2025-26 Season Recap

Niigata was the snowiest region: its 5 snowiest resorts had 1,240cm on average. Kiroro reported the most of any resort: 1,787cm over the season.

Snowiest regions

Each region by the average snowfall of its 5 snowiest resorts, so that a region with many small resorts is not held back by them.

1. Niigata 1,240cm
   Cupid Valley 1,623cm · Suhara 1,257cm · Lotte Arai 1,227cm · Seki Onsen 1,145cm · Charmant Hiuchi 949cm
2. Hokkaido 1,225cm
   Kiroro 1,787cm · Grand Hirafu 1,263cm · Rusutsu 1,155cm · Sapporo Kokusai 1,057cm · Furano 865cm
3. Tohoku 1,092cm
   Geto Kogen 1,498cm · Hakkoda Kokusai 1,217cm · Appi Kogen 970cm · Akita Hachimantai 962cm · Yudonosan 813cm
4. Nagano 802cm
   Togari Onsen 975cm · Nozawa Onsen 902cm · Tsugaike Kogen 793cm · Hakuba Cortina 711cm · Madarao 630cm
5. West Japan 510cm
   Yogo Kogen 730cm · Okukan 585cm · Hyper Bowl 447cm · Hachi Kita 420cm · Ibukinosato 370cm
6. Hokuriku 483cm
   Awasuno 679cm · Tateyama Sanroku 470cm · IOX AROSA 470cm · Skijam 403cm · Hakusan Seymour 395cm
7. Kanto 460cm
   Mt.T Tanigawadake 1,001cm · Hodaigi 550cm · White Valley 320cm · Tambara 230cm · Ogna Hotaka 200cm
8. Gifu & Tokai 352cm
   Hida Nagareha 465cm · Winghills 412cm · Shitatori Kogen 350cm · Honokidaira 295cm · Takasu 240cm

Most snowfall

1. 1 Kiroro Hokkaido 1,787cm 2024-25: 1,562cm
2. 2 Cupid Valley Niigata 1,623cm 2024-25: 2,102cm
3. 3 Geto Kogen Iwate 1,498cm 2024-25: 1,862cm
4. 4 Grand Hirafu Hokkaido 1,263cm 2024-25: 1,177cm
5. 5 Suhara Niigata 1,257cm 2024-25: 1,357cm
6. 6 Lotte Arai Niigata 1,227cm 2024-25: 1,409cm
7. 7 Hakkoda Kokusai Aomori 1,217cm 2024-25: 1,779cm
8. 8 Rusutsu Hokkaido 1,155cm 2024-25: 840cm
9. 9 Seki Onsen Niigata 1,145cm 2024-25: 1,768cm
10. 10 Sapporo Kokusai Hokkaido 1,057cm 2024-25: 1,094cm

Deepest snow

1. 1 Seki Onsen Feb 9 630cm 2024-25: 610cm
2. 2 Charmant Hiuchi Feb 12 530cm 2024-25: 690cm
3. 3 Lotte Arai Jan 30 518cm 2024-25: 679cm
4. 4 Aomori Spring Feb 1 505cm 2024-25: 610cm
5. 5 Togari Onsen Jan 31 480cm 2024-25: 530cm
6. 6 Cupid Valley Jan 31 470cm 2024-25: 640cm
7. 7 Hakkoda Kokusai Feb 2 460cm 2024-25: 495cm
8. 8 Kurodake Feb 18 450cm 2024-25: 380cm
9. 9 Koshi Kogen Feb 7 410cm 2024-25: 445cm
10. 10 Grand Hirafu Feb 20 400cm 2024-25: 375cm

Biggest days

1. 1 Yogo Kogen Jan 23 100cm
2. 2 Seki Onsen Jan 22 100cm
3. 3 Togari Onsen Jan 25 100cm
4. 4 Ippon Sugi Jan 26 100cm
5. 5 Cupid Valley Jan 2 95cm
6. 6 Akakura Kanko Jan 25 90cm
7. 7 Kiroro Jan 25 90cm
8. 8 Yawata Dec 27 90cm
9. 9 Suishozan Feb 7 90cm
10. 10 Chateau Shiozawa Jan 26 90cm
11. 11 Tsugaike Kogen Dec 12 84cm
12. 12 Nozawa Onsen Jan 25 80cm
13. 13 Iwate Kogen Jan 11 80cm
14. 14 Okutadami Dec 27 80cm
15. 15 Suhara Jan 23 80cm
16. 16 Mogami Akakura Onsen Jan 9 80cm
17. 17 Lotte Arai Jan 25 77cm
18. 18 Tateyama Sanroku Jan 25 75cm
19. 19 Mt.T Tanigawadake Jan 12 70cm
20. 20 Hakkaisan Dec 27 70cm

Snowfall per resort was −26% on 2024-25, comparing the 318 resorts that reported in both seasons. The most snow fell in Jan. Peak depth per resort was −25% on 2024-25, comparing the 318 resorts recorded in both seasons, and they had 100cm or more on the ground for 53 days on average, against 86.

The 10 snowiest resorts against 2024-25

The resorts with the most snow of those that reported through the whole of both seasons, so the two seasons compare like for like.

1. 1 Kiroro Hokkaido 1,787cm +14%
2. 2 Cupid Valley Niigata 1,623cm −23%
3. 3 Geto Kogen Iwate 1,498cm −20%
4. 4 Grand Hirafu Hokkaido 1,263cm +7%
5. 5 Lotte Arai Niigata 1,227cm −13%
6. 6 Hakkoda Kokusai Aomori 1,217cm −32%
7. 7 Rusutsu Hokkaido 1,155cm +38%
8. 8 Seki Onsen Niigata 1,145cm −35%
9. 9 Sapporo Kokusai Hokkaido 1,057cm −3%
10. 10 Mt.T Tanigawadake Gunma 1,001cm −4%

The 10 deepest resorts against 2024-25

The resorts with the deepest snow of those that reported through the whole of both seasons.

1. 1 Seki Onsen Niigata 630cm +3%
   100cm or more for 122 days (2024-25: 142 days)
2. 2 Charmant Hiuchi Niigata 530cm −23%
   100cm or more for 147 days (2024-25: 180 days)
3. 3 Lotte Arai Niigata 518cm −24%
   100cm or more for 131 days (2024-25: 169 days)
4. 4 Aomori Spring Aomori 505cm −17%
   100cm or more for 120 days (2024-25: 157 days)
5. 5 Togari Onsen Nagano 480cm −9%
   100cm or more for 88 days (2024-25: 108 days)
6. 6 Cupid Valley Niigata 470cm −27%
   100cm or more for 83 days (2024-25: 143 days)
7. 7 Hakkoda Kokusai Aomori 460cm −7%
   100cm or more for 121 days (2024-25: 145 days)
8. 8 Kurodake Hokkaido 450cm +18%
   100cm or more for 177 days (2024-25: 151 days)
9. 9 Koshi Kogen Niigata 410cm −8%
   100cm or more for 90 days (2024-25: 96 days)
10. 10 Grand Hirafu Hokkaido 400cm +7%
    100cm or more for 153 days (2024-25: 138 days)

Snowfall per resort by region, against 2024-25

1. Niigata 39 resorts 506cm −30%
2. Hokuriku 13 resorts 388cm −31%
3. Hokkaido 41 resorts 381cm +11%
4. Tohoku 73 resorts 288cm −33%
5. West Japan 41 resorts 263cm −18%
6. Nagano 71 resorts 215cm −32%
7. Gifu & Tokai 15 resorts 200cm −38%
8. Kanto 25 resorts 189cm −35%

Peak depth per resort by region, against 2024-25

1. Niigata 39 resorts 316cm −26%
2. Hokuriku 13 resorts 234cm −38%
3. Tohoku 73 resorts 190cm −25%
4. West Japan 41 resorts 174cm −15%
5. Hokkaido 41 resorts 167cm −3%
6. Gifu & Tokai 15 resorts 163cm −35%
7. Nagano 71 resorts 158cm −31%
8. Kanto 25 resorts 149cm −37%

Snowfall per resort by month

Mean snow depth by month

123 of 318 resorts saw deeper snow than their average peak of the past seasons.

The average resort reported new snow on 20 days, 13 of them with 10cm or more. The most widespread snowfall was on Jan 12, when 71% of the resorts reported new snow.

Share of resorts reporting new snow, by day

Regions with the most snow days

Each region by the average of its 5 resorts with the most days of new snow.

1. Hokkaido 85 days
   Sapporo Kokusai 99 days · Kiroro 87 days · Hanazono 82 days · Tomamu 82 days · Furano 76 days
2. Tohoku 69 days
   Appi Kogen 83 days · Geto Kogen 74 days · Zao Onsen 73 days · Hakkoda Kokusai 67 days · Yudonosan 50 days
3. Niigata 53 days
   Lotte Arai 66 days · Charmant Hiuchi 52 days · Cupid Valley 52 days · Suhara 52 days · Seki Onsen 44 days
4. Nagano 49 days
   Nozawa Onsen 68 days · Hakuba 47 47 days · Hakuba Cortina 46 days · Tsugaike Kogen 42 days · Ontake 41 days
5. West Japan 34 days
   Kujyu 42 days · Okukan 34 days · Sky Valley 33 days · Daisen Nakanohara 33 days · Yogo Kogen 29 days
6. Kanto 27 days
   Mt.T Tanigawadake 46 days · Hodaigi 32 days · Kazawa 24 days · Tambara 18 days · Kawaba 17 days
7. Hokuriku 27 days
   Awasuno 44 days · Tateyama Sanroku 27 days · IOX AROSA 24 days · Skijam 21 days · Fukui Izumi 21 days
8. Gifu & Tokai 23 days
   Winghills 35 days · Hida Nagareha 26 days · Honokidaira 21 days · Takasu 18 days · Shitatori Kogen 16 days

Days with new snow per resort by region, against 2024-25

1. Hokkaido 41 resorts 33 days +12%
2. Niigata 39 resorts 25 days −25%
3. Hokuriku 13 resorts 22 days −15%
4. Tohoku 73 resorts 21 days −23%
5. West Japan 41 resorts 17 days −27%
6. Nagano 71 resorts 15 days −31%
7. Gifu & Tokai 15 resorts 15 days −24%
8. Kanto 25 resorts 13 days −24%

Most days with new snow

1. 1 Sapporo Kokusai Hokkaido 99 days 2024-25: 93 days
2. 2 Kiroro Hokkaido 87 days 2024-25: 78 days
3. 3 Appi Kogen Iwate 83 days 2024-25: 89 days
4. 4 Hanazono Hokkaido 82 days 2024-25: 78 days
5. 5 Tomamu Hokkaido 82 days 2024-25: 69 days
6. 6 Furano Hokkaido 76 days 2024-25: 66 days
7. 7 Geto Kogen Iwate 74 days 2024-25: 78 days
8. 8 Zao Onsen Yamagata 73 days 2024-25: 79 days
9. 9 Rusutsu Hokkaido 71 days 2024-25: 57 days
10. 10 Nozawa Onsen Nagano 68 days 2024-25: 77 days

360 resorts published their season dates. Half of them had opened by Dec 20. Of the 346 resorts that opened in both seasons, 148 opened later than the season before and 35 earlier.

Share of resorts open

Opening compared with 2024-25

• Japan Half open by Dec 20 ±0 days
  35 earlier 163 same 148 later
• Hokkaido Half open by Dec 20 +3 days
  8 earlier 24 same 31 later
• Tohoku Half open by Dec 20 −1 days
  5 earlier 40 same 33 later
• Kanto Half open by Dec 15 −1 days
  2 earlier 20 same 3 later
• Niigata Half open by Dec 25 +5 days
  3 earlier 15 same 22 later
• Nagano Half open by Dec 19 −1 days
  12 earlier 37 same 24 later
• Hokuriku Half open by Jan 3 +10 days
  1 earlier 3 same 10 later
• Gifu & Tokai Half open by Dec 13 −1 days
  2 earlier 10 same 5 later
• West Japan Half open by Dec 27 +6 days
  2 earlier 14 same 20 later

Longest seasons

Opened the latest compared with 2024-25

1. Haboro Hokkaido 40 days later Dec 1 → Jan 10
2. Akoyama Shiga 33 days later Dec 21 → Jan 23
3. Yachikogen Nagano 30 days later Nov 30 → Dec 30
4. Hakugindai Hokkaido 29 days later Dec 20 → Jan 18
5. Akenogaoka Hokkaido 29 days later Dec 20 → Jan 18
6. Minamigaoka Hokkaido 26 days later Dec 26 → Jan 21
7. Uenono Miyagi 25 days later Dec 30 → Jan 24
8. Fukui Izumi Fukui 22 days later Dec 14 → Jan 5

Over the season, the forecasts made the day before added up to 2.0× the snow resorts reported for tenki.jp and 1.6× for snow-forecast.com. Of the days with 5cm or more, tenki.jp had forecast 69% and snow-forecast.com 77%.

tenki.jp forecasts were only collected from Dec 10, so its numbers are for the rest of the season.

Days with 5cm+ of snow that were forecast, by how far ahead

Snow forecast over snow reported, by how far ahead

The other side of it: the day before, 54% of the days tenki.jp forecast 5cm or more and 52% for snow-forecast.com had less than 1cm.

Season snowfall per resort: forecast the day before against reported

• Japan 292cm · tenki.jp 582cm · snow-forecast 507cm
• Hokkaido 381cm · tenki.jp 447cm · snow-forecast 632cm
• Tohoku 284cm · tenki.jp 657cm · snow-forecast 538cm
• Kanto 182cm · tenki.jp 297cm · snow-forecast 373cm
• Niigata 507cm · tenki.jp 1,147cm · snow-forecast 792cm
• Nagano 203cm · tenki.jp 362cm · snow-forecast 444cm
• Hokuriku 377cm · tenki.jp 850cm · snow-forecast 604cm
• Gifu & Tokai 171cm · tenki.jp 345cm · snow-forecast 410cm
• West Japan 284cm · tenki.jp 582cm · snow-forecast 260cm

The biggest days, and their forecasts

Forecasts made 1, 2 and 3 days before, in cm.