01 Jan Happy New Year from Snow Country Instructors, Yuzawa

Happy New from all of us at Snow Country Instructors in Yuzawa!

We have had a slow start to the winter in terms of snow and it has been the worst in the 15 years we have been here. There have been resorts operating though, so we are thankful for that, even though the lift lines have been very long on some days as everyone has been going to the few resorts that are open.

Currently most resorts are partially open and have been helped by the day of snow yesterday. This could be the start of the base for the lower resorts and will help cover some of the bush that has been poking through.

We are not experts on the climate or the weather but we are hoping that this is just a blip rather than the new normal. Warm winters have happened before. There are people in town called “Little Snow” 小雪 because of winters like this. 1971 was one such year. At the time the Nunoba slope was the main ski area in the town and this was the reason people came to Yuzawa in winter, bringing much needed income to the area. In January of that year there was no snow and it was a bit of worry for the locals so they decided then to develop the higher areas of the mountains in Yuzawa which always seemed to have snow.

This season has been busy even though the snow hasn’t been great. Usually in the ski industry there is a year delay. People booking their winter vacation may judge the snow on last winter’s snowfall. As a result December 2019 may make Yuzawa look like a bad choice for your Christmas snow holiday. If it is a normal winter next year in December 2020 though you should have great skiing, and maybe there will be fewer people on the slopes!

All the best for 2020!