Mt. Fuji, Kitadake First Snow Possible Oct 7–8 in Japan Alps

Strong cold air over Honshu's high peaks, Oct 7–8

According to tenki.jp, strong cold air with temperatures below 0°C will move in at about 3,000 m above Honshu from Wednesday, October 7 to Thursday, October 8. On 3,000 m-class peaks in the Northern and Southern Alps, snow or sleet is expected, mostly at night when temperatures drop. Mt. Fuji and Mt. Kitadake may see their first snow cover of the season.

The amount of snow is forecast to be small. Strong north winds, however, could reduce visibility and make it feel suddenly colder. Hikers heading into the Northern Alps and other high mountains at this time of year should take care.

The way first snow is recorded has changed this season

Starting this season (August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has switched its first-snow observation from visual checks to "analyzed snow depth". This makes it possible to tell whether snow has settled even when a summit is hidden by cloud or it is night. The JMA website publishes this season's snow status for 44 mountains across Japan.

Because the method has changed, the statistics no longer line up with past visual records. For Mt. Fuji, for example, last season's first snow came on October 23, 2025, against a normal date of October 2.

At the resorts this morning: no new snow, no snow depth

In this morning's observations on our site (October 7, 6:30), no location qualified for the 24-hour snowfall top 10, and none was rated as powder (5 cm or more). The snow depth top 5 also reads "no snow". No snow has been reported at ski resorts across Japan so far, including the Niseko area.

The snow expected with this cold air is on ridgelines at 3,000 m and above, well higher than the ski resorts. It is a separate matter from snow on the slopes and is not a guide to skiing conditions.

Niseko opens November 28 (planned)

According to the official Niseko United website, all four areas (Niseko Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village, Annupuri and HANAZONO) plan to open on Saturday, November 28, 2026. Operating dates may change. Planned closing dates are May 5, 2027 for Niseko Grand Hirafu and Annupuri, April 4 for Niseko Village, and April 11 for HANAZONO.

At Niseko Village, the first section of the new "Shin Mori no Gondola" (New Forest Gondola), which replaces the Mori no Chairlift, is due to open in December 2026, running from the base station to the mid-station. The upper second section toward the summit is scheduled for completion in December 2027.

How to read this news

First snow on high peaks is a sign that winter is approaching. Keep it separate from snow on the slopes.
To check whether the snow is skiable, look at each resort's snow depth, 24-hour snowfall and live cams.
Our observation data is updated every morning.

Sources

This article was written by AI from public information. Always check each resort's official website for the latest information.