There are 10 ski resorts in the Hakuba area, with the 'big three' being Goryu, Hakuba 47 and Happo-one. These three alone have more than enough runs to keep you happy for any length of stay, and when combined with the other outlying resorts offer over 200 runs and 800acres of mountain to explore. The snow in Hakuba comes big and is high quality with cold Siberian air creating reliable and regular dumps of fresh powder from mid December through until late March.

One of the wonderful things about winter sports in Japan is the lack of crowds and amount of space available to you on the mountain, and with so many runs and so many resorts this is definitely the case in Hakuba. Although popular with the Japanese, who come at weekends and public holidays, ski or board from Monday to Friday and you will virtually have the place to yourself with queuing for lifts virtually unheard of.

Another of the joys of Japan in winter is the apres-ski hot-spring (onsen) bath. What better way to rest aching limbs than to sit back in a steaming outdoor onsen with snowflakes falling all around you (for fresh powder tomorrow!), and perhaps a cold beer at your side?! Hakuba has plenty of onsen to choose from, so do take the chance to indulge in this most Japanese of activities. If you need a break from the slopes you could even make a half-day trip to nearby Yudanaka, home to the famous snow monkeys - Japanese macaques who ward off the winter chill by relaxing in onsen baths of their own!

Hakuba also has plenty to keep you busy in the evenings, with a fantastic mixture of western-style bars and restaurants and traditional Japanese style pubs and eateries. The resort's growth has been carefully managed and Hakuba still maintains a small town Japanese atmosphere, despite its growing international fame.

Hakuba can also be visited outside winter with some fantastic outdoor sporting options available from spring to autumn, including mountain biking, rafting, hiking and horse riding.