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The Snowiest Ski Resorts on Earth

We measured all 3,112 ski areas the same way and ranked them by snowfall per season. 59 of the top 100 are in Japan.

Number one
Okutadami Maruyama Ski Resort
Its snowfall
796cm
Japan in the top 100
59

🌍 Japan against the great ski nations

The snowiest resort in each country, and where it sits in the world.

Country Snowiest resort in that country World rank Snowfall Japanese resorts that beat it
🇯🇵 Japan Okutadami Maruyama Ski Resort 1 796 —
🇳🇴 Norway FONNA Glacier Ski Resort 3 771 1
🇨🇦 Canada Shames Mountain 4 765 1
🇺🇸 United States Mt. Bachelor 29 622 23
🇫🇷 France Aiguille du Midi (Chamonix) 87 474 54
🇮🇹 Italy Cheggio 118 448 73
🇳🇿 New Zealand Invincible Snowfields 137 429 79
🇨🇭 Switzerland Engelberg-Titlis 164 405 90
🇦🇹 Austria Diedamskopf 379 325 144
🇦🇺 Australia Charlotte Pass 1,037 205 267

cm/season. Bold is the three-season average; the smaller figure is the range across those three seasons.

Top 300 by country

121 🇯🇵 Japan 41 🇫🇷 France 34 🇨🇭 Switzerland 32 🇺🇸 United States 23 🇳🇴 Norway 16 🇮🇹 Italy 9 🇨🇦 Canada 8 🇦🇷 Argentina 5 🇨🇱 Chile 5 🇪🇸 Spain 1 🇬🇪 Georgia 1 🇳🇿 New Zealand 1 🇮🇷 Iran 1 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan 1 🇸🇪 Sweden 1 🇹🇷 Türkiye
Rank Resort Country Snowfall
1 Okutadami Maruyama Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 796 672–945
2 Nevados de Chillán Ñuble 🇨🇱 Chile 780 666–849
3 FONNA Glacier Ski Resort 🇳🇴 Norway 771 609–892
4 Shames Mountain 🇨🇦 Canada 765 605–1077
5 = Iwappara Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 755 661–919
5 = Nakazato Snow Wood Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 755 661–919
5 = Yuzawa Nakazato Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 755 661–919
5 = Yuzawa Park Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 755 661–919
9 Seki Onsen Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 748 681–867
10 Muikamachi Hakkaisan Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 738 634–908
11 = ARAI SNOW RESORT Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 725 655–816
11 = Charmant Hiuchi Snow Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 725 655–816
13 = Hakuba 47 Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 718 612–838
13 = Hakuba Iwatake Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 718 612–838
13 = Itoigawa Seaside Valley Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 718 650–812
13 = Tsugaike Kogen Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 718 612–838
17 Tainai Ski and Snowboard area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 717 541–914
18 Mount Gassan Ski Resort Yamagata 🇯🇵 Japan 708 639–748
19 = Ippon Sugi Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 686 604–835
19 = Ishiuchi Hanaoka Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 686 604–835
19 = Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 686 604–835
19 = Joetsu International Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 686 604–835
19 = Maiko Snow Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 686 604–835
24 = Hakuba Cortina Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 685 592–794
24 = Hakuba Norikura Onsen Ski Resort Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 685 592–794
26 Tateyama Sanroku Ski Area Toyama 🇯🇵 Japan 677 569–781
27 Ski Callaghan 🇨🇦 Canada 646 558–782
28 Las Leñas Mendoza 🇦🇷 Argentina 635 291–1034
29 Mt. Bachelor 🇺🇸 United States 622 373–747
30 Corralco 🇨🇱 Chile 620 516–736
31 = Gala Yuzawa Snow Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 610 541–727
31 = Kandatsu Kogen Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 610 541–727
31 = Nakasato Kiyotsu Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 610 541–727
31 = NASPA Ski Garden Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 610 541–727
31 = New Greenpia Tsunan Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 610 541–727
31 = Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 610 541–727
37 Mt Baker 🇺🇸 United States 603 551–660
38 Ninox Snow Park Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 599 522–731
39 Togakushi Ski Area Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 597 523–699
40 Røldal Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 596 497–701
41 = Caviahue 🇦🇷 Argentina 594 333–815
41 = Mount Washington Alpine Resort 🇨🇦 Canada 594 513–647
43 = Kagura Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 593 545–671
43 = Mitsumata Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 593 545–671
45 = Grouse Mountain 🇨🇦 Canada 591 509–652
45 = Mt Seymour 🇨🇦 Canada 591 509–652
47 Yakushi Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 586 487–727
48 = Cupid Valley Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 569 482–683
48 = Sakae Club Ski Area Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 569 482–683
50 Suhara Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 562 461–675
51 Dakota Ridge Recreation Site 🇨🇦 Canada 558 502–619
52 Eaglecrest Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 556 418–626
53 X-JAM Takaifuji Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 554 443–715
54 Crystal Mountain 🇺🇸 United States 551 528–565
55 Sugar Bowl Resort 🇺🇸 United States 550 378–689
56 = Chateau Shiozawa Ski Area Yoshizato Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 547 454–697
56 = Muica Snow Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 547 454–697
58 = Eikedalen skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 543 444–680
58 = Kagura Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 543 480–609
60 Myrkdalen 🇳🇴 Norway 540 429–612
61 Estación Esquí Antillanca 🇨🇱 Chile 534 353–631
62 White Pass Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 522 518–529
63 Voss Resort Fjellheisar 🇳🇴 Norway 516 430–577
64 = Whistler Blackcomb British Columbia 🇨🇦 Canada 511 438–650
64 = Hagurosan Ski Area Yamagata 🇯🇵 Japan 511 478–559
66 = Nozawa Onsen Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 510 433–635
66 = SAM Hakusan Ichirino Ski Resort Ishikawa 🇯🇵 Japan 510 428–608
66 = Togari Onsen Ski Resort Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 510 433–635
69 = Bear Valley 🇺🇸 United States 509 385–656
69 = Bear Valley Adventure Company 🇺🇸 United States 509 385–656
71 = Alyeska Resort 🇺🇸 United States 503 318–682
71 = Palisades Tahoe Alpine Meadows 🇺🇸 United States 503 341–624
73 = Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort 🇺🇸 United States 494 366–559
73 = Mashike Choei Shokanbetsudake Ski Area Hokkaido 🇯🇵 Japan 494 457–553
75 = Budoh Snow Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 492 434–571
75 = Hakkai Sanroku Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 492 395–648
75 = Itsukamachi Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 492 395–648
78 Koshi Kogen Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 491 384–623
79 Yashima Ski Area Akita 🇯🇵 Japan 490 455–525
80 = Kirkwood Mountain Resort 🇺🇸 United States 484 387–585
80 = Tadami Ski Area Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 484 397–589
82 Hakusan Senjo Onsen Seymour Ski Area Ishikawa 🇯🇵 Japan 482 414–574
83 Yokone Yamagata 🇯🇵 Japan 481 373–595
84 = Homewood Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 477 336–588
84 = Homewood Snowcat Adventures 🇺🇸 United States 477 336–588
86 Timberline Lodge Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 475 358–534
87 = Aiguille du Midi (Chamonix) 🇮🇹 Italy 474 388–609
87 = Aiguille du Midi (Chamonix) 🇫🇷 France 474 388–609
89 = Aktiven skiheis 🇳🇴 Norway 468 369–615
89 = Furedalen alpin 🇳🇴 Norway 468 369–615
91 = Alpental 🇺🇸 United States 467 448–494
91 = Alpental Backcountry 🇺🇸 United States 467 448–494
91 = Sahalie Ski Club 🇺🇸 United States 467 448–494
91 = Summit West 🇺🇸 United States 467 448–494
91 = Three Summits 🇺🇸 United States 467 448–494
96 = Akakura Kanko Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 466 414–531
96 = Akakura Onsen Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 466 414–531
96 = Akita Hachimantai Ski Area Akita 🇯🇵 Japan 466 433–510
96 = Kurohime Kogen Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 466 414–531
96 = Kyukamura Myoko Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 466 414–531
96 = Madarao Kogen Mountain Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 466 414–531
96 = Tangram Madarao Ski Circus Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 466 414–531
103 = Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski Resort 🇺🇸 United States 465 355–563
103 = Hakuba Goryu Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 465 355–589
103 = Jiigatake Snow Resort Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 465 355–589
103 = Kashimayari Snow Resort Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 465 355–589
107 Awasuno Ski Area Toyama 🇯🇵 Japan 464 394–549
108 = Dodge Ridge Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 459 369–564
108 = Aizu Kogen Takahata Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 459 402–559
108 = Oze Hinoemata Onsen Ski Resort Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 459 402–559
111 Naeba Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 458 399–524
112 = Hakuba Goryu & Hakuba47 Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 453 327–609
112 = Hakuba Happo-One Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 453 327–609
112 = Hakuba Sanosaka Snow Resort Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 453 327–609
115 Willamette Pass 🇺🇸 United States 452 234–587
116 = Kawaba Ski Resort Gunma 🇯🇵 Japan 449 386–546
116 = Tambara Ski Park Gunma 🇯🇵 Japan 449 386–546
118 = Cheggio 🇮🇹 Italy 448 353–630
118 = Domobianca 🇮🇹 Italy 448 353–630
118 = Tashiro Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 448 376–497
121 = Sasquatch Mountain Resort 🇨🇦 Canada 447 425–459
121 = Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 447 313–542
123 Estación de Esquí Aramón Formigal 🇪🇸 Spain 446 336–516
124 Hakkoda Kokusai Ski Area Aomori 🇯🇵 Japan 445 425–469
125 = Chapelco Ski Resort 🇦🇷 Argentina 444 247–555
125 = Finse Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 444 293–520
125 = Jeunesse Kurikoma Ski Area Akita 🇯🇵 Japan 444 421–475
128 Hoodoo Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 442 213–574
129 Les Deux Alpes 🇫🇷 France 440 398–480
130 = Macugnaga - Belvedere 🇮🇹 Italy 439 333–588
130 = Iwanai Resort Hokkaido 🇯🇵 Japan 439 398–475
132 = Goderdzi Mountain Resort 🇬🇪 Georgia 438 399–515
132 = Koide Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 438 312–601
134 Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine 🇫🇷 France 437 392–472
135 Mt. Hood Skibowl 🇺🇸 United States 435 316–501
136 Asahi Shizenkan Snow Park Yamagata 🇯🇵 Japan 431 382–488
137 = Invincible Snowfields 🇳🇿 New Zealand 429 304–515
137 = Smith Butte Sno-Park 🇺🇸 United States 429 294–515
139 Sauda skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 427 331–589
140 = Ani Ski Resort (Mt. Moriyoshi) Akita 🇯🇵 Japan 423 367–458
140 = Grandeco Snow Resort Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 423 351–518
140 = Tengamori Ski Area Akita 🇯🇵 Japan 423 380–484
140 = Tengendai Kogen Yamagata 🇯🇵 Japan 423 351–518
144 Sannokura Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 422 333–562
145 = Les Contamines 🇫🇷 France 421 369–485
145 = Piau Engaly 🇫🇷 France 421 362–474
147 Mount Eyak Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 420 242–545
148 = Artouste 🇫🇷 France 419 365–468
148 = Gourette 🇫🇷 France 419 365–468
150 = Moya Hills Aomori 🇯🇵 Japan 418 397–450
152 = Ski Portillo Valparaíso 🇨🇱 Chile 416 254–584
152 = La Thuile 🇮🇹 Italy 416 329–527
152 = La Thuile 🇫🇷 France 416 329–527
155 = Cauterets 🇫🇷 France 415 353–457
155 = Luz Ardiden 🇫🇷 France 415 353–457
157 = Les Sybelles 🇫🇷 France 413 390–428
157 = Appi Kogen Iwate 🇯🇵 Japan 413 384–442
159 = Cerro Perito Moreno 🇦🇷 Argentina 412 243–569
159 = Fairy Land Kaneyama Ski Area Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 412 354–514
161 Nagaoka City Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 411 313–515
162 = Aizukogen Nango Ski Area Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 407 350–494
162 = Ryuoo Ski Park Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 407 336–479
164 Engelberg-Titlis 🇨🇭 Switzerland 405 312–566
165 = Narvikfjellet Ski Resort 🇳🇴 Norway 404 316–570
165 = Geto Kogen Iwate 🇯🇵 Japan 404 365–441
167 Chelgerd Ski Resort 🇮🇷 Iran 403 280–479
168 Beldersay 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan 402 202–566
169 Kuriko International Ski & Resort Yamagata 🇯🇵 Japan 400 348–487
170 Orcières Merlette 🇫🇷 France 398 308–496
171 = Norn Minakami Gunma 🇯🇵 Japan 395 321–483
171 = Tanigawadake Tenjindaira Ski Area Gunma 🇯🇵 Japan 395 321–483
171 = White Valley Ski Area Gunma 🇯🇵 Japan 395 321–483
174 = Balme - Vallorcine 🇫🇷 France 394 358–465
174 = Brévent/Flégère (Chamonix) 🇫🇷 France 394 358–465
174 = Les Grands Montets 🇫🇷 France 394 358–465
174 = Balme - Vallorcine 🇨🇭 Switzerland 394 358–465
174 = Palisades Tahoe California 🇺🇸 United States 394 267–479
179 = Los Penitentes 🇦🇷 Argentina 393 228–597
179 = Los Puquios 🇦🇷 Argentina 393 228–597
179 = Mammoth Mountain California 🇺🇸 United States 393 332–452
182 = Estación de esquí de Candanchú 🇪🇸 Spain 391 275–467
182 = Estación Invernal de Astún 🇪🇸 Spain 391 275–467
182 = Le Somport 🇪🇸 Spain 391 275–467
182 = Breimsbygda Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 391 259–471
182 = Estación de esquí de Candanchú 🇫🇷 France 391 275–467
182 = Le Somport 🇫🇷 France 391 275–467
188 Glacier 3000 🇨🇭 Switzerland 389 347–469
189 = La Grave 🇫🇷 France 388 313–484
189 = Bourg-Saint-Pierre 🇨🇭 Switzerland 388 325–494
189 = Champex-Lac 🇨🇭 Switzerland 388 325–494
189 = La Fouly 🇨🇭 Switzerland 388 325–494
189 = Vichères-Bavon 🇨🇭 Switzerland 388 325–494
189 = Hanagasa Kogen Ski Area Yamagata 🇯🇵 Japan 388 361–438
195 Les Arcs / Peisey-Vallandry 🇫🇷 France 387 308–497
196 = Amihari Onsen Ski Resort Iwate 🇯🇵 Japan 386 343–423
196 = Matsumori Ski Area Akita 🇯🇵 Japan 386 329–416
196 = Mikawa Onsen Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 386 303–496
196 = Shizukuishi Ski Resort Iwate 🇯🇵 Japan 386 343–423
200 = Parque de Nieve Batea Mahuida 🇦🇷 Argentina 385 222–504
200 = Ådneram Skitrekk 🇳🇴 Norway 385 292–506
200 = Fidjeland Skitrekk 🇳🇴 Norway 385 292–506
200 = La Rosière 🇮🇹 Italy 385 326–467
200 = La Rosière 🇫🇷 France 385 326–467
200 = Le Grand Massif 🇫🇷 France 385 342–460
200 = Sainte-Foy Tarentaise 🇫🇷 France 385 326–467
200 = Bosco Gurin – Grossalp 🇨🇭 Switzerland 385 290–554
200 = June Mountain 🇺🇸 United States 385 351–436
209 = Lagunillas Santiago 🇨🇱 Chile 384 298–428
209 = Melchsee-Frutt 🇨🇭 Switzerland 384 317–514
209 = Snow Park 🇨🇭 Switzerland 384 294–526
212 = Estación de Esquí Aramón Panticosa 🇪🇸 Spain 382 298–438
212 = Hornindal skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 382 253–473
214 Stordal alpinsenter 🇳🇴 Norway 381 242–491
215 Stordalen skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 380 296–499
216 = Gullingen skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 379 264–520
216 = Rothwald/Wasenalp 🇨🇭 Switzerland 379 292–538
218 = Alpe Devero 🇮🇹 Italy 378 291–525
218 = San Domenico di Varzo 🇮🇹 Italy 378 291–525
218 = Wilern 🇨🇭 Switzerland 378 291–525
221 Val Formazza 🇮🇹 Italy 377 287–534
222 = Domaine Nordique Peisey-Vallandry 🇫🇷 France 376 324–444
222 = La Plagne 🇫🇷 France 376 324–444
222 = Val d'Isère Savoie 🇫🇷 France 376 324–444
225 Mount Cain Alpine Park 🇨🇦 Canada 375 361–390
226 = Courmayeur Val Ferret 🇮🇹 Italy 374 292–476
226 = Crévacol 🇮🇹 Italy 374 292–476
226 = Le Chazelet 🇫🇷 France 374 313–447
226 = Les Houches (Chamonix) 🇫🇷 France 374 328–413
226 = Megève/Saint-Gervais 🇫🇷 France 374 328–413
226 = Saas-Grund 🇨🇭 Switzerland 374 256–554
226 = Choei Yuda Ski Area Iwate 🇯🇵 Japan 374 340–394
226 = IIZUNA HIGASHI KOGEN RESORT Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 374 318–413
226 = Myoko Suginohara Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 374 318–413
235 = Daisetsuzan Sounkyo Kurodake Ski Area Hokkaido 🇯🇵 Japan 373 340–413
235 = Suttsu Town Ski Area Hokkaido 🇯🇵 Japan 373 307–434
237 = Cerro Bayo 🇦🇷 Argentina 372 181–492
237 = Paradiski 🇫🇷 France 372 339–401
237 = Axalp ob Brienz 🇨🇭 Switzerland 372 336–440
237 = Brüsti – Attinghausen 🇨🇭 Switzerland 372 315–462
237 = Eggberge 🇨🇭 Switzerland 372 315–462
237 = First – Grindelwald 🇨🇭 Switzerland 372 336–440
237 = Meiringen-Hasliberg 🇨🇭 Switzerland 372 336–440
244 Domaine Nordique - Vallon de Champagny le Haut 🇫🇷 France 371 360–383
245 = Courchevel Savoie 🇫🇷 France 370 342–398
245 = Pralognan-la-Vanoise 🇫🇷 France 370 342–398
247 = Riksgränsen 🇸🇪 Sweden 369 286–525
247 = Jølster Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 369 253–448
247 = Riksgränsen 🇳🇴 Norway 369 286–525
250 Albiez-Montrond 🇫🇷 France 368 346–400
251 = Realp 🇨🇭 Switzerland 366 262–534
251 = Kijimadaira Ski Resort Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 366 293–447
251 = Mishima Choei Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 366 313–471
251 = Takasu Snow Park Gifu 🇯🇵 Japan 366 254–492
255 = Sunnmørsalpane Skiarena Fjellseter 🇳🇴 Norway 365 214–488
255 = Biel-Kinzig 🇨🇭 Switzerland 365 288–506
255 = Braunwald 🇨🇭 Switzerland 365 303–470
255 = Mürren/Schilthorn 🇨🇭 Switzerland 365 305–478
255 = Skiarena Loh Hätzingen 🇨🇭 Switzerland 365 303–470
260 = Grindelwald - Wengen 🇨🇭 Switzerland 362 310–449
260 = Saas-Almagell 🇨🇭 Switzerland 362 236–549
260 = Saas Fee 🇨🇭 Switzerland 362 236–549
260 = Fuyudorigoe Ski Garden Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 362 310–445
260 = Hirayu Onsen Ski Area Gifu 🇯🇵 Japan 362 287–424
265 Sysendalen Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 361 238–446
266 = Cioss Prato 🇨🇭 Switzerland 359 268–524
266 = Münster-Geschinen 🇨🇭 Switzerland 359 264–526
268 = Flumserberg 🇨🇭 Switzerland 357 284–498
268 = Lauchernalp 🇨🇭 Switzerland 357 281–483
268 = Hachimantai Resort Panorama Ski Are Iwate 🇯🇵 Japan 357 321–379
268 = Hachimantai Resort Shimokura Ski area Iwate 🇯🇵 Japan 357 321–379
268 = Iwate Kogen Snow Park Iwate 🇯🇵 Japan 357 321–379
268 = Kurobushi Kogen Snow Park Jangle Jungle Yamagata 🇯🇵 Japan 357 332–394
274 = Monterosa Ski 🇮🇹 Italy 356 235–510
274 = L'Alpe du Grand Serre 🇫🇷 France 356 343–382
274 = Les 3 Vallées 🇫🇷 France 356 310–411
274 = Val Thorens Savoie 🇫🇷 France 356 310–411
274 = Aizu Kogen Daikura Ski Resort Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 356 312–426
274 = Aizu Kogen Takatsue Ski Resort Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 356 312–426
280 Le Grand Domaine 🇫🇷 France 355 348–366
281 = Bellwald 🇨🇭 Switzerland 354 255–506
281 = Gluringen 🇨🇭 Switzerland 354 255–506
283 = Sirdal Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 353 265–475
283 = Sogndal skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 353 269–398
283 = Domaine Skiable Chamrousse 🇫🇷 France 353 335–380
286 = Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 352 294–454
286 = グランドサンピア猪苗代リゾートスキー場 Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 352 294–454
286 = Nekoma Mountain Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 352 294–454
286 = Shakotan Town Hokkaido 🇯🇵 Japan 352 342–362
286 = Urabandai Ski Resort Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 352 294–454
291 = Centro Fondo Arpy - Morgex 🇮🇹 Italy 351 265–437
291 = Courmayeur 🇮🇹 Italy 351 265–437
291 = Valgrisenche Ski 🇮🇹 Italy 351 265–437
291 = Aussois 🇫🇷 France 351 292–423
291 = Courmayeur 🇫🇷 France 351 265–437
291 = La Pierre-Saint-Martin 🇫🇷 France 351 282–394
297 Ala di Stura 🇮🇹 Italy 350 214–470
298 = Ovacık Kayak Merkezi 🇹🇷 Türkiye 349 218–496
298 = Adelboden - Lenk 🇨🇭 Switzerland 349 300–447
298 = Adelboden - TschentenAlp 🇨🇭 Switzerland 349 300–447
298 = China Peak Mountain Resort 🇺🇸 United States 349 315–414

cm/season. Bold is the three-season average; the smaller figure is the range across those three seasons.

Why Japan gets buried

Cold Siberian wind crosses the warm Sea of Japan, picks up an enormous load of moisture in a few hundred kilometres, then slams into the mountain spine of Honshu and dumps it. Sea and mountain sit only tens of kilometres apart, which is why this happens here at a scale found nowhere else. That is why Niigata, Nagano and Yamagata fill the top of this list.

How this was measured

The three most recent completed seasons: 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26. Snowfall patterns are shifting, so we deliberately do not use a thirty-year normal.

Winter is defined per hemisphere — December to March in the north, June to September in the south. Without that split, southern resorts would never be measured during their own winter and would rank at zero.

Source: [Open-Meteo](https://open-meteo.com/) historical data from the ERA5 reanalysis.

What these numbers cannot tell you

Nearby resorts share a value. ERA5 works on a grid roughly 10–30 km across, so resorts in the same valley fall in the same cell. Iwappara, Nakazato Snow Wood, Yuzawa Nakazato and Yuzawa Park are identical for exactly this reason, which is why we show them as tied. This ranking cannot separate neighbours.

Differences of a few percent are noise. Three seasons is a short record and year-to-year swings are large: 79 of Japan's 390 ski areas vary by more than half their own average. Okutadami Maruyama Ski Resort itself ranges from 672 to 945 cm. The gap between first and fourth place is 4% and means nothing.

These are not the centimetres that fell. ERA5 works on a 10–30 km grid, which flattens the mountain, so orographic uplift is under-produced and snowfall in mountain terrain comes out far too low. Niseko reads 315 cm here; the resort reports 14–15 m. That is a factor of four to five. Do not read the centimetre figures as real snowfall totals.

Resort-published snowfall is a different thing entirely. Every resort measures at a different place in a different way, so those figures are not comparable to each other. Ours are comparable only because all 3,112 went through one identical process.

What the data does support is comparison between regions. Niigata averages 581 cm across 47 ski areas against 428 cm for Toyama — a gap far larger than any of the errors above. The conclusion that the world's snowiest ski areas cluster in Japan survives all of these caveats.

These snowfall figures are estimates

The snowfall shown here is an estimate produced by a weather model, not a record of what actually fell.

We compared it against 63 Japan Meteorological Agency weather stations to see how far off it is. On average it comes to about six tenths of the real figure — it runs low. And it runs low by different amounts in different places: some read barely a third of what was measured, others match almost exactly. Mountains tend to read lowest.

We tried scaling everything up by a fixed amount to correct for it. It barely helped, because the error differs from place to place.

So treat these numbers as a guide to roughly where somewhere sits, not a precise figure. There is no meaning in the gap between first and second, or between 30th and 35th. Large differences between regions are real and can be read as they are.

We considered correcting the figures against the observations. But this ranking covers 3,112 ski areas across ten countries, and only Japan can be checked against weather stations. Correcting Japan alone would lift Japanese resorts above the Alps and North America with nothing behind it. Every place here is measured the same way instead.

Where a nearby weather station can be used, we print what it actually recorded on that ski area's own page.

Calculated: 2026-09-10 Seasons used — Northern: 2025/26, 2024/25, 2023/24 / Southern: 2025, 2024, 2023