Right, let's be honest. It's Friday 29 May 2026 and Japan's ski season is basically done. The lifts are locked up, the onsen towns are filling with hikers and cyclists, and anyone still chasing turns is either at Gassan in Tohoku or hiking up Asahidake with a splitboard. But that doesn't mean there's nothing to talk about. Off-season is when the smart money moves on passes, flights, and accommodation. Let's run through the regions.
Hokkaido - Cams Are Green, but File This Away
Niseko, Rusutsu, Furano, Kiroro - all closed. The Annupuri gondola stopped turning weeks ago. Hirafu village is doing a roaring trade in green curry and mountain bikes right now, which is fine, but it's not what we're here for.
Worth noting: Japan's food price hikes kicking in from June (over 1,000 items going up) will likely flow through to resort restaurants and convenience stores next season. Budget a bit extra for your daily onigiri and ramen habit. Not a disaster, just worth knowing.
Asahidake and Kurodake in the Daisetsuzan range are the wild cards. Asahidake sometimes holds snow into June at the top, and if you're a backcountry tragic with a splitboard and a free weekend, there's still a case for heading up. No lifts, obviously. Hike in, earn your turns. The ropeway at Asahidake runs year-round for sightseeing so you can at least get some elevation without dying on the approach.
My honest take: if you haven't booked Hokkaido for next January or February, do it now. Flights from Melbourne to Sapporo via Tokyo are already showing strong demand for the peak Jan/Feb window. Niseko accommodation fills fast and the yen situation can flip on you.
Tohoku - Gassan Is Your Last Resort (Literally)
Gassan on the Yamagata/Niigata border is the one place in Japan still worth talking about right now. It typically runs into late May or even early June depending on the winter snowpack. Whether it's still spinning a single chair this week depends on how the season finished, but it's the closest thing to a June ski day in Japan outside of alpine touring.
Zao Onsen and Appi Kogen are done. Hakkoda is closed. The famous juhyo (snow monsters) at Zao are long gone, replaced by actual trees doing tree things.
Gassan is a bit of a mission to get to from anywhere, but if you haven't skied it, put it on the list for next spring. It's a proper mountain, the snow gets heavy and wet by May but there's usually decent volume, and the whole area around Yamagata is worth exploring. Sake breweries, hot springs, the works.
Nagano - Hakuba Is Sleeping, Plans Are Forming
Hakuba valley is fully off for the season. Happo-One, Goryu, Cortina, Tsugaike, all done. The valley looks stunning in late spring, green ridgelines, the Hakuba Three Peaks still holding some white up top.
This is actually a good time to think about the Hakuba Valley Passport for next season. If you're planning a week or more in the valley, the multi-resort pass is genuinely good value compared to buying day tickets at Happo-One. Cortina is still the pick for deep powder days in the trees, but Happo-One is the mountain if you want proper vertical and variety.
Nozawa Onsen and Madarao are also closed and quietly getting ready for 26/27. Nozawa in particular is worth a look if you haven't been. The village is more authentic than Niseko, the onsen are free (look up Ogama, the cooking onsen in the centre of town), and the snow quality on a good day rivals anything in Hokkaido.
Niigata - Kagura Might Still Be Breathing
Kagura/Mitsumata is the one Niigata resort that sometimes runs into late May on its upper terrain. It's sitting at decent elevation and tends to hold snow longer than the Yuzawa valley resorts. Worth checking their official site if you're desperate for a late-season day.
Naeba, Gala Yuzawa, Joetsu Kokusai - all wrapped up. The shinkansen from Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa is a great option for next season if you're short on time. You can literally step off the bullet train and be on a lift at Gala Yuzawa within minutes. It's not the deepest snow in Japan but it's hard to beat for convenience from Tokyo.
Lotte Arai Resort near Myoko is one to watch for 26/27. It's been building its reputation steadily and the terrain is genuinely underrated. Good tree skiing, less crowded than Niseko, and Myoko town is a cracker base.
Central Honshu and Kanto - Pack It Up
Dynaland, Takasu, Ski Jam Katsuyama - all done by mid-April usually. Same story for the Gunma and Tochigi resorts like Tambara and Kawaba. Nothing to see here until November at the earliest.
Western Honshu - Never Really Got Going
Daisen in Tottori had a reasonable season by its standards. It's a genuinely fun mountain if you're in the Osaka/Hiroshima orbit and can't get to the Alps. But it's May, so that's that.
What You Should Actually Do This Week
Three things worth doing right now if you're serious about next season. First, set a Google Flights alert for Melbourne to Sapporo or Tokyo for January and February 2027. Second, look at the Hakuba Valley Passport and Niseko's multi-resort pass options before early-bird pricing closes. Third, if you haven't been to Nozawa Onsen or Myoko, seriously consider shifting away from Niseko for at least one trip. The crowds in Hirafu have gotten thick and the prices have followed.
Season's over, mate. But next season starts now.
