Hokkaido
Asahidake is doing what it always does, outlasting everyone else. As of this week the ropeway is still running and there's reportedly around 2 metres of consolidated snowpack up top, which is genuinely impressive for late April. It's not going to be powder days, think firm morning snow softening into slush by midday, but if you're in Hokkaido right now and you want to ski, Asahidake is your answer. Bring your goggles and get up there early.
Kurodake in Daisetsuzan is another one worth watching. Both of these volcanic mountain resorts run later than almost anywhere else in Japan, sometimes into late May depending on the year. No official closing dates announced yet, so check their sites before making any plans.
Over in Niseko, Grand Hirafu wrapped up operations a week or two back. Rusutsu and Kiroro are also done. Furano closed out after a solid season. The base areas are thawing out fast and the resort towns are shifting into that quiet shoulder-season mode, which honestly has its own charm if you're keen on exploring without the crowds. Keep an eye on Niseko United's announcements, they've been hinting at some infrastructure updates at Hanazono for the 2026-27 season and that'll be worth following.
One thing that can't be ignored right now: the Japanese government has issued a special earthquake advisory covering municipalities from Hokkaido down to Chiba. If you're travelling anywhere in Japan at the moment, register your details with your country's embassy and have a basic evacuation plan in your head. It's routine precaution but worth taking seriously.
Tohoku
Gassan is the name to know in Tohoku at this time of year. It's one of the last resorts in Japan to open each spring, not close, and it typically fires up in late April or early May using the deep natural snowpack on its north-facing slopes. Worth watching if you're planning a spring trip to Japan and want to actually ski. Think corn snow touring vibes rather than full resort operations initially, but it scales up quickly.
Zao Onsen in Yamagata has wrapped its regular season. The famous juhyo monster trees are long gone now, but Zao's onsen town is still very much alive and worth a visit in the off-season. Good food, great baths, and a lot cheaper accommodation than peak winter.
Hakkoda near Aomori, which had a cracking season for tree skiing this year, is also done. The backcountry crowd will be out there for a while yet on the higher terrain, but the resort operation is over.
Nagano
Happo-One at Hakuba shut the lifts in mid-April. Same story across most of the Hakuba valley resorts. Cortina, which had some of the best powder stashes of the season, is done. Tsugaike likewise.
The one Nagano outlier to watch is Shiga Kogen. Parts of the interconnected 21-resort network sometimes push into late April, and given the elevation on some of those lifts there may still be limited operations happening. Check the Shiga Kogen website directly before writing it off.
On the planning front, Nozawa Onsen has been quietly upgrading its lift infrastructure, and there's been talk around expanded snowmaking capabilities at a couple of the Hakuba resorts for next season. Nothing locked in officially yet, but if you're thinking about 2026-27, Hakuba is looking like it'll continue investing in the product. The yen is still doing Australian skiers a favour, so start thinking about early bird flights now.
Niigata
Kagura and Mitsumata sometimes run the longest in Niigata thanks to the elevation and northerly exposure. There may still be limited operations happening, especially on the Kagura side. Worth a direct check if you're in the area. Naeba, Gala Yuzawa and most of the Yuzawa cluster are done for the season.
Myoko Kogen has finished up too, but the town itself is in a really interesting spot right now. Lotte Arai has been expanding its summer and shoulder season offering, and there's genuine momentum in the Myoko area around becoming a year-round destination. If you haven't been to Myoko in winter, put it near the top of your list for 2026-27. The snowfall totals are consistently excellent and it's a bit less chaotic than Niseko.
Central Honshu
Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route opens in mid-April each year, and while that's not exactly skiing, the snow walls along the route are absolutely worth seeing if you're in the area. Walls can hit 15 to 20 metres in a good year. It's a bucket list thing even for non-skiers. The ski areas in Gifu, Dynaland, Washigatake and Takasu Snow Park, are all closed now.
Kanto
Everything in Gunma and Tochigi is shut. Kusatsu Onsen wrapped a decent enough season. Tambara had some reasonable late-season snow. Nothing left to ski here now, but if you're Tokyo-based and looking for a ski fix this week, Asahidake in Hokkaido is genuinely worth a flight.
Looking Ahead
It's that weird time of year where you're simultaneously mourning the season that just finished and already thinking about next winter. The 2025-26 season had some real highlights, particularly strong La Nina conditions early on pushed solid early snowfalls into Hokkaido and Tohoku. Whether we get a repeat is anyone's guess, but it's not too early to start watching seasonal outlooks from the Japan Meteorological Agency. Pass deals for 2026-27 will start appearing in the next month or two from the bigger resorts. Niseko United's multi-resort passes and the Hakuba Valley passes are worth jumping on early if you're planning ahead. More updates as the resorts start making announcements.