Due to insufficient snowfall, multiple ski resorts in Hokkaido, Japan, have delayed their opening. Ski resorts in Sapporo, which usually begin operations one after another from mid-November, are also not yet open. Related staff said, “We hope the snow will come soon.”
According to the Sapporo Regional Meteorological Observatory, temperatures in Hokkaido have been higher than usual on multiple days in November, with zero snow accumulation in the plains of major cities such as Sapporo, Hakodate, and Obihiro.
The Sapporo International Ski Resort, originally scheduled to open on the 20th of this month, announced on the 17th that it would be postponed, with the new opening date yet to be determined. The person in charge said, “This year has seen many warm days, and even when it does snow, the snow melts quickly.” Meanwhile, Hokkaido’s earliest expected opening resort, Nakayama Ski Resort, was scheduled to open on [date missing], but currently, there is only 10 cm of snow. In late October, the snow here had already melted, making it impossible to accumulate. However, ski resorts require at least 50 cm of snow to open.
Areas in the Shikotsu-Toya region, popular among European and American tourists for their powder snow such as Niseko, have also not formed large areas of snow. The opening dates for the Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort and other ski areas, originally scheduled to open on the 21st, are still undecided. The Hokkaido Dohoku region’s Kurodake Ski Resort, originally set to open on the 13th, is located on the northeastern slope of Mount Kurodake within a national park. To protect vegetation, the ski resort requires at least 1 meter of snow to open. After the 24th, widespread snowfall is expected on the Sea of Japan side, and the person in charge of the ski resort said, “This time, it’s really a blessing in the form of snow. We hope for more snow, and if it comes quickly, we might be able to open as early as the 24th.”
On the other hand, SNOW CRUISE ONZE, located in the suburbs of Sapporo, has become the earliest ski resort to open in Hokkaido this year by using artificial snow. The person in charge, Masakazu Masuoka, said, “This year, natural snowfall has been delayed, so more people have visited our ski resort. We hope to take this opportunity to attract more visitors.” A resident of Chitose City who came to ski said, “It’s been a long time since I skied. (I’m very happy to be here today), but I’m still eagerly looking forward to ski resorts with natural snow.”