January–February is Japan's best snow season, right at Lunar New Year; Japan doesn't take a Lunar New Year holiday, so resorts aren't as overloaded as in China.
- Niseko (Hokkaido): world-famous powder snow, lots of international visitors and English-speaking lessons; fly to New Chitose Airport then 2–3 hours by road.
- Furano and Rusutsu (Hokkaido): less crowded than Niseko, good for families.
- Hakuba (Nagano): the 1998 Winter Olympics venue; from Tokyo take the Shinkansen to Nagano, then a bus.
- Shiga Kogen (Nagano): a huge ski area, combine with the snow monkeys at Jigokudani.
- Zao Onsen (Yamagata): ski among "snow monsters" (frost-covered trees), best January–February, with hot springs after skiing.
Note: book rooms and lessons early, as Asian visitors flood Japan at Lunar New Year; beginners should rent gear on site and take at least a half-day lesson.