SnowOdds

Japan

Hokkaido and Nagano: the deepest, driest powder on the planet.

Asia
Painting: Japan

When the snow comes

Average odds across 48 resorts. The most reliable weeks:

  1. 21–27 Dec70%
  2. 4–10 Jan69%
  3. 11–17 Jan67%
  1. 2–8 Nov, 4% avg oddsNov2–8 Nov: 4% average odds
  2. 9–15 Nov (this week), 9% avg odds9–15 Nov: 9% average odds
  3. 16–22 Nov, 22% avg odds16–22 Nov: 22% average odds
  4. 23–29 Nov, 24% avg odds23–29 Nov: 24% average odds
  5. 30 Nov – 6 Dec, 43% avg oddsDec30 Nov – 6 Dec: 43% average odds
  6. 7–13 Dec, 53% avg odds7–13 Dec: 53% average odds
  7. 14–20 Dec, 55% avg odds14–20 Dec: 55% average odds
  8. 21–27 Dec, 70% avg odds21–27 Dec: 70% average odds
  9. 4–10 Jan, 69% avg oddsJan4–10 Jan: 69% average odds
  10. 11–17 Jan, 67% avg odds11–17 Jan: 67% average odds
  11. 18–24 Jan, 64% avg odds18–24 Jan: 64% average odds
  12. 25–31 Jan, 67% avg odds25–31 Jan: 67% average odds
  13. 1–7 Feb, 62% avg oddsFeb1–7 Feb: 62% average odds
  14. 8–14 Feb, 65% avg odds8–14 Feb: 65% average odds
  15. 15–21 Feb, 62% avg odds15–21 Feb: 62% average odds
  16. 22–28 Feb, 52% avg odds22–28 Feb: 52% average odds
  17. 1–7 Mar, 46% avg oddsMar1–7 Mar: 46% average odds
  18. 8–14 Mar, 53% avg odds8–14 Mar: 53% average odds
  19. 15–21 Mar, 47% avg odds15–21 Mar: 47% average odds
  20. 22–28 Mar, 35% avg odds22–28 Mar: 35% average odds
  21. 29 Mar – 4 Apr, 23% avg oddsApr29 Mar – 4 Apr: 23% average odds
  22. 5–11 Apr, 16% avg odds5–11 Apr: 16% average odds
  23. 12–18 Apr, 12% avg odds12–18 Apr: 12% average odds
  24. 19–25 Apr, 8% avg odds19–25 Apr: 8% average odds
  25. 26 Apr – 2 May, 3% avg odds26 Apr – 2 May: 3% average odds

Outlined: the three most reliable weeks. Hover a bar for its dates.

Where to go

Best all season

Highest score across the whole season

  1. 1Furano ski resortHokkaido Prefecture, best 4–10 Jan52
  2. 2HakubaHakuba Valley, best 18–24 Jan50
  3. 3Myoko Suginohara Ski ResortNiigata Prefecture, best 4–10 Jan50
  4. 4Kiroro ResortHokkaido Prefecture, best 21–27 Dec48
  5. 5Pippu Ski SlopesHokkaido Prefecture, best 4–10 Jan48
  6. 6Tsugaike KogenNagano Prefecture, best 18–24 Jan47
  7. 7Naeba Ski ResortNiigata Prefecture, best 4–10 Jan46
  8. 8Nozawa OnsenNagano Prefecture, best 8–14 Feb46
  9. 9Sapporo Kokusai Skiing ResortHokkaido Prefecture, best 21–27 Dec46
  10. 10Kandatsu Kogen Ski ResortNiigata Prefecture, best 1–7 Feb45

Best early season

First six weeks of the season

  1. 1Furano ski resortHokkaido Prefecture, best 4–10 Jan39
  2. 2Pippu Ski SlopesHokkaido Prefecture, best 4–10 Jan38
  3. 3Kiroro ResortHokkaido Prefecture, best 21–27 Dec34
  4. 4Sapporo Kokusai Skiing ResortHokkaido Prefecture, best 21–27 Dec33
  5. 5Kamui Ski LinksHokkaido Prefecture, best 4–10 Jan31

Best late season

Last six weeks of the season

  1. 1Tomamu Ski ResortHokkaido Prefecture, best 21–27 Dec37
  2. 2HakubaHakuba Valley, best 18–24 Jan35
  3. 3Furano ski resortHokkaido Prefecture, best 4–10 Jan34
  4. 4Myoko Suginohara Ski ResortNiigata Prefecture, best 4–10 Jan33
  5. 5SahoroHokkaido Prefecture, best 11–17 Jan32

Hidden gems

Smaller ski areas with a big score

  1. 1Pippu Ski SlopesHokkaido Prefecture, best 4–10 Jan48
  2. 2Sapporo Kokusai Skiing ResortHokkaido Prefecture, best 21–27 Dec46
  3. 3Kandatsu Kogen Ski ResortNiigata Prefecture, best 1–7 Feb45
  4. 4Ryuoo Ski ParkNagano Prefecture, best 4–10 Jan45
  5. 5Muikamachi HakkaisanNiigata Prefecture, best 8–14 Feb44

Numbers are the average SnowOdds score out of 100 per week over the period shown: the odds of 10 cm4 in or more of fresh snow at the summit count most, then base, sun, rain and wind.

All 48 resorts in Japan