Snowfall is Nagano's raison d'jtre—as you might expect from the venue of the 1998 Winter Olympics. The area—comprised of 22 resorts and 40 miles of runs—might actually discourage the light at heart. Twice the size of Vail, the Shiga Koen is Japan's skiing and snowboarding Mecca, where everyone from the local butcher to Tokyo TV stars go for a weekend getaway. For the hard core snow bunny, the area's courses feature deep snow runs through pine forests. For relaxed types, there are enjoyable roller-coaster-like runs that weave back and forth between lifts. Spend a day taking in the dips, then top it off with a bowl of noodles and a soak in an open-air onsen (hot spring bath) at one of the many lodges tucked away in the pines.

Trip Facts
When to go: November to early March
Difficulty rating: Moderate to hardcore

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