Right, it's Tuesday 19 May 2026. Most of Japan's ski resorts closed weeks ago. Your powder dreams are on hold until December-ish. But there's still one place keeping the lights on, and it's worth knowing about if you're absolutely desperate for a ski fix before winter rolls around again.
Let's do a quick lap around the regions and talk about what's happening, what's worth watching for next season, and where your attention should be right now.
Hokkaido: Asahidake Hanging On While Everyone Else Sleeps
The big boys - Niseko, Rusutsu, Kiroro, Furano - are all closed. Lifts are stopped, groomers are parked up, and the staff are probably halfway through their summer gigs by now.
But Asahidake, the volcanic crater resort in Daisetsuzan National Park, is still running its gondola into late spring. It's not a resort in the traditional sense - it's more of a backcountry access point with one lift - but it's skiable. Unofficial Networks flagged this week that Japan does have a spring and summer ski spot still open, and Asahidake is the one everyone's pointing at. Snow up top can linger well into June on a good year.
If you're in Hokkaido for any reason right now, it's worth the detour to Asahidake-onsen town. Have a soak, ride the gondola, skin around the crater rim. It's a proper experience even outside peak season.
For next season: Niseko's lift infrastructure upgrades have been rolling out for a couple of years now. Keep an eye on Hanazono's terrain expansion and the Annupuri side - there's been chatter about improved connectivity. Nothing confirmed yet for 26/27 but watch that space.
Tohoku: Gassan is Your Summer Ski Secret
This is the one Unofficial Networks is hinting at. Gassan, sitting up in the Yamagata mountains, is the resort that runs deepest into the year in all of Japan. It typically opens in April and pushes through to late June or sometimes July. Right now in mid-May it should be open and reasonably well covered given the snowpack it sits on.
It's not groomed cruising. It's spring skiing - heavy, wet, variable snow, strong UV, and you'll want sunscreen on your neck unless you want to look like a lobster. But it's skiing in May in Japan, which is a sentence most people can't say.
Zao Onsen in Yamagata is long closed by now, but start pencilling it into your 26/27 plans. The juhyo (snow monsters) season there is genuinely one of the most wild skiing experiences you'll have anywhere. Aim for late January to mid-February for peak monster conditions.
Nagano: Nothing Open, But Plenty to Plan
Hakuba is done. Nozawa Onsen is done. Shiga Kogen closed up in early April. The whole Nagano region is in full off-season mode.
Now is actually a decent time to sort your accommodation for next season, especially for Hakuba. The valley fills up fast in peak January, and some of the better-value lodges in Wadano or near Happo-One take bookings well in advance. Don't sleep on Cortina either - it gets less traffic than Happo-One but the snow quality up there is genuinely ridiculous on a good dump.
Madarao Kogen is another one I keep recommending to mates who want a quieter Nagano experience. Less English-speaking infrastructure than Hakuba, but the tree skiing is brilliant and the crowds are nothing compared to Happo on a powder day.
Niigata: Kagura Closed, But Keep It on Your Radar
Kagura and Mitsumata usually push the latest of any Niigata resort, but even they've wrapped up by mid-May most years. If there's any Niigata resort still spinning a lift right now it'd be a surprise.
Naeba, Gala Yuzawa, Joetsu Kokusai - all closed. Gala is worth a mention for Aussies doing a Tokyo trip because you can literally take the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station and be clicking into bindings within two hours. That's a hard deal to beat for a day trip. Keep it in the toolkit for next season.
Myoko Kogen is genuinely underrated for the full Japan experience - onsen town, decent vertical, good tree skiing at Suginohara, and it's not as overrun with package tourists as some spots. Worth a look for 26/27.
Central Honshu and Kanto: Wrapped Up
Takasu Snow Park, Dynaland, the Gunma resorts - all closed. Nothing to report here except to note that Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma is a cracking combo trip if you want world-class hot springs alongside your skiing. The town itself is one of the best onsen towns in Japan. File that away for next season.
Western Honshu: Daisen Was a Highlight This Year
Daisen in Tottori is closed now but worth flagging as a resort that punches above its weight. It's not Hokkaido powder, but if you're doing a broader Japan trip and passing through the San'in coast, it's a solid add-on. Views of the Japan Sea from the top are genuinely something.
The Bottom Line for Right Now
If you absolutely need to ski Japan in May 2026, Gassan in Tohoku is your best shot at a real ski day. Asahidake in Hokkaido is there if you're already up north.
For everyone else: now is the time to sort your 26/27 trip. Book accommodation early for Hakuba and Niseko, look hard at Nozawa and Madarao if you want something less crowded, and check whether your ski pass from this season rolls over any early-bird deal for next year. Some resorts do it. Worth five minutes of your time.
See you on the other side of winter.
