A summary of public reports, written by Ski in Sky and checked against each source. It is not an official investigation, and it may change as investigations continue.
What happened
On the afternoon of 17 January two people skiing in the backcountry near a ski area in Akaigawa contacted a nearby hotel saying they did not know where they were. The hotel told the ski area's patrol, who went out and rescued them. Neither was hurt, and police then asked them how they had got lost.
Afternoon of 17 January; no time is given.
Where
Outside the ski areaBackcountry near a ski area in Akaigawa village; the Hokkaido Shimbun names the area as around Kiroro Snow World.
Known only to the area.
Link to the ski area
Near a ski area, not inside it
UHB: '赤井川村のスキー場近くで、バックカントリースキー' (backcountry skiing near a ski area in Akaigawa); Hokkaido Shimbun: 'キロロスノーワールドの周辺'. Outside the ski area, so not attributed to Kiroro.
People
Died0
Injured0
Rescued2
What is known about the cause
- News reportLost their position while backcountry skiing outside the ski area. [1]
Not confirmed
- Where they left the ski area and whether through a gate.
- Time of the call and rescue.
Sources
- UHB (Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting) ↗ · 2026-01-17
- Hokkaido Shimbun ↗ · 2026-01-19
Last checked against the sources on 2026-10-22.