Sapporo Kokusai
470m vertical, 7 courses, 18m annual snowfall. 60 minutes from Sapporo. Opens late November through March.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
20 Nov 2026
Closes
5 May 2027
Days open
166
Annual snow
18m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Sapporo Kokusai operates across 470 metres of vertical drop between 630 and 1100 metres elevation on the eastern slope of Mount Asari. The resort encompasses 7 courses and 14 named runs across 161 acres, with terrain split 35 per cent beginner, 47 per cent intermediate and 18 per cent advanced. Annual snowfall averages 18 metres, positioning the resort amongst Hokkaido's heaviest snowfall zones. The base sits within Sapporo city limits 46 kilometres from the city centre, making it the highest elevation resort in the municipal area.
The longest run stretches 3.6 kilometres through forested terrain along the Woody Trail and Fairy Tale Trail. The Downhill course drops from summit to base with gradients reaching 30 degrees, typically left ungroomed to develop moguls. Echo Quad services upper mountain powder zones near the 1100-metre summit, whilst the Sky Cabin gondola provides direct access to advanced terrain. Terrain distribution favours progression, with the Family Course exceeding 100 metres in width.
The base lodge handles day-trippers from Sapporo and Otaru, with no slopeside accommodation at the resort itself. Operating hours run 9:00 to 17:00 on weekdays and 8:30 to 17:00 on weekends and holidays, with no night skiing offered. Jozankei Onsen sits 19 kilometres south, providing traditional ryokan lodging and hot springs. The compact footprint concentrates crowds at weekends, though off-piste tree skiing between marked runs absorbs traffic on powder days.
The 2025-2026 season opened 21 November and runs through 31 March. Adult day tickets cost 4500 yen midweek and 5000 yen at weekends, with season passes available for 45,000 yen. Elementary school children ski free. The resort operates independently without multi-resort pass affiliation. The setup suits powder-focused intermediates, families seeking value and Sapporo residents chasing fresh snow within an hour of the city.
470m
Vertical
14
Runs
161 acres
Skiable
18m
Annual snow
The Terrain
14 runs across 161 acres skiable
Sapporo Kokusai sits high above Jozankei at 1,100 metres on the eastern flank of Mount Asari, dropping 470 vertical metres to a 630-metre base. The 14 runs over about 65 hectares are graded 35% beginner, 47% intermediate and 18% advanced, with no expert terrain, so it favours cruising over steeps. Around 18 metres of snow falls in a typical year, making it one of the snowier hills near Sapporo. A gondola, two quads and a double chair provide the lifts, and the high base keeps snow reliable well into the season. Its distance from town makes it a day trip for most visitors.
The Woody Trail and Fairy Tale Trail link to form the longest descent, about 3.6 kilometres through forest. The Downhill course drops from summit to base at gradients up to 30 degrees and is often left to form moguls, so confident skiers can use it for bump practice. The Echo Quad reaches the upper powder zones, and the gondola gives quick access to the steeper terrain. A wide Family Course, exceeding 100 metres across, gives learners space. Off-piste tree skiing between the marked runs soaks up powder-day traffic. There is no night skiing, so plan for a full day and leave by late afternoon.
Terrain split
14
runs
14 runs across 4 grades
Beginner5 runs · 35%
Intermediate7 runs · 47%
Advanced3 runs · 18%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Sapporo Kokusai
The 2025-2026 season opened 21 November and closes 31 March, amongst the longest operating windows in the Sapporo area. Sapporo Kokusai typically opens earliest amongst regional resorts due to its 1100-metre summit elevation. The season extends into early May in high snow years, though late-season operations remain unconfirmed for 2026. Weekday hours run 9:00 to 17:00, extending to 8:30 to 17:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays.
Annual snowfall averages 18 metres, with the eastern slope of Mount Asari capturing northwest moisture flows. The fourth week of December historically produces 64 centimetres across 6.4 snowy days. January through March delivers the most consistent powder, with light, dry snow quality maintained even when Sapporo city receives heavy, wet precipitation. Current season totals through mid-June 2026 reached 1068 centimetres, with base depths of 310 centimetres recorded.
January and February offer peak powder reliability and the fullest terrain access. Early season from late November sees limited terrain but uncrowded conditions and discounted tickets. March brings longer daylight and stable base depths exceeding 2 metres. Spring skiing from April onwards depends on seasonal accumulation. The resort discounts online ticket purchases and shoulder season rates.
The Sapporo Snow Festival runs early February in the city centre, 60 minutes from the resort. Jozankei hosts the Snow Light Path event from late January through late February. The resort features a terrain park with tabletops, rails and jump features on Challenge Street. No night skiing operates, differentiating the resort from Sapporo Teine's illuminated Olympics Zone. Peak weekend crowds from December through February contrast with quiet weekday sessions.
Season 2026 - 2027
20 Nov 2026
Opens
5 May 2027
Closes
166
Days open
18 m
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Sapporo Kokusai
Daily snow reports at Sapporo Kokusai go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
30 cm
Snowiest day
9 Dec 2025
0 cm
This winter · 2026-27
so far
1098 cm
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
cm
Past wintersThis winter
Getting there
Getting to Sapporo Kokusai, and where to stay
Sapporo Kokusai occupies the eastern slope of 1280-metre Mount Asari in the Jozankei area of Minami-ku, southern Sapporo. The base sits at 630 metres elevation within Hokkaido's Ishikari region, 46 kilometres southwest of Sapporo's city centre. Asarigawa Onsen lies 14 kilometres northwest, whilst Kiroro Resort sits a few kilometres distant as the crow flies but 40 kilometres by road. The resort operates within municipal Sapporo boundaries despite its mountain setting.
Jozankei Onsen, a hot spring town with 20 ryokan properties drawing 2.4 million annual visitors, sits 19 kilometres south via a 25-minute drive. Central Sapporo lies 60 minutes north via Route 230. The city of Otaru sits 40 minutes northwest on the coast. Niseko's Hirafu village lies 82 kilometres southwest, a 90-minute drive. The surrounding area remains undeveloped forest, with no commercial infrastructure at the resort base beyond the day lodge.
Route 230 provides the primary access corridor from Sapporo, continuing south to Jozankei before branching to Prefecture Road 1. The Sasson Expressway's Asari interchange sits 17.5 kilometres north of the resort. Roads require winter tyres and chains during storms, with ploughing maintained on access routes. Drive times extend during heavy snowfall and weekend traffic. Free parking accommodates 1850 vehicles at the base area.
New Chitose Airport sits 100 kilometres southeast, approximately 90 minutes by road or 2 hours via public transport. JR trains connect the airport to Sapporo Station in 40 minutes, running every 15 minutes. Direct ski buses operate from Sapporo Station to the resort in 80 to 90 minutes, departing from platform 16 at the bus terminal. The Hokkaido Chuo Bus and Jotetsu Bus offer combined bus and lift ticket packages. Additional departures run from Makomanai Station and Jozankei Onsen, with 5 daily services linking the hot spring town to the ski area in 29 minutes.
Where to stay
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Hotels and lodges near Sapporo Kokusai, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Utah Snow Storm Builds Early-Season Base Ahead of November Openings
Rain down low, snow up high, and a snow report full of zeros that mostly means ‘not updated yet’. Utah’s first proper storm of 2026-27 is rolling through the Wasatch, Snowbird’s snow stake is closing in on 10 inches, and Brian Head is five days from opening day. Early November snow rarely looks like much, but it is the layer every November opening date is built on. Here is where it stands.
1 Nov 2026
Sierra Nevada Halloween Storm: Dodge Ridge Forecast to Lead With 19 Inches
Halloween weekend brings a wet, windy storm to the Sierra Nevada. Our five-day forecast has Dodge Ridge on top with 19 in, followed by Bear Valley at 15 in and Mammoth Mountain at 12 in, with most of it landing on Saturday. A winter weather advisory covers the Tahoe Basin and Mono County until 7 AM Sunday, gusts could reach 47 mph and the freezing level swings between 4,900 and 8,700 ft, so some bases will see rain. A dry spell follows from Monday.
31 Oct 2026
Lake Louise Opens Early on 1 November With Juniper Express and Easy Street
The Rockies get their first lift-served turns of the season early. Lake Louise opens Sunday 1 November, five days ahead of schedule, after a cold October and round-the-clock work from the snowmaking and mountain crews. Terrain is limited to Juniper Express Chair and Easy Street, with two small terrain parks and the beginner area for lessons. Opening-day tickets are over 60% off, with prices rising as more lifts open. First chair is at 9:30 am under the resort’s new lift hours.
31 Oct 2026
Kitzbüheler Horn Summit Cable Car to Be Replaced After 70 Years
A Tyrolean summit lift that has been carrying guests up the Kitzbüheler Horn since 1955 is on borrowed time. Its licence runs to 2045, but a new inspection rule has made refurbishment uneconomic, so Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel will spend around €15 million on a replacement on the same line. It should hold roughly 100 people and keep running in winds that would stop today’s lift. Building starts in autumn 2027, which makes this winter and next summer the last chances to ride the old one.
30 Oct 2026
What’s New in Japan Skiing This Winter: Niseko Gondola, a Private Resort and a Bigger Ikon Pass
Niseko Village is replacing a lift from the early 1980s with an eight-person gondola, Tsugaike gets a six-person chairlift, Madarao joins the Ikon Pass and Togari opens Asia’s first private ski resort. Here’s what is actually new in Japan skiing for 2026/27, plus what is still a year or two away.
30 Oct 2026
Wolf Creek Opens on Halloween Weekend as Colorado’s Early Season Gathers Pace
Colorado’s early-season dominoes keep falling. Arapahoe Basin opened on Wednesday, Keystone follows on Friday, and now Wolf Creek is joining in on Saturday 31 October, just in time for Halloween. A storm on 23 and 24 October left 20 inches of natural snow in the San Juans, and three lifts will turn from 9:00 am, covering about 30% of the mountain. Expect rocks, unmarked obstacles and open water, but also Local Appreciation lift tickets at $73 for adults.
30 Oct 2026
Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing
Keystone is next. After Arapahoe Basin claimed the first chairlift skiing of the season on Wednesday, Keystone opens on Friday 30 October at 9:00 am with more than two miles of snowmaking-built terrain on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon, plus free donuts, coffee and a live DJ. Last year the order was reversed, when Keystone squeezed in a three-hour afternoon session to beat A-Basin by a day. Snowmaking has been running since 15 October.
29 Oct 2026
Beaver Creek Installs 16 Automated Snow Guns on Birds of Prey Ahead of Record World Cup
Beaver Creek is getting ready for the biggest Birds of Prey ever, and this time it is not leaving the snow to chance. Crews started making snow on 27 October with 16 newly installed automated guns on the lower third of the course, after last December’s warm spell forced a downhill off the schedule. Seven races across two weekends run from 3 to 13 December, the most the course has hosted since its 1997 debut, and the guns start themselves whenever the weather allows.
29 Oct 2026
Sapporo Kokusai Snow Report
Snow Report
Updated 2 Nov 2026
1100m
summit
+0cm
new snow · last 24 hours
Snow-4°C / -1°C · W 20km/h
Snowfall
24 hours
0cm
48 hours
0cm
7 days
0cm
Base depth
0cm
Season total
0cm
Typical winter 1098cm
Total lifts4
Live open status isn’t available right now.
20 Nov 2026 - 5 May 2027
Hour by Hour
Next 40 hours· Updated Nov 3, 2026 at 5:02 AM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
1,006 mUpdated Nov 3, 2026 at 5:02 AMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
21cm
Days 8–14
5.8cm
Tue, Nov 3
Heavy Snow Showers
Temp-1° / -4°°C
Snow3.1cm(97%)
Wind20 km/h W
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Sapporo Kokusai snow report
Get the latest Sapporo Kokusai snow report — real-time snowfall, snow depth, and mountain weather for this Hokkaido resort, spanning 630m to 1100m in elevation.
Snow measurements
Snow depth at Sapporo Kokusai is tracked at both the base and summit, since the two elevations often see different totals — roughly a 470m difference here. We report fresh snowfall over the last 24 hours and 7 days alongside the running season total, in both metric and imperial units.
Weather conditions
Snow quality tracks closely with temperature and wind. We surface both alongside the snowfall data so you can judge whether conditions at Sapporo Kokusai are holding up or starting to soften.
Data sources
We pull Sapporo Kokusai's conditions from on-the-ground mountain reporting, then layer in forecast data so you get a fuller picture than either source alone. The mountain is served by 4 lifts, including 2 quad chairlifts and a gondola.
When to check
The biggest swings usually happen right after a storm. Check Sapporo Kokusai's report in the morning for the freshest numbers, and again in the afternoon as conditions evolve.