The Chinese New Year holiday and celebrations vary each year, typically falling in January or February. During this festive period, many Chinese and Asian skiers head to the slopes to enjoy the winter season. Similar to the Christmas period, prices for accommodation and flights may soar, accommodation may be limited and both resorts and slopes can be very crowded - particularly on-piste.
If you don’t particularly dislike crowds, you may want to visit Hokkaido in early February to attend the annual Sapporo Snow Festival - which attracts around 2 million visitors each year.
February’s weather is similar to January’s in Hokkaido, Japan, with fantastic snow conditions. With the exception of the Chinese New Year holidays, February, post Chinese New Year celebrations, is a great time for skiing and snowboarding in Hokkaido as the crowds begin to disperse.