Snowfall was recorded across the country with many resorts finally opening on the weekend. Appi Kogen's snow meter was overflowing on 12/28:

The resorts were getting busy because it is the start of the Japanese new year holidays. Example Nozawa Onsen lines this morning:

Or the GALA Yuzawa lines to get out!

But crowds are still not overwhelming yet

The rest of this week will only light snow until 2nd Jan.

It is a massive powder day for Central Honshu and Southern Tohoku, where heavy snowfall has delivered 70–80cm of fresh snow to resorts like Shiga Kogen and Okutadami, alongside a significant 68cm refresh at Nekoma. While Hokkaido resorts like Kiroro and Asahidake maintain incredible base depths exceeding 200cm, the most aggressive new accumulation is currently in the Niigata and Nagano regions, with Lotte Arai and Akakura reporting 50–55cm of fresh powder.

The warm weather combined with rain has continued to wreck havoc on many resorts in Japan. Many of the resorts that were planning to open this week have delayed their opening until conditions improved.

Conditions are forecasted to get better by Friday with more than 50cm of snow forecasted for many areas in Japan.