One of Japan's largest ski resorts, Hakuba offers skiing of truly world-class dimensions combined with stunning scenery and staggering snowfalls.

Hakuba village is surrounded by eight major ski areas, and there are a further two nearby. Together they offer more than 140 ski runs and 135 ski lifts. Add to this skiable verticals and a seasonal average snowfall in excess of 10m (32ft) and Hakuba's myriad of attractions become still more evident.

Guests have the choice of staying in Hakuba Village itself, or in most cases, at the base of one of the individual ski areas that are dotted around it. The village is a sprawling affair but, as you would expect for a ski region of this significance, equipped with hundreds of accommodation choices, restaurants and shops.

Resort elevation: 760m (2,493ft).

Top elevation: 1,831m (6,007ft).

Base elevation: 760m (2,493ft).

Number of lifts: 135.

Number of runs: 144.

Average annual snowfall: 10m (32ft).

Hakuba is located in the Nagano prefecture of central Japan. It is located on Honshu, Japan's largest island, about one hour from Nagano city.

Because of the huge snowfalls Hakuba has a long ski season, typically lasting from late November to early May.

Eight of the ten ski areas are located directly around the Hakuba Valley, the other two, Yanaba and Sun Alpina, are a little distance away. As you would expect, the sheer extent of the skiing available, combined with the competition between the ten areas, means that there really is something for everyone here and all of it delivered to the highest standards.

You will find gentle beginner slopes, long groomed runs, steep blacks, mogul fields, heli-skiing, many terrain parks and pipes and of course the famous waist deep powder.

Biggest and best known of the ten areas is Happo One, directly above the village, which boasts more than 30 lifts and runs up to 7km (4.5 miles) long. Adjacent to Happo's slopes, are the smaller Hakuba Goryu and linked Hakuba 47 ski areas which have more than 20 lifts between them. Hakuba 47 has a particularly strong reputation with boarders, operating a great terrain park and two half pipes. It also has a reputation for some of the steepest runs in the region (alongside plenty of gentle terrain) and the double black diamond R-3 course for some of the largest moguls anywhere.

Continuing beyond the valley you reach another large Hakuba resort, Sun Alpina and smaller Yanaba. Experienced skiers will perhaps want to spend a day at Sun Alpina to enjoy its extensive slopes. Back across the valley are two more small areas - Minekata and Hakuba Highland - unlikely to be worth a special trip, except for beginners to find a quiet location or for cross country skiers to check out the Olympic Nordic trails located at Minekata.

The other four ski centres are linked: Norikura and Cortina with 15 lifts, Hakuba Iwatake with 20 and Tsugaike with 28 lifts.

Many of Hakuba's off-slope attractions include guided snowshoe tours, tubing, tobogganing, snowmobiling and snow rafting (sliding down the hillside on an inflatable boat). Of course the hot spring baths or onsen for which Japan is famous are here in abundance too, with many of the larger hotels offering their own and plenty more open to the paying public. A visit to the Olympic Ski Jumping hill above the village is a must during your stay. Take the lift up to the top of the jump for the amazing view the jumpers get before they start their descent.

Facilities for families at leading Japanese ski areas have improved greatly in recently years. Of the many options in Hakuba, The Hakuba 47 Activity Centre offers childcare for toddlers aged two to six, a ski school for older children and fun family activities like snow rafting. In the wider Hakuba area, families will find themselves made very welcome and there are plenty of family-friendly facilities and attractions such as the hot springs.

Central Hakuba has dozens of shops covering all the essentials as well as regional specialities. The options include supermarkets, large outdoor sports stores and a post office which has a cash machine accepting most international credit and debit cards. There are smaller malls dotted around the separate ski areas, such as the Escaru Plaza at the base of Goryu Toomi which has a ski shop, a couple of souvenir shops and grocery stores.

There are more than 100 bars to enjoy around Hakuba, the traditional local izakaya pubs are a great place to meet the locals and get a taste for the traditions of the region, including the local sake. Karaoke is also popular here, as it is across Japan, and there are numerous karaoke joints in which to sing your heart out. The Beer Bar at the base of Hakuba 47 is a popular apres ski joint. Shopping, hot springs and snow fun activities like rafting, tubing and snowmobiling are all popular once the ski runs have closed too. Night skiing is also on offer so you can just keep skiing if you want to.

The influx of international clientele from Australia and other countries has helped boost the range of cuisine on offer in Hakuba's 150 restaurants, from conventional Japanese staples to a global mix. As with the skiing there's something for everybody. The local soba noodle restaurants are a good choice to enjoy traditional Japanese dishes or you'll find Italian places such as Pizza Luis, Hakuba 47, Mexican and Chinese restaurants as well as a swanky French establishment in the 5-star Hakuba Tokyu Hotel, 4688 Hokujo.

During the day there are only scheduled bus services so, depending on where you are staying, your options may include walking to the lifts, a hotel shuttle to the lifts, taking a taxi or using the public bus service. In the evening a recently introduced Genki-go shuttle bus runs each evening covering a wide area of the Hakuba valley. You must purchase a ticket in advance at one of the resort's hotels and shops rather than on the bus.

Hakuba 47's "First Tracks" program offers early-morning lift loading privileges, breakfast, and a guide of untracked, long cruising skiing and snowboarding before the crowds reach the slopes.

Luxury

Hakuba Tokyu Hotel
One of the most exclusive properties in Hakuba, the 5-star resort has French, traditional Japanese, and buffet style restaurants, in addition to its natural hot springs.

4688 Hokujo
Tel: 0261 723 001.
Website: www.hakuba-r.tokyuhotels.co.jp

Moderate

Villa Hakuba
Comfortable slopeside 3 star with ski-in, ski-out access from Happo One and good facilities including indoor hot baths.

4777 Hakuba-Happo Ski Resort
Tel: 0261 727 211.
Website: www.villahakuba.com

Budget

Hakuba Backpackers
Friendly and affordable hostel established in 2002 located just at the bottom of the Goryu area ski slopes, with a novel windmill design.

22200-7 Ohaza,Kamishiro
Tel: 0261 754 038.
Website: www.hakubabackpackers.com

Nearest airports: Matsumoto (MMJ); Tokyo International (Haneda) (HND).

Distances to resort: 63km (39 miles); 274km (171 miles).

Driving times: 2 hours; 3 hours (by bullet train, then bus).

Snowboarders, Experts, Après ski, Beginners, Snow reliability, Intermediates, Families, Non-skiers