Ryuo is good. Up top of the gondola great snow and not busy whenever I have been. But from Madarao it's probably about the same distance as Nozawa is.
Yomase too though that is round Shiga Kogen way.
Wow your photos are fantastic.
Hakkai-san used to be my local when I was studying down there.
Not made keen on it when there's billions of moguls, but a good place.
Nice. I used to go to the international university in Urasa and used to go to JK quite a lot. I agree with your comments about how to not get frustrated there!