Smack bang in the middle of rural Hokkaido, hidden under the snow pack is Hirafu village, the centre of the Niseko ski region for visitors. Hirafu is filled with little restaurants full of delicious cuisine, worthy of foody-visitors alone. From the soup curry, to the okonomiyaki, even the local ambassador is a potato! And who can go past buying some Royce chocolates at Chitose airport?

Skiing can be a great family holiday, but making it enjoyable for everyone involves some careful planning. Making that transition from being a single skier to one with children shouldn't mean the end of fun ski days.

You need to be able to make the most of the snow when it's there, which means having your boots ready and comfortable to go at the flick of a buckle. So now is the time to try them on and get any problems you might have sorted out so you're not wasting on-mountain time dealing with sore feet. Don't wait until the night before your ski trip.

Has your bootfitter ever asked you funny questions about your ski poles? Ever wondered why carbon poles are considered the bees' balls when it comes to ski poles? Well I'll let you in on a little secret here that will change how you think about your skiing.

Is a ski biomechanical analysis important? You bet your butt it is! Assessing you and identifying your body's functional strengths and limits is key to getting you in the correct boot set-up. Your ski equipment has a huge influence on the way you ski and your enjoyment on the hill, so a good set-up is vital.