Japan Weekly Snow Roundup #307

• Hokkaido posts world-leading 440cm snow depth
• Up to 32cm fresh snowfall refreshes northern slopes
• Honshu settles into classic spring skiing pattern
• Freeze–thaw cycles dominate southern resorts

Japan Snow Report

Hokkaido remains Japan’s most reliable region this late in the season, maintaining consistently cold temperatures and the country’s deepest snowpacks. Fresh snowfall returned to higher slopes over the weekend, with Kiroro (215/370cm / 86/148”) posting 32cm (13”), the biggest total.

Rusutsu (120/170cm / 48/68”) reported 30cm (12”), Furano (75/195cm / 30/78”) 18cm (7”), and Niseko (148/270cm / 59/108”) also saw useful top-ups. Conditions are a mix of packed powder and spring snow depending on elevation. Daisetsuzan Kurodake (360/440cm / 144/156") continues to post not only Japan’s deepest base but one of the deepest globally for late March.

Further south, Honshu’s major resorts have transitioned into classic spring conditions. Freeze–thaw cycles are now the dominant pattern, with limited new snowfall. Resorts including Hakuba, Nozawa Onsen and Shiga Kogen still maintain solid upper-mountain coverage, though lower slopes are thinning.

Japan Snow Forecast
A cooler pattern persists across Japan this week. In Hokkaido, summit temperatures dip to around –14°C before gradually rising toward the weekend. Upper slopes from Niseko to Furano remain frosty, while base temperatures fluctuate between –8°C and +7°C, ensuring firm morning conditions softening later in the day.

Across Honshu, resorts such as Hakuba, Nozawa Onsen and Shiga Kogen continue to follow a typical spring cycle, with crisp starts near –10°C on higher terrain followed by mild afternoons climbing into double digits at village level. Overall, increasingly spring-like conditions prevail, with the best snow quality early each day.