Rusutsu

After Niseko, this is Hokkaido's best known resort, famous for the 13m of deep powder that falls here each winter.

weather Forecast today: Occasional snow

Max temp: 1.9 °c
Min temp: -6.2 °c
Last snowed: Mon 09 Mar

Last Updated: Thu 19 Mar

weather Forecast today: Occasional snow

Max temp: 1.9 °c
Min temp: -6.2 °c
Last snowed: Mon 09 Mar

Last Updated: Thu 19 Mar

If you're after bottomless powder, constant snow top ups during your stay then Rusutsu is a good bet as a stopover on your Japanese ski trip.

The crowds are smaller than at Niseko and arguably the steeper terrain is better, with powder also lasting longer here than at its more famous neighbour.

The resort is around an hour from Niseko, making it a viable day trip option, but with a lot of terrain to explore it is worth staying here a little longer to really experience all that the resort has to offer. There’s some smart accommodation at the base, as well as some traditional Japanese options and of course onsen can be found at almost every hotel. Access via bullet train to Sapporo is possible, but if you’re a little short on time then flying is definitely a better option.

Resort website: www.hokkaido-rusutsu.com

Getting to Rusutsu

Flights are available to Kuusamo from which is less than half an hour from Ruka.

* Kuusamo airport: 30 minutes

Rusutsu Piste Map

Top (847m)

	Thu 19 Mar			Fri 20 Mar			Sat 21 Mar			Sun 22 Mar			Mon 23 Mar			Tue 24 Mar			Wed 25 Mar			Thu 26 Mar			Fri 27 Mar			Sat 28 Mar
	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night
Weather	Occasional snow	Light snow	Generally clear	Occasional snow	Snow shower	Snow	Light snow shwr	Light snow shwr	Generally clear	Partly cloudy	Snow grains	Rather cloudy	Light rain/snow	Light snow	Light snow	Light snow shwr	Partly cloudy	Mist	Partly cloudy	Generally clear	Broken clouds	Rather cloudy	Rather cloudy	Rather cloudy	Broken clouds	Rather cloudy	Rather cloudy	Occasional rain	Light rain	Light rain/snow
Wind
Snow expected	0.2 cm	2 cm	0.4 cm	0.6 cm	7.6 cm	8.7 cm	2.1 cm	0.6 cm	0.1 cm	0.1 cm	0.3 cm	0.1 cm	0 cm	0.3 cm	1 cm	0.2 cm	0.1 cm	0.1 cm	0 cm	0 cm	0 cm	0.1 cm	0.1 cm	0.1 cm	0 cm	0 cm	0.1 cm	0 cm	0 cm	0.2 cm
Max temp	1.9°c	1.2°c	-4°c	1.6°c	1.1°c	-3.1°c	-1.2°c	-1.8°c	-3.5°c	4.5°c	4.2°c	0.4°c	4.6°c	4°c	0.2°c	1.6°c	0.9°c	-2.2°c	3.1°c	2.6°c	-1.6°c	4.1°c	3.5°c	-0.6°c	5.2°c	4.6°c	0.3°c	5.3°c	4.9°c	1.7°c
Min temp	1.2°c	-4°c	-6.2°c	-0.4°c	-3.1°c	-5°c	-3°c	-4.5°c	-4.5°c	2.1°c	0.4°c	-0.1°c	3.2°c	0.2°c	-0.7°c	0.9°c	-2.2°c	-3.1°c	1.1°c	-1.6°c	-2.1°c	2.5°c	-0.6°c	-1.2°c	3.1°c	0.1°c	0°c	4.2°c	1.7°c	1.1°c
Feels like temp	1.6°c	1.1°c	-9.2°c	-3.5°c	-3.4°c	-8.1°c	-10°c	-7.8°c	-9°c	-1°c	1.5°c	-2.9°c	0.7°c	3.7°c	0.2°c	-3.3°c	-3.2°c	-2.2°c	1°c	2.3°c	-1.6°c	2.2°c	3.2°c	-0.6°c	2.8°c	4.2°c	-2.6°c	1.6°c	2.4°c	-1.5°c

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Select day:

	AM	PM	Night
Weather	Occasional snow	Light snow	Generally clear
Wind
Snow expected	0.2 cm	2 cm	0.4 cm
Max temp	1.9°c	1.2°c	-4°c
Min temp	1.2°c	-4°c	-6.2°c
Feels like temp	1.6°c	1.1°c	-9.2°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather	Occasional snow	Snow shower	Snow
Wind
Snow expected	0.6 cm	7.6 cm	8.7 cm
Max temp	1.6°c	1.1°c	-3.1°c
Min temp	-0.4°c	-3.1°c	-5°c
Feels like temp	-3.5°c	-3.4°c	-8.1°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather	Light snow shwr	Light snow shwr	Generally clear
Wind
Snow expected	2.1 cm	0.6 cm	0.1 cm
Max temp	-1.2°c	-1.8°c	-3.5°c
Min temp	-3°c	-4.5°c	-4.5°c
Feels like temp	-10°c	-7.8°c	-9°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather	Partly cloudy	Snow grains	Rather cloudy
Wind
Snow expected	0.1 cm	0.3 cm	0.1 cm
Max temp	4.5°c	4.2°c	0.4°c
Min temp	2.1°c	0.4°c	-0.1°c
Feels like temp	-1°c	1.5°c	-2.9°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather	Light rain/snow	Light snow	Light snow
Wind
Snow expected	0 cm	0.3 cm	1 cm
Max temp	4.6°c	4°c	0.2°c
Min temp	3.2°c	0.2°c	-0.7°c
Feels like temp	0.7°c	3.7°c	0.2°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather	Light snow shwr	Partly cloudy	Mist
Wind
Snow expected	0.2 cm	0.1 cm	0.1 cm
Max temp	1.6°c	0.9°c	-2.2°c
Min temp	0.9°c	-2.2°c	-3.1°c
Feels like temp	-3.3°c	-3.2°c	-2.2°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather	Partly cloudy	Generally clear	Broken clouds
Wind
Snow expected	0 cm	0 cm	0 cm
Max temp	3.1°c	2.6°c	-1.6°c
Min temp	1.1°c	-1.6°c	-2.1°c
Feels like temp	1°c	2.3°c	-1.6°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather	Rather cloudy	Rather cloudy	Rather cloudy
Wind
Snow expected	0.1 cm	0.1 cm	0.1 cm
Max temp	4.1°c	3.5°c	-0.6°c
Min temp	2.5°c	-0.6°c	-1.2°c
Feels like temp	2.2°c	3.2°c	-0.6°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather	Broken clouds	Rather cloudy	Rather cloudy
Wind
Snow expected	0 cm	0 cm	0.1 cm
Max temp	5.2°c	4.6°c	0.3°c
Min temp	3.1°c	0.1°c	0°c
Feels like temp	2.8°c	4.2°c	-2.6°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather	Occasional rain	Light rain	Light rain/snow
Wind
Snow expected	0 cm	0 cm	0.2 cm
Max temp	5.3°c	4.9°c	1.7°c
Min temp	4.2°c	1.7°c	1.1°c
Feels like temp	1.6°c	2.4°c	-1.5°c

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Resort (482m)

	Thu 19 Mar			Fri 20 Mar			Sat 21 Mar			Sun 22 Mar			Mon 23 Mar			Tue 24 Mar			Wed 25 Mar			Thu 26 Mar			Fri 27 Mar			Sat 28 Mar
	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night
Weather	Occasional snow	Light snow	Generally clear	Occasional snow	Snow shower	Snow	Light snow shwr	Light snow shwr	Generally clear	Partly cloudy	Snow grains	Rather cloudy	Light rain/snow	Light snow	Light snow	Light snow shwr	Partly cloudy	Mist	Partly cloudy	Generally clear	Broken clouds	Rather cloudy	Rather cloudy	Rather cloudy	Broken clouds	Rather cloudy	Rather cloudy	Occasional rain	Light rain	Light rain/snow
Wind
Snow expected	0.2 cm	2 cm	0.4 cm	0.6 cm	7.6 cm	8.7 cm	2.1 cm	0.6 cm	0.1 cm	0.1 cm	0.3 cm	0.1 cm	0 cm	0.3 cm	1 cm	0.2 cm	0.1 cm	0.1 cm	0 cm	0 cm	0 cm	0.1 cm	0.1 cm	0.1 cm	0 cm	0 cm	0.1 cm	0 cm	0 cm	0.2 cm
Max temp	1.9°c	1.2°c	-4°c	1.6°c	1.1°c	-3.1°c	-1.2°c	-1.8°c	-3.5°c	4.5°c	4.2°c	0.4°c	4.6°c	4°c	0.2°c	1.6°c	0.9°c	-2.2°c	3.1°c	2.6°c	-1.6°c	4.1°c	3.5°c	-0.6°c	5.2°c	4.6°c	0.3°c	5.3°c	4.9°c	1.7°c
Min temp	1.2°c	-4°c	-6.2°c	-0.4°c	-3.1°c	-5°c	-3°c	-4.5°c	-4.5°c	2.1°c	0.4°c	-0.1°c	3.2°c	0.2°c	-0.7°c	0.9°c	-2.2°c	-3.1°c	1.1°c	-1.6°c	-2.1°c	2.5°c	-0.6°c	-1.2°c	3.1°c	0.1°c	0°c	4.2°c	1.7°c	1.1°c
Feels like temp	1.6°c	1.1°c	-9.2°c	-3.5°c	-3.4°c	-8.1°c	-10°c	-7.8°c	-9°c	-1°c	1.5°c	-2.9°c	0.7°c	3.7°c	0.2°c	-3.3°c	-3.2°c	-2.2°c	1°c	2.3°c	-1.6°c	2.2°c	3.2°c	-0.6°c	2.8°c	4.2°c	-2.6°c	1.6°c	2.4°c	-1.5°c

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Select day:

	AM	PM	Night
Weather
Wind
Snow expected	0.2 cm	2 cm	0.4 cm
Max temp	1.9°c	1.2°c	-4°c
Min temp	1.2°c	-4°c	-6.2°c
Feels like temp	1.6°c	1.1°c	-9.2°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather
Wind
Snow expected	0.6 cm	7.6 cm	8.7 cm
Max temp	1.6°c	1.1°c	-3.1°c
Min temp	-0.4°c	-3.1°c	-5°c
Feels like temp	-3.5°c	-3.4°c	-8.1°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather
Wind
Snow expected	2.1 cm	0.6 cm	0.1 cm
Max temp	-1.2°c	-1.8°c	-3.5°c
Min temp	-3°c	-4.5°c	-4.5°c
Feels like temp	-10°c	-7.8°c	-9°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather
Wind
Snow expected	0.1 cm	0.3 cm	0.1 cm
Max temp	4.5°c	4.2°c	0.4°c
Min temp	2.1°c	0.4°c	-0.1°c
Feels like temp	-1°c	1.5°c	-2.9°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather
Wind
Snow expected	0 cm	0.3 cm	1 cm
Max temp	4.6°c	4°c	0.2°c
Min temp	3.2°c	0.2°c	-0.7°c
Feels like temp	0.7°c	3.7°c	0.2°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather
Wind
Snow expected	0.2 cm	0.1 cm	0.1 cm
Max temp	1.6°c	0.9°c	-2.2°c
Min temp	0.9°c	-2.2°c	-3.1°c
Feels like temp	-3.3°c	-3.2°c	-2.2°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather
Wind
Snow expected	0 cm	0 cm	0 cm
Max temp	3.1°c	2.6°c	-1.6°c
Min temp	1.1°c	-1.6°c	-2.1°c
Feels like temp	1°c	2.3°c	-1.6°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather
Wind
Snow expected	0.1 cm	0.1 cm	0.1 cm
Max temp	4.1°c	3.5°c	-0.6°c
Min temp	2.5°c	-0.6°c	-1.2°c
Feels like temp	2.2°c	3.2°c	-0.6°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather
Wind
Snow expected	0 cm	0 cm	0.1 cm
Max temp	5.2°c	4.6°c	0.3°c
Min temp	3.1°c	0.1°c	0°c
Feels like temp	2.8°c	4.2°c	-2.6°c

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	AM	PM	Night
Weather
Wind
Snow expected	0 cm	0 cm	0.2 cm
Max temp	5.3°c	4.9°c	1.7°c
Min temp	4.2°c	1.7°c	1.1°c
Feels like temp	1.6°c	2.4°c	-1.5°c

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Resort Conditions

Snowfall	Last Snowfall	09/03/2026
Snowfall	Next 3 days	27.2 cm
Depths	Upper piste depth	160 cm
Depths	Lower piste depth	120 cm
Snow conditions	Snow quality	Heavy snow/snow crust
Lifts	Lifts open	14 out of 18
	Resort opening date	Sat 06 Dec 2025
	Resort closing date	Tue 31 Mar 2026

Snow Overview

Japan

Updated 17/03

A tale of two halves for Japan this week, as the season seems to have come to a juddering halt in the south but keeps plodding on in the north.

Honshu remains mild and damp, with lots of rain forecast for this week; temperatures remain mild with the freezing line ticking up above mid-mountain level. A short, sharp burst of snow and cold weather will keep things hopeful as the weekend dawns, albeit mild and sunny weather quickly returns.

On Hokkaido. cold weather is the theme of the week, with snowfall coming before the weekend – around 20cm on Friday night will make for mega riding conditions over the weekend.

Snow & Weather Forecasts Avalanche Forecast

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