Ani is the ski-jo that I go to most often. It's not the closest to where I live, but definately the most economical.
Economical because for me it's under a 2 hour drive, it's pretty cheep (4 hour lift pass only 2500 yen, and I've heard the rental costs aren't too bad), it's never crowded and the snow conditions are usually great.
The mountain has a reputation for always snowing (and snow monsters). I have boarded at Ani and it's