Where is Niseko Grand Hirafu?

Niseko Grand Hirafu is a ski resort in Japan.

How high is Niseko Grand Hirafu?

Niseko Grand Hirafu runs from a base elevation of 260 m (853 ft) to a summit of 1,200 m (3,937 ft), giving a vertical drop of 940 m (3,084 ft).

How big is Niseko Grand Hirafu?

Niseko Grand Hirafu has 803 acres (325 hectares) of skiable terrain, 22 marked runs and 12 lifts.

Which ski pass covers Niseko Grand Hirafu?

Niseko Grand Hirafu is on the Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective. Access terms such as blackout dates and day limits vary by pass tier, so check the pass operator for the current season.

When is ski season at Niseko Grand Hirafu?

Niseko Grand Hirafu typically operates from November to May. Exact opening and closing dates shift each year with snowfall — check the resort's current season dates before booking.

How much snow does Niseko Grand Hirafu get in a typical season?

Niseko Grand Hirafu averages 551 inches / 1400 cm of snowfall in a typical season. Any individual season can run well above or below that.

Part of Niseko · 5 ski areas

Also:Niseko Hanazono Resort Niseko Village Niseko Annupuri Niseko Moiwa

View all Niseko conditions →

View resorts

View resorts

Tier E — Deep timing play — aim late winter

📷 Niseko Grand Hirafu

Asia

Niseko Grand Hirafu

Name: SnowSure MCP Server
Author: SnowSure

Closed for the season

Season ended May 6, 2026

Conditions data updated Fri, Aug 21, 04:02 PM UTC · informational only

Scroll for happiness

Closed for the season — closed May 6

Weather data is still collected for informational purposes.

Last Snowfall

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Powder Days

2026–27 season

Updated: Aug 21, 4:02 PM•Weather at base: 260m

Overview

Niseko Grand Hirafu is a ski resort in Asia, Japan, currently closed for the season (Season ended May 6, 2026). Conditions last updated 2026-08-21 16:02 UTC.

Resort Guide

Niseko Grand Hirafu is located on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido and is renowned for its abundant, light powder snow and expansive ski terrain. The resort features a wide variety of runs suitable for all levels, modern lift infrastructure, and direct access to the lively Hirafu village, which offers a range of dining, accommodation, and après-ski options. Signature experiences include night skiing on illuminated slopes and panoramic views of Mount Yotei. Grand Hirafu stands out for its reliable snowfall, international atmosphere, and seamless integration with the larger Niseko United ski area.

Gallery

Click to expand • 4 total photos

Terrain & lifts

Resort-reported stats for Niseko Grand Hirafu

Lifts

Skiable area

803 ac

Longest run

5.6 km / 3.5 mi

Runs by difficulty(22 total)

Beginner

45% of terrain

Intermediate

28% of terrain

Advanced

27% of terrain

Run counts estimated from resort-reported totals and terrain mix.

Lift fleet

Gondola2
High-speed quad5
Triple chair1
Double chair8
Single chair1

Resort Info

Summit1200m

Base260m

Vertical940m

Lifts12

Runs22

Skiable Area803 acres

Average snowfall551 inches / 1400 cm

CountryJapan

Visit Resort Website →Follow on Instagram →View Trail Map →

Season dates

Season endedMay 6, 2026

Projected openingNovember 28, 2026

Future dates are operator estimates and may change.

Ski passes

Ikon Pass

View resorts →

Mountain Collective

View resorts →

Access tiers change by season — confirm benefits on the pass operator's site.

Top Après Ski

Bar Gyu+ – Renowned for its iconic "fridge door" entrance, Bar Gyu+ offers a cozy, speakeasy-style atmosphere with creative cocktails, an extensive whisky selection, and panoramic views of snowy Hirafu, making it a favorite après-ski destination for both locals and visitors.

Snow Summary

1200mECMWF Model

Updated Aug 21, 2026 at 4:02 PM

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Historical data from Open-Meteo archive • Forecast from ECMWF IFS model

Snowfall Forecast Maps

Hokkaido region

Current Conditions

Reported Fri, Aug 21, 04:02 PM UTC

Base

260m

Temp

17°C

Wind

0.4km/h

Snow Depth

14-Day Forecast

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Mid-Mountain

730m

Temp

13.9°C

Wind

0.4km/h

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Summit

1200m

Temp

10.9°C

Wind

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El Niño Outlook · Winter 2026-27

Niseko Grand Hirafu El Niño rank & forecast

Niseko Grand Hirafu ranks #137 of 152 SnowSure resorts — Tier E, −15% in strong El Niño winters.

Tier E — Deep timing play — aim late winter: Strong El Niño winters ran clearly below this resort’s own baseline (≤ −8%). Still skiable — schedule late season; one storm cycle can beat the climatology.

#137 of 152Tier E — Deep timing play — aim late winter

Strong-event signal: −15% vs this resort's 30-yr avg

In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Niseko Grand Hirafu averaged -15% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. The honest read: this is the fleet's deepest timing play. The snow still comes — but in Japan the El Niño hit lands on the season's edges, not the heart of the sea-effect window. Point your winter 2026-27 trip at the mid-winter core (January to mid-February), stay flexible on dates, and watch our monthly scorecard. Analog winters: '97-98 -46%, '15-16 -22%, '23-24 +23%. One caveat that always holds: a single storm cycle can beat the climatology.

'97-98 −46%'15-16 −22%'23-24 +23%

Signal = average snowfall in the three strongest El Niño winters since 1996 ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24) vs this resort's own 30-year ERA5 baseline. n=3 — a lean, not a law. Updated monthly against measured snowfall Dec–Mar.

Full El Niño report →

Key

What the tiers mean

% vs each resort's own 30-year average in strong El Niño winters.

Tier	Signal	Means
A — Prime terrain	≥ +8%	Historically much snowier than normal.
B — Favored	+3% to +8%	Modest upside vs normal.
C — ENSO-proof	about −3% to +3%	Near-normal snowfall — a hedge, not a jackpot or bust.
D — Late bloomer	−3% to −8%	Often lighter early — aim Feb–Mar.
E — Timing play	≤ −8%	Often lighter overall — aim late winter.

Live Conditions

Niseko Grand Hirafu Webcams

All Webcams

Niseko United

8 webcams • Click to expand

Local Reports

0 reports

SnowSure™ Forecast Range

Daily Snowfall Forecast by Model

Black line = verified SnowSure™ blend (not a simple average). Weights update weekly from measured snowfall at SNOTEL stations and resort reports.

SnowSure™ blend — verified model weighting

The black line is not a simple average. For Niseko Grand Hirafu (japan), we combine seven global weather models using weights learned from daily forecast verification — comparing each model's prediction to measured snowfall (SNOTEL, resort reports, ERA5).

1.Horizon buckets: days 1–3, 4–7, and 8–14 each get separate weights — short-range skill differs from long-range.
2.Regional calibration: weights come from verified error in this geography (Rockies, Alps, Japan, etc.), recalculated weekly.
3.Ground truth only: we never grade a forecast against another model — only against measured snow.

Building verification history for this resort.

How we verify forecasts →

Hourly Forecast Detail

AM / PM / Night breakdown with wind and freezing level

NWP models refresh up to 4× daily · Last synced Aug 21, 4:02 PM

Hourly Forecast Detail
	Sat, Aug 22 21 / 10			Sun, Aug 23 20 / 11			Mon, Aug 24 19 / 1224.7mm			Tue, Aug 25 20 / 107.1mm			Wed, Aug 26 15 / 917.3mm			Thu, Aug 27 14 / 73.1mm
Period	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night
Snow (cm)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Precip (mm)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.5	11.7	12.5	1.2	0.5	5.4	1.1	10.7	5.5	1	1.8	0.3
Temp (°C)	16	20	13	16	19	13	17	17	14	17	18	14	13	14	11	13	13	10
Wind (km/h)	3	5	1	4	9	2	12	13	4	4	11	4	5	13	9	12	14	8
Gusts (km/h)	13	17	5	14	26	9	30	35	16	15	47	30	18	24	21	17	34	21

14-Day Snow Forecast by Model

Summit elevation (1200m)

ECMWF

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GFS

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GEM

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JMA

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ICON

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Météo-Fr

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SnowSure™

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10-Day Forecast

Sat

☁️

20.5°

10.2°

5 km/h

Sun

☁️

19.8°

11.2°

10 km/h

Mon

🌧️

19.3°

11.6°

17 km/h

Tue

🌧️

20.3°

10.3°

12 km/h

Wed

🌧️

14.8°

9.4°

19 km/h

Thu

🌧️

14.2°

6.7°

16 km/h

Fri

🌧️

13.6°

4.4°

16 km/h

Sat

☁️

13.5°

3.1°

8 km/h

Sun

☁️

12.7°

5.2°

12 km/h

Mon

☁️

14.2°

8.9°

8 km/h

Summit elevation (1200m) • ECMWF model

Season vs Historic

Updated Fri, Aug 21, 04:02 PM UTC

0cm

Season Total

This Season to Date

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vs 5-Year Avg

Off-season · 317cm full-season avg

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vs 30-Year Avg

Off-season · 253cm full-season avg

317cm

5-Yr Avg by Now

The last completed season totaled ~339.2 cm. That's 7% above the 5-year average (317 cm). Versus the 30-year baseline: 34% above the 30-year average (253 cm).

Niseko Grand Hirafu Snow History

Average annual snowfall is 270cm with an average of 127 snowfall days per season. The table below shows monthly averages across 30 seasons of archive data (modeled snowpack at mid-elevation).

Average monthly snowfall history
Month	Avg Snowfall	Snowfall Days	Avg Base Depth	Max Base Depth	Biggest Snowfall
November	27.8cm	15 days	5cm	16cm	6.3cm
December	64cm	26 days	34cm	57cm	9.9cm
January	64cm	27 days	75cm	92cm	11cm
February	51.1cm	23 days	96cm	108cm	9.1cm
March	44.5cm	22 days	99cm	113cm	9.7cm
April	14.9cm	10 days	51cm	86cm	5.2cm
May	1cm	1 days	2cm	18cm	1.3cm

Source: SnowSure archive · Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis at mid-elevation. Depth is modeled, not resort-reported.

Season at a Glance

Next season(2026-27)

Opens Nov 28, 2026

Multi-season averages will appear once SnowSure has tracked more than one full season.

ENSO seasonal analog

History · not a forecast

In 10 past El Niño winters at Niseko Grand Hirafu, ERA5 season snowfall median was 242 cm (95 in), about this resort’s long-term median. This is a historical analog from reanalysis — not a prediction of this winter’s storm track.

Prevailing ONI

El Niño

MJJ 2026 · ANOM +1.39°C

Analog season median

242 cm

10 El Niño winters · ≈ long-term median

All-season median

243 cm

Across 30 ERA5 seasons (2026-27)

Phase	Seasons	Median	p25–p75	Recent analogs
El Niñocurrent	10	242 cm	215 cm – 286 cm	2023, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2014, 2009
La Niña	12	243 cm	218 cm – 353 cm	2022, 2021, 2020, 2017, 2011, 2010
ENSO-neutral	8	249 cm	221 cm – 315 cm	2025, 2024, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2003

Season snowfall from Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (~9 km). ENSO phase from NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index. Relative phase differences are more trustworthy than absolute cm totals. Source: NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index + Open-Meteo ERA5 via SnowSure season archive.

Best Months to Visit

January

Peak Powder

February

Peak Powder

March

Good

December

Good

Note: Based on typical powder season patterns for this region.

Back to All Destinations

Frequently asked questions about Niseko Grand Hirafu

Where is Niseko Grand Hirafu?: Niseko Grand Hirafu is a ski resort in Japan.
How high is Niseko Grand Hirafu?: Niseko Grand Hirafu runs from a base elevation of 260 m (853 ft) to a summit of 1,200 m (3,937 ft), giving a vertical drop of 940 m (3,084 ft).
How big is Niseko Grand Hirafu?: Niseko Grand Hirafu has 803 acres (325 hectares) of skiable terrain, 22 marked runs and 12 lifts.
Which ski pass covers Niseko Grand Hirafu?: Niseko Grand Hirafu is on the Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective. Access terms such as blackout dates and day limits vary by pass tier, so check the pass operator for the current season.
When is ski season at Niseko Grand Hirafu?: Niseko Grand Hirafu typically operates from November to May. Exact opening and closing dates shift each year with snowfall — check the resort's current season dates before booking.
How much snow does Niseko Grand Hirafu get in a typical season?: Niseko Grand Hirafu averages 551 inches / 1400 cm of snowfall in a typical season. Any individual season can run well above or below that.
How will El Niño affect Niseko Grand Hirafu in winter 2026-27?: El Niño Signal Rank: #137 of 152 SnowSure resorts · Tier E · strong-event signal −15% vs its own 30-yr average. In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Niseko Grand Hirafu averaged -15% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. The honest read: this is the fleet's deepest timing play. The snow still comes — but in Japan the El Niño hit lands on the season's edges, not the heart of the sea-effect window. Point your winter 2026-27 trip at the mid-winter core (January to mid-February), stay flexible on dates, and watch our monthly scorecard. Analog winters: '97-98 -46%, '15-16 -22%, '23-24 +23%. One caveat that always holds: a single storm cycle can beat the climatology.

Niseko Grand Hirafu

Overview

Resort Guide

Gallery

Terrain & lifts

Runs by difficulty(22 total)

Lift fleet

Resort Info

Top Après Ski

Snow Summary

Snowfall Forecast Maps

Current Conditions

Niseko Grand Hirafu El Niño rank & forecast

Niseko Grand Hirafu Webcams

Local Reports

Daily Snowfall Forecast by Model

SnowSure™ blend — verified model weighting

Hourly Forecast Detail

14-Day Snow Forecast by Model

10-Day Forecast

Season vs Historic

Niseko Grand Hirafu Snow History

Season at a Glance

ENSO seasonal analog

Best Months to Visit

Frequently asked questions about Niseko Grand Hirafu

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