Japan

Japan - land of cherry blossoms, temples, Tamagotchi and ... err ... serious amounts of snow.

Once winter's best kept secret, Japan is now justifiably one of the top skiing and snowboarding destinations in the world.

Part of the reason is Japan's geography. (Pay attention - this is the technical bit.) When storms get bored of terrorising Siberia they often turn south. As they do so, they pass over the Sea of China, sucking up all the moisture they can before running smack bang into the Hakuba Mountains on Japan's east coast. When they hit the land they dump their contents in bucket loads. The result: metres and metres of fresh powder.

Aside from its enviable snowfall, Japan's resorts are what put it firmly on the skiing and snowboarding map - all 700 of them. If you thought the French or Italians had it easy with the Alps in their back yard, think about this. The sheer number of ski resorts in Japan puts every single one of its inhabitants within two hours of the slopes - impressive, for a country of nearly 128 million people.

Better still, for visitors it means there's an almost inexhaustible variety of terrain to choose from.

Hokkaido

Powder junkies head to the north of Japan to the island of Hokkaido, where you tend to find the best snow and the most challenging terrain.

Of all the ski resorts on the island, Niseko is probably the most popular with younger riders and groups, thanks to its wide range of accommodation and pumping nightlife. Rusutsu, further south, is a favourite of families with young children. Both are within easy reach of the city of Sapporo.

Niigata

If it's convenience to Tokyo you're after, Yuzawa in the southern part of Niigata Prefecture is little more than an hour away - which means you get to sample city life, and the best of the snow. (Hunter Mountain on Tochigi also makes a great day trip from the capital.)

Niigata is also home to the Meribel of Japan - the trendy and popular resort of Naeba.

Honshu

Tohoku in the north of Honshu island contains the oldest ski resort in Japan - Zao - which dates back to 1920 and continues to retain an olde worlde charm unlike the more modern resorts.

The island of Honshu is also where you'll find Nagano - home to the Winter Olympics in 1998. As you'd expect, there are a number of international standard ski areas here, including the vast Shiga Kogen, which is made up of 22 separate ski resorts.

It's hard to know where to start when you're this spoilt for choice. Just make sure you take your long board for all that fresh pow!

Cost

Although package deals are starting to make it a little easier to find good value skiing or snowboarding in Japan, you're always going to be hard pushed to do Japan on a budget. Accommodation here is traditionally dear and an adult one-day lift pass will set you back at least 4,500 Yen (the best part of US$45).

Getting here

Tokyo is the main international hub in Japan, but you'll find direct international flights to many of Japan's bigger cities, including Sapporo and Nagano. Once there, your best bet for getting to resorts is either to hire a car or buy a ticket on one of the ski trains.