Nagano City served as the central hub for the 1998 Winter Olympics, but the majority of the alpine events were held in the small towns scattered in the surrounding, snow-choked mountains of the Japanese Alps. And of those many enclaves, Hakuba is one of the best.

Less a town and more a sprawling maze of one-way streets lined by massive snow banks populated with small restaurants and hotels, Hakuba boasts at total of 12 independent ski resorts—and each demand a day's attention. Here, we profile three, the latter two accessible by the same lift ticket.

Hakuba Happo Resort is the region's largest mountain, with several base stations and terrain that consists mostly of wide-open cruisers with the occasional smattering of moguls sprawled across several valleys and peaks. Leg-burners start above the tree line, while the beginner runs are anchored by patches of foliage that protect the newbies from harsh winds that can hit the mountain during a white-out blizzard. The resort boasts over 3,500 feet of vertical, accessible via 33 lifts.

To the skier's right of Happo rise the combined resorts of Hakuba 47 and Hakuba Goryu. At publication, the former resort embraced a local, mom-and-pop vibe, which may change in the coming seasons (it was recently purchased by company based in New York). A central gondola at the mountain base leads to a quick run that funnels you to a quad, which then accesses the rest of the mountain (snowboarders, meanwhile, typically congregate at the top of the gondola to run the resort terrain park and half pipe). From the top of that high-speed quad, a maze of shorter mid-mountain lifts stretch out in all directions,

Nagano City served as the central hub for the 1998 Winter Olympics, but the majority of the alpine events were held in the small towns scattered in the surrounding, snow-choked mountains of the Japanese Alps. And of those many enclaves, Hakuba is one of the best.

Less a town and more a sprawling maze of one-way streets lined by massive snow banks populated with small restaurants and hotels, Hakuba boasts at total of 12 independent ski resorts—and each demand a day's attention. Here, we profile three, the latter two accessible by the same lift ticket.

Hakuba Happo Resort is the region's largest mountain, with several base stations and terrain that consists mostly of wide-open cruisers with the occasional smattering of moguls sprawled across several valleys and peaks. Leg-burners start above the tree line, while the beginner runs are anchored by patches of foliage that protect the newbies from harsh winds that can hit the mountain during a white-out blizzard. The resort boasts over 3,500 feet of vertical, accessible via 33 lifts.

To the skier's right of Happo rise the combined resorts of Hakuba 47 and Hakuba Goryu. At publication, the former resort embraced a local, mom-and-pop vibe, which may change in the coming seasons (it was recently purchased by company based in New York). A central gondola at the mountain base leads to a quick run that funnels you to a quad, which then accesses the rest of the mountain (snowboarders, meanwhile, typically congregate at the top of the gondola to run the resort terrain park and half pipe). From the top of that high-speed quad, a maze of shorter mid-mountain lifts stretch out in all directions, accessing blistering runs for all skill levels.

Your ticket to 47 also offers access to Goryu, a considerably larger resort with a decidedly Western feel with a maze of runs off the back side of 47. Beginner skiers and boarders tend to congregate around the central run below the resort gondola. Expect crowds of giggling teen snowboarders playing with infinitely complex, infinitely small cell phones, and families en route to the large base lodge. Further afield, smaller crowds hunt out fresh turns in the glades or tear down a complex series of Super-G-like cruisers.

Accommodations are easy to find at all cost levels throughout Hakuba, and a reliable bus service offers free transport to the different resorts. Many companies also offer package trips from major cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, which include transport, accommodation, and lift tickets at a ridiculously low rate. Après here—as with the rest of Japan—is winterized poetry, from soothing the savaged muscles in the onsens (public bath houses fed by all-natural hot-water springs) to unwinding, eating, and drinking at one of Hakuba's many izakayas (a Japanese take on a small-plate restaurant/bar). Ask at your hotel for recommendations—or try the traditional Hie (+0261.72.8035) or the more modern Hummingbird (+0261.72.7788), both near the ritzy digs at La Neige hotel.

NOTE: The stats quoted above reflect the full bounty of the Hakuba skiing region.

Check out our quick FAQ guide to skiing in Japan.