Tomamu is a ski resort in central Hokkaido, the second largest and northernmost island in the country of Japan. Tomamu Ski Resort is just under 150 kilometres east of Sapporo, the largest city and capital of the Hokkaido Prefecture. Tomamu has an array of trails that cover two different mountains and vary in suitability from paths aimed at beginners to more advanced and expert trails. The resort also offers lessons for beginners. In addition to downhill skiing, visitors may also participate in snowboarding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, dogsledding, and snowshoeing, among other activities. There are three hotels that offer, among other amenities, a wave pool, a spa, and hot spring facilities. There is also an illuminated Ice Village (dome-like structures constructed from ice) that house a restaurant, pub, and even a wedding chapel. Tomamu is a big resort, but it is somewhat isolated, with most of its patrons arriving by train from Sapporo.
Climate
Like most ski resorts, Tomamu is quite cold in winter, with temperatures that only rarely rise above the freezing mark between December and late March. Tomamu, like most of Hokkaido, lies in a humid continental climate zone, typified by large seasonal swings in temperature and relatively even distribution of precipitation throughout the year. Tomamu, however, tends to be a bit cooler than other areas on the island because of its increased elevation. Daylight hours range from around 9 in winter to just over 15 in summer. The average wind speed is lowest in summer, which is also the rainiest season.
Spring
The mean average temperature for Tomamu in April is 5.2C, with highs of just over 11C and lows that hover around freezing. April tends to receive just over 60mm of precipitation, which falls over 6 rainy days. April sees 13 to 14 hours of daylight.
By May, the skiing season has entirely ended, but the area still offers good hiking trails and mild weather in which to cover these paths. The mean temperature is 11C, with daily highs and lows expected to be around 17.8C and 5.4C, respectively. There are about 15 sunshine hours every day and the average wind speed is just less than 23 kilometres per hour.
June is the brightest month of the year, with every day getting just over 15 hours of sunlight. This effect will be somewhat reduced, of course, during the eight days of rain expected every June. The average daily temperature is 14.6C, with highs normally hitting 20.5C and bottoming out at 10C overnight.
Summer
The effects of the warm weather in July â"averages of 18.3C, highs of 23.6C, and lows of 14.3Câ" are not normally diminished by gusts of wind, as July is the least windy month of the year in Tomamu, with wind speeds of 18.7 kilometres per hour. There are usually 9 rainy days in July and 15 hours of daylight.
The amount of daylight in Tomamu decreases in August to 13 hours a day by the end of the month. The normal temperature is 20C, with highs of 25C and lows of 16C. The amount of precipitation increases noticeably in August, with 146 mm of rain that falls over 10 rainy days.
September sees a modest drop in temperatures, with a mean average of 15.6C, lows of 11C and highs of 15.4C. Precipitation amounts remain high, with an average of 139 mm of rain falling over 9 days. The number of daylight hours drops from 13 at the start of September, to 12 at the end.
Autumn
As autumn sets in, temperatures embark on a steep decline in October in Tomamu. The mean average temperature in October is 9.2C, with lows of 3.7C and highs of 15.4C. The number of rainy days also decreases, to 6 or 7 throughout the month. Wind speeds begin to pick up on average in October, and the number of sunlight hours decreases to 10 per day by the end of the month.
November sees an even more significant drop in temperatures than October. The mean is 2.5C, the high is 7.6C, and the mercury begins to fall below freezing with overnight lows dropping as far as -2.2C. November is usually the windiest month, with wind speeds regularly surpassing 30 kilometres per hour. November sees just over 100 mm of precipitation over 7 days, and is usually the first month to experience snow.
The skiing season begins in December, with mean temperatures of -4C, lows of -9.3C, and highs reaching just above freezing at 1C. The amount of precipitation is essentially the same as in November, with the difference being that the form of precipitation in December is almost entirely snow. It remains quite windy, too, with average wind speeds of 30 kilometres an hour. December receives the least amount of sunlight; 9 hours a day.
Winter
Wind speeds decrease slightly in January to 29 kilometres per hour, and sunlight hours increase to about 10 hours a day by the end of the month. January is the coldest month in Tomamu, with averages of -8.2C, lows of -14.7C, and only very rarely passing the freezing mark, with usual highs around -2.2C. 105 mm of precipitation normally occurs in January, and like December, almost all, if not all, of that is in the form of snow.
The mercury hardly budges at all from January to February, with mean temperatures of -7.2C, with highs and lows of -1.3C and -14.7C, respectively. The amount of precipitation, however, does change a little bit, with a decrease to 90mm of snow that falls over 5 or 6 days. The average wind speed in February is 28 kilometres an hour. The amount of daylight time surpasses 11 hours by the end of the month.
March usually signals the end of the skiing season in Tomamu, but still provides the right conditions until the end of the month. The mean temperature is -2C, with regular highs of 3.3C and lows of -7.2C. 78 mm of precipitation can be expected, usually over 6 days and the average wind speed is 26.8 kilometres per hour. The amount of daylight peaks at the end of March with around 13 hours a day.