It has been very un-January like in Japan recently as warm temperatures and sadly rain have affected the resorts even up in Hokkaido. The siberian high which generates the cold northwesterly winds has been missing in action lately. When it did appear around the 23rd of Jan it was so far west the northwesterlies barely affected the Korean peninsula and we missed out altogether in Japan.
The current situation has a weak low pressure system moving northeast through the sea of Japan. A small amount of snow could be expected from this as it moves through. Following this is a significant high pressure system which will bring sunny skies through until Thursday the 29th.
The long range outlook has rain turning to snow on Friday the 30th. Then a few more days of sunny skies and hopefully some moisture coming through around the 6th of Feb.