It's mid-April and yeah, the season is winding down hard. Most of Japan's ski resorts have already pulled the pin for 2025/26, and honestly that's not a surprise. Spring came in warm across Honshu and even parts of Hokkaido got hit with some early melt. But if you're still chasing turns, there are a few spots hanging on. And for everyone else, this is the time to start thinking about next season.
Hokkaido
Asahidake is the one to watch right now. As Japan's highest ski area, it's the last one standing in Hokkaido pretty much every year, and 2026 is no different. The ropeways are still running and there's solid spring snow up top, though you'll want to get up early before the sun does its thing to the surface. Kurodake is in a similar position, still open for a bit of hiking and touring action even if the lift-served terrain is winding back.
Niseko United, Rusutsu and Kiroro are all done for the season. Furano wrapped up a solid year too. If you skied any of those this winter, you did well. It was a pretty decent season across central and western Hokkaido once things got going in January.
Worth flagging: a piece doing the rounds from Ski Asia this week spotlights Namari Onsen, a tiny resort in the mountains of Hanamaki, Iwate, that feels like Japan from thirty years ago. It's not Hokkaido, but if you're the kind of person who gets more excited by old chairlifts and a rotenburo than a groomed superhighway, put it on your radar for next season.
Tohoku
Gassan is the big one here. It doesn't even open until spring, and it's currently in full swing. If you've never done a Gassan trip in May, honestly, add it to the list. There's a genuine snowpack up there that keeps going well into May most years, and the backcountry access is brilliant.
Hakkoda is winding down but still worth a look for touring. Zao Onsen in Yamagata had a cracker of a season this year, particularly for the juhyo monster snow trees that everyone flies over to see. That's obviously done now, but it's a good one to lock in early for next year. Lift tickets and accommodation book out faster than people expect.
Ski Asia also put out a piece this week on Shizukuishi, just outside Morioka in Iwate. It's a mid-sized resort with great groomed runs and apparently some solid tree skiing too. Not the most famous name on the circuit, but reviews are consistently good and it punches above its weight. One to consider if you want to get off the beaten track next season.
And the Chokai Kogen Yashima feature from Ski Asia is worth a read if you're into the old-school, unpretentious side of Japanese skiing. Small, no frills, on the slopes of Mt. Chokai in Akita. The kind of place where you'll be sharing the lift with local school kids and buying udon from a woman who's been running the lodge canteen for twenty years.
Nagano
Hakuba is done. Happo-One, Goryu, 47, Cortina, all closed up. It was a solid March but April warmth finished things off pretty quickly at lower elevations. Cortina had a great late season as usual, but even that's packed away now.
Good piece from Ski Asia this week on Hakuba Goryu if you're planning a family trip next season. It flies under the radar compared to Happo-One but has 900m of vertical and links with Hakuba 47. The groomers there are genuinely excellent and it's a lot less chaotic than some of the bigger names in the valley. Worth bookmarking.
Nozawa Onsen and Shiga Kogen have both closed. Madarao Kogen is also done, though it made news earlier in the season for all the wrong reasons. A full-depth avalanche on the Powder Line Course back in late February caught five riders and injured four, including a young teenager. Ski patrol responded fast and it could have been a lot worse. A reminder that avalanche terrain is serious business even on resort-managed runs.
Niigata
Kagura and Mitsumata usually push the latest closing dates in Niigata and they're still at it. Spring skiing up on the Kagura side can be genuinely good in mid-April, especially on a clear day. Gala Yuzawa, Naeba and most of the Yuzawa area resorts have closed for the season.
If you're thinking about Niigata for next season, Lotte Arai Resort is worth putting on the shortlist. It's been quietly building its reputation over the last few years and the snowfall numbers out of Myoko are hard to argue with.
Investment Corner
A couple of property-focused pieces doing the rounds this week from Ski Asia. One rounds up seven commercial properties on the market across Japan for ski industry investors, from riverside glamping setups to a Meiji-era landmark. Another lists eight ski lodges and hotels for sale in Hakuba, Niseko and Furano. If you've ever had that "what if I just bought something over there" thought after a few too many beers at the bottom of the mountain, now you've got some actual options to look at.
Looking Ahead
The 2026/27 season is still a long way off, but this is actually the best time to sort your passes and accommodation, especially for popular spots. Niseko books out early, Hakuba during peak January and February weeks fills up fast, and anyone who waited until November last year found slim pickings. Keep an eye on early bird season pass announcements coming out of the major resorts over the next few months.