Niseko & Hokkaido

Niseko sits in western Hokkaido below the cone of Mount Yotei and takes an enormous amount of snow, which is why skiers fly from Australia and Singapore for it rather than for the vertical. Four linked ski areas share one pass, night skiing is normal, and the villages have onsen fed by the same volcanic ground. The season runs December to March and January is the deepest month. Summer is quiet and green, with hiking and cycling, and prices drop accordingly. Sapporo's airport is about two and a half hours by road.