My friend and I are looking into a ski trip to Japan for December 2008 to January 2009. I will be using a *A C class award to get there, so we are trying to figure out where to go.

We are both expert skiers and are mainly interested in powder and some backcountry (with a guide). Can any one recommend a resort or area we should go? We are on a somewhat restricted budget (read: cheaper is better) and skiing quality is paramount.

We are planning about 3 weeks total, of which 10-13 days will be spent skiing or at a mountain area. The remaining time we plan to spend sight seeing in a city, I figure either Tokyo, Osaka, or Sapporo.

Thanks for the help.