The Best Time To Visit Niseko, Hakuba, and Furano
Imagine booking in your dream Japow holiday, only to arrive and find there’s no snow…
It’s every skier’s worst nightmare, yet surprisingly, it happens each and every year. Whether it’s the allure of a discounted flight, wanting to avoid peak season crowds or simply an act of naivety, any resident of Japan’s alpine region will be able to vouch for the fact that each and every year without fail, you’ll get hit up by a loved one from back home who has just booked in their trip, only for you to have to break the news that the lifts won’t actually be spinning for another two weeks after their arrival date…
It’s not an ideal situation. So if you’re planning on visiting Japan for a winter pow break and want to make sure the coverage doesn’t look like the photo above, make sure you research the expected conditions for the dates you’re looking at.
But it’s not as simply as just saying, ‘it’s summer in Australia so it’s winter in Japan, there will be snow’. Each and every alpine area in Japan is completely its own entity, with each resort opening on different dates, having peak seasons and offering different advantages and disadvantages depending on the time of year.
So before you book those flights, here’s a few things to keep in mind when deciding on the best time to ski in Japan:
The Best Time To Visit Niseko
Are you chasing deep powder, well-maintained groomers, or the most avalanche-free time to go out and explore the backcountry? Depending on your answer, there will be different months that best suit your needs when visiting Niseko:
Peak Season | When: December – February Chasing that peak season pow? December to February will offer up the biggest dumps, deepest powder and the most on offer around the town. The downside? You’re not the only one chasing pow and this is the most popular time to visit, with spikes peak visitation occurring during Christmas/New Years and Chinese New Year. |
Off-Peak | When: Early December, March-April Care more about getting a seat at a restaurant than smashing pow? Off-Peak visits will be the best time for you. Shorter lift lines, readily accessible dining options, cheaper accommodation–what’s not to love? |
Shoulder Season | When: March, April Chasing untracked pow lines in the backcountry? How about less crew on the slopes so that you can your fam can enjoy learning in a stressfree environment? Shoulder season visits in March will be the best option for you. Sure, the powder might not be as deep, but the snowpack will be much firmer, the conditions will be much better, and the chance of an accident or avalanche will be significantly reduced. |
Please note: around the middle of March, Niseko will host its first ever Snow Machine festival, so while the resort’s would have normally normally reduced in crowd size by this stage, it will be very busy around the villages over this period.
The Best Time To Visit Hakuba
Free riding, park laps, steep terrain – Hakuba has a lot on offer for every style of rider out there. With 9 different resorts and extensive backcountry selections on offer, Hakuba is a pretty rad spot to shred regardless of the time in the season.
Peak Season | Best Time: January, February If you’re looking for the most powder coverage and peak freeride conditions, January and February will offer up the most for you. As Hakuba’s peak season, the two most popular periods fall over the Christmas/New Year and Chinese New Year holidays. |
Shoulder Season | When: December, March Keen on some slushy park laps in the spring sun? How about less crowds to learn the basics without having hotrats shred past you ever two seconds? March will be your best bet. Not only will lift-lines be shorter and dining options more accessible, you’re also more likely to luck out on bluebird days than during peak season where they are almost non-existent. |
Please note: around the first week of March, Hakuba hosts the Snow Machine festival, so while Hakuba’s runs would have normally reduced in crowd size by this stage, it will be very busy around the villages over this period.
The Best Time To Visit Furano
If you’ve ever seen pictures of Furano, you’ll know that there’s no such thing as a bad time to visit. In summertime, Furano transforms into picturesque lavender farms and flower fields, delivering some of the most scenic bike rides Japan has on offer, and in winter, it’s some of the best powder you’ll ever encounter.
And that’s what it’s all about – the best time to ski in Japan, and for many of you that means when the best pow is.
Peak Pow | Best Time: January to February Other Attractions: Apart from skiing, winter is perfect for snowmobiling, ice fishing, and enjoying the hot springs. |
Off-Peak | OFF-PEAK VISITS |
The Best Time To Visit Niseko, Hakuba and Furano for Summer Fun
As we all know, Japan is much more then just a winter holiday destination, with the alpine regions transforming into hubs for some of the best mountain biking, hiking and rafting across the entire country.
So we wanted to hit you with a few additional tips and tricks for the green season:
Niseko
Best Time: June until the end of August will be the best time to explore all of Niseko’s green season activities. Summer Fun: Mountain biking, skating, rafting, fishing, matsuri. |
Hakuba
Best Time: Late April until the end of October will be the best time to go shred some of Hakuba’s world class downhill trails. Summer Fun: Mountain biking, skating, rafting, fishing, matsuri. |
Furano
Looking to see the picturesque flower fields and lavender farms of Furano? Here’s the best time to visit for you:
Flower Fields | FLOWER VIEWING |
Summer Fun | SUMMER FUN |
Culinary Experiences | CULINARY EXPERIENCES AND FESTIVALS |