Snow report on 18th February, 2016 from Kagura-Mitsumata Snow Resort, Niigata, Japan. Kagura is a three-in-one ski resort that incorporates the areas of Kagura, Mitsumata and Tashiro, lying next to the Naeba Snow Resort. These joint resorts provide a wide variety of ski courses, from easy family slopes to challenging advanced-level.

Mt. Naeba (in English)
Kagura Snow Resort (in Japanese)

No clouds and clearly fine this morning. Mt.Tanigawa, on the border of Gunma Pref. and Niigata Pref., can be seen from Kan-etsu Express Way. Great beauty!

Yuzawa area had fairly deep fresh snow during the night. The road condition was icy.

No clouds, amazing clear blue sky!

30 cm over fresh snow covered over backcountry area. Only 30 min hike from the Kagura Gate, introduced from 2014-2015 season at the top of the 5 romance lift, got to the top of Nakaone (中尾根). South face received strong sunlight and made sun crusts in a short time.

 

Kagura area used to be much quieter than Naeba, before the powder hunting became very popular in Japan. Now, Kagura is the gold standard of "sidecountry", "backcountry", and the powder hunting. After a long interval, we visited Kagura to test our new gears. Kagura area impound massive snow in usual season, but 2-3 meter lower in this season. Uncommon clear view from the restaurant at the top of the Kagura gondola.