Kiroro Ski Resort
You can’t really call yourself a powder hound or a powder skier unless you have visited Kiroro ski resort in Japan. Kiroro is the epicentre of deep snow in Hokkaido thanks to its location which faces the Sea of Japan, this means when the powerful storms begin to approach Hokkaido their first stop is typically Kiroro ski resort. Opening to the public in 1991 the resort is one of the youngest and newest ski resorts in Japan and has been welcoming riders for 33 years. Over the years the resort has grown and expanded, now you will find gondolas, an expansive base with multiple Club Med properties.
Over the course of a typical winter season at Kiroro ski resort in Japan the ski area will see a total snowfall of 21m or 840”, this is one of the snowiest ski resorts not only in Japan but also the world. The snow that falls at Kiroro ski resort is light, fluffy and will have you floating down the trail on your skis or snowboard. If you score a deep powder day at Kiroro ski resort it might just be the best day of riding you have ever had. The ski resort opens to riders each year in late November or early December however the best snow falls during the peak of the season which is typically January through to early March. By early January the resort will typically have all 297 acres of terrain open, and this includes a collection of zones specially designed for tree skiing.
At Kiroro ski resort you will find 27 marked trails which range from beginner through to advanced plus there are special zones for tree skiing, however, be aware and only go through the dedicated ropes or gates as there are a number of prohibited areas where tree skiing at Kiroro is not allowed, and yes this is managed carefully, and your pass will be pulled. Once you add the incredible snowfall and number of trails the only thing left is a good amount of vertical, don’t worry Kiroro ski resort has 660m of leg burning powder surfing vertical which can be found between thew base area at 520m and the peak of the resort at 1,180m.
To get you around the resort you will find a great collection of lifts, Kiroro ski resort has two gondola’s, one that rises from the base area to the summit, this offers top to bottom riding with a nice gondola to take you back up again and the other is a transport gondola which takes you between the hotels. Then there are 5 express quad lifts which whisk you around the resort but also have hoods to protect you from the harsh winter elements found in Hokkaido, and the lastly there 3 double lifts which primarily service beginner terrain.
At the base of Kiroro ski resort you won’t find a bustling village or town, it’s just a large day lodge which has lift tickets, rentals, restaurants, seating, and restroom facilities. Kiroro ski resort is 100% a day resort for riders who are not staying at one of the hotels at the base. Speaking of hotels, there is the Club Med Kiroro Peak at the very base of the resort which offers riders pure ski in ski out access and offers every single guest all-inclusive accommodations. A little further down the valley you will find the Yu Kiroro which is home to incredible apartment style accommodations that will have any international traveller feeling right at home and is a short walk to the gondola. Also, next door to the Yu Kiroro is the newly opened Club Med Kiroro Grand which is again, an all-inclusive resort that is a short walk to the gondola and offers ski in ski out access.
Kiroro Ski Resort Opening Hours: Lifts operating: 9:00am - 16:15pm
Kiroro Web Cam & Live Snow Cams
Stay up to date with the snow conditions from every corner of Kiroro Mountain Resort. We have collected all the best shots from the Kiroro web cam so you can see every aspect of the ski resort and surrounding mountains.
If you want to check out the snow depth from the latest storm, see if the sun is going to be shining or check out the weather at Kiroro before your next visit - check out the Kiroro web cam below.
Powder Ride Course
Located on top of the gondola base building this Kiroro web cam looks directly up the lift line to the Powder Ride Dynamic Course which is always the deepest ungroomed ski trail at the resort.
Elevation: 900m (2,952ft)
Kiroro Resort Lift System
Kiroro Resort Stats
- Summit Elevation: m / ft
- Base Elevation: m / ft
- Vertical Drop: m / ft
- Beginner: %
- Intermediate: %
- Advanced: %
- Expert: %
- Number of Runs:
- Number of Lifts:
- Avg Annual Snowfall: cm / " / ft
- Resort terrain: ha / acres
- Pass Type:
Seasons
OPENING AND CLOSING DATES -
The official opening and closing dates for , Japan for current and past seasons. These dates are subject to change at Ski Resort discretion based on weather and snowfall. Estimated dates are based on historical averages or advice from the resort and retrieved from the resort website.| Season | Opening | Closing |
|---|---|---|
| 22/23 | ||
| 21/22 | ||
| 20/21 | ||
| 19/20 | ||
| 18/19 | ||
| 17/18 | ||
| 16/17 | ||
| 15/16 | ||
| 14/15 |
Where is Kiroro Ski Resort?
Kiroro ski area is tucked deep into Hokkaido and its relatively easy to access from both Sapporo, Otaru and Niseko. Once you fly into Sapporo international airport (New Chitose Airport) you can either rent a car, get on a bus, take a train into Sapporo, and then get a bus transfer. For those who choose to drive we recommend you get a car with AWD just for the extra safety and if you are finding yourself driving on a stormy day make sure you take your time, have extra supplies in the car as the travel time can easily double.
From Otaru: 30km / 40 mins drive
From Niseko: 50km / 50 mins drive
From Sapporo: 60km / 1 hr 10 mins drive
From New Chitose Airport: 111km / 1.5 hr drive
Japan Snow News
The 23/24 winter season was the polar opposite to the 22/23 season in by way of the fact that there was far less snowfall across the whole country. We take a look at which resorts in United States saw the largest snowfall during the 23/24 winter season. All the total snowfall reports have been taken directly from the ski resort websites as of the 25th of April 2024.