Annupuri (Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village and Annupuri) sharing an all-mountain pass, with long groomed runs and gated access to off-piste. Rusutsu, nearby, spreads over three mountains and is known for its tree skiing, especially on Mt Isola. Kiroro, west of Sapporo, sits where storms often stall and records some of the highest snowfall totals on the island. Sapporo Teine is around 40 minutes from the city and has runs used at the 1972 Winter Olympics.

Inland, Furano and Tomamu sit in the colder, drier centre of the island. Furano gets less snow than the coastal resorts, roughly eight to nine metres a season, but it is often lighter, and the mountain is quieter than Niseko. Tomamu is very cold, often below minus 10 C, and its resort setting and gentle slopes suit families.

The season usually runs from late November or December into early May, with peak powder from late December to February. New Chitose airport is the gateway, roughly two to three hours by road from Niseko and Furano. Tree skiing and off-piste carry real avalanche risk, and resorts control access through marked gates.