Japan - Niseko, Hakuba????

[booboo]

Has anyone here rode in Japan?

I did my first full season over there about 12 years ago but I was only learning and it was at a pretty small field.

I'm thinking over going back over next Jan/Feb. I am tossing up between Niseko on Hokkaido (Northern Island) and Hakuba in Nagano (site of some Olympics a few years ago) on Honshu (The main island).

Niseko is renowned for its powder but is not that big or steep apparently. Hakuba supposedly gets decent snow and is big and steep.

Anyone else been over there? Any thoughts?

If you haven't been then you should go - 14+ metres of snow average.

[SimonInAustralia]

Niseko had plenty of pow, but was not steep enough to keep me happy, too many flat spots...steep-flat-steep-flat-etc.

Niseko is probably a lot more touristy now as well, lots of aussies and english now apparently.

I have been to Niseko, but would be looking elsewhere for steeps on my next visit.