This past winter break, I had the pleasure of returning to the beautiful country of Japan. This trip was different from the other ones because this time, I was getting to see Japan in winter. Every season brings a different feel to the country, with different emphasises on its culture, like hot spring for winter. Another addition to this trip includes going skiing. This was a non-negotiable for my boyfriend, as he develops an insatiable desire for the slopes once December hits. I was a bit intimidated when I first found out since I had not gone skiing since more than a decade ago. The blurred memories of skiing with an instructor came to mind, and the one word I heard all too often: “Pizza!”.
Fast forward the long flight, train ride, and hike up to the ski resort– it was time. Since the train arrived in the afternoon, we got to the resort midday- there were already set tracks in the snowy mountains. Skiing down the mountain was terrifying with my limited experience. What surprised me was how much lighter and easier it was the next day. We got to the ski resort right when it opened- 8am on the dot. Skiing down was just as nerve inducing, but it seemed like I was floating a bit on the snow. My turns were slower, and therefore easier to execute. Coming to a stop was also more gradual as the snow easily piled behind my skis. This led me to do some research behind the science of snow and the effects it has for the slopes.
For snow in the Niseko region of Japan, there are special weather conditions that cause its special snow conditions. It is comically referred to as “Japow” for its powdery snowfall which gives an airy and light conditions for skiing. Snowfall for skiing is rated for its quality, quantity, and consistency, and Japan happens to have the perfect conditions for snow.
Snowfall in the Japanese Alps takes place under two distinct meteorological scenarios. One scenario involves snowfall associated with synoptic cyclones, while the other is influenced by the northwest winter monsoon, which originates from the frigid Asian continent and moves over the warmer waters of the Japan Sea (Maejima 1980). The Japan sea scenario brings heavy snowfall because of the temperature difference between the water body and the air mass over the Japan Sea (Ninomiya, 1976). The distribution of snowfall associated with the Japan Sea effect is predominantly influenced by orographic lifting (Estoque and Nimomiya, 1976).. As a result, the northern region of the Northern Japanese Alps experiences significantly greater snowfall compared to the southern regions of the Northern, Central, and Southern Japanese Alps.
Even with all this information about how the snow should be the best for skiing, I fell many times during my trip. Even the green trails would put my balance and concentration to the test. All in all, come to Japan to ski and hopefully you are skillful enough to enjoy it!
Estoque, M.A. and Ninomiya, K. (1976) ‘Numerical simulation of Japan Sea effect snowfall’, <i>Tellus A: Dynamic Meteorology and Oceanography</i>, 28(3), p. 243-253. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3402/tellusa.v28i3.10285.
Maejima, I.. (1980). Seasonal and regional aspects of Japan’s weather and climate.. 54-72. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/293128007_Seasonal_and_regional_aspects_of_Japan’s_weather_and_climate
Takami, Kazuya & Kamamoto, Rimpei & Suzuki, Kenji & Yamaguchi, Kosei & Nakakita, Eiichi. (2024). Relationship between Newly Fallen Snow Density and Polarimetric Parameters Obtained from X-Band Radar Observations along the Sea of Japan Coast in January 2021. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology. 41. 10.1175/JTECH-D-23-0114.1.