Hoshino Resorts Tomamu

Powder and empty slopes get the warmest words. The tree runs have a proper pitch, untracked lines survive far longer than at the better-known Hokkaido names, and on weekdays the lift queues vanish altogether. The base is unusually polished for Japan: hotel towers stand right on the snow, with mountain-view onsen, a large indoor wave pool and generous buffets. Families single out the wide learning slopes and the things for children to do off the snow.

The layout is the recurring complaint - the linking forces a long, tiring traverse back that wears thin by the end of the day. The terrain is compact, and most agree two to four days is about right before it repeats itself. Over the New Year holidays the lifts do fill up and the usual calm disappears. Prices match the upmarket billing: you pay for comfort rather than acreage, and there are almost no bars or evening life.