Every winter so many Japanese head for the slopes to perfect their ski technique, or just to hang out in the latest designer gear, that if you don't join them you'll feel left out. It's easy enough to arrange a ski day-trip, especially since many of the major resorts on Honshu are within a couple of hours' train ride of Tokyo, Nagoya or Osaka. Serious skiers will want to take more time to head to the northern island of Hokkaido, which has some of the country's best ski resorts.

The cost of a ski trip need not be too expensive. Lift passes are typically ¥4000 per day, or less if you ski for several days in a row; equipment rental averages around ¥4000 for the skis, boots and poles; whilst accommodation at a family-run minshuku compares favourably to that of many European and American resorts.

Transport to the slopes is fast and efficient; at one resort (Gala Yuzawa in Niigata) you can step straight off the Shinkansen onto the ski lifts. Ski maps and signs are often in English, and you're sure to find some English speakers and, at the major resorts, gaijin staff, if you run into difficulties.

The main drawback of skiing in Japan is that top resorts can get very crowded, especially at weekends and holidays; if you don't want to ski in rush-hour conditions, plan your trip for midweek. In addition, the runs are, on the whole, much shorter than in Europe and US. Compensating factors, however, are fast ski lifts, beautiful scenery - especially in the Japan Alps area of Nagano - and the opportunity to soak in onsen hot springs at night. Snowboarding is currently very fashionable, especially among younger skiers, and is now allowed at most major resorts, although it's best to check with local tourist offices first.

Recommended resorts for beginners include Gala Yuzawa and trendy Naeba , both reached in under two hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen. Nozawa Onsen also has good beginners' runs, but its off-the-beaten-track location makes it a better bet for more experienced skiers. Appi Kogen and Zao in northern Honshu and Hakuba in Nagano are considered the Holy Trinity of Japanese ski resorts. Shiga Kogen is another mammoth resort in Nagano, parts of which were used for competitions during the 1998 Winter Olympics. If you're after the best powder-snow skiing without the crowds, head north to Hokkaido, to the world-class resorts of Furano and Niseko . There are also many slopes easily accessible on a day-trip from Sapporo.

All the major travel agents offer ski packages , which are worth looking into, with Tokyo's Beltop Travel (tel 03/3211-6555, www.beltop.com ) having plenty of experience setting up deals for the expat community. Youth hostels near to ski areas often have excellent-value packages, too, including accommodation, meals and lift passes, and can arrange competitive equipment rental; see Furano and Niseko in Hokkaido and Togakushi , and Norikura Kogen Onsen in Nagano-ken.

There are several comprehensive annual guides in Japanese listing all resorts, providing detailed maps of the runs and lists of all the facilities; one of the best is Ski Mapple, published by Shobunsha. For English-language information, invest in the spot-on Ski Japan! by TR Reid (¥2300; Kodansha). On the Web, check out www.skijapanguide.com