Aspen and Stowe? Sure — but this ski season, consider following your toes down a snow-covered trail in Niseko Village, located in Hokkaido, Japan. Rising on the radar of American skiers and emerging as a sought-after destination for fans of the great outdoors, the area’s local slopes are famous for Champagne-powder snow. Two new all-season lifts, a brand-new ski trail and two beginner-friendly magic carpet surface lifts will be introduced this season. Luxury accommodations within the village include a newly augmented Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse with 32 additional townhomes, and the first The Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Japan.

Beyond premiere skiing, travelers can indulge in Japanese culinary specialties including sushi, fresh seafood and teppanyaki prepared on an iron griddle, served with local sake, beer and wine. Culture is a huge component of the village’s offerings, with nearby diversions such as Nikka’s Yoichi Distillery, makers of traditionally distilled malt whiskeys produced using a time-honored technique that includes heating pot stills with finely powdered natural coal; and the port city of Otaru, where shops selling beautifully-crafted music boxes and glassworks can be found along with great restaurants and sake distilleries. While there, be sure to enjoy a soak in one of the many volcanic hot springs known as onsens. Ones to try: Noboribetsu, Jozankei and Toyako.