Les Menuires, in the giant Trois Vallées ski area, would hardly be first to appear in a dystopian series on abandoned ski resorts, but that doesn’t mean its day won’t come. I’d skied here ...

He said abandoned ski resorts — and those "just hanging on" — can be seen in rural Honshu and Hokkaido. "I've seen over the last 20 years an incredible change," he said.

Some ski towns in Japan are booming from a rise in international visitors, while resorts in other areas are closing as domestic demand falters.

Some ski towns in Japan are booming from a rise in international visitors, while resorts in other areas are closing as domestic demand falters.

Some ski towns in Japan are booming from a rise in international visitors, while resorts in other areas are closing as domestic demand falters.

Some ski towns in Japan are booming from a rise in international visitors, while resorts in other areas are closing as domestic demand falters.

Some ski towns in Japan are booming from a rise in international visitors, while resorts in other areas are closing as domestic demand falters.

Some ski towns in Japan are booming from a rise in international visitors, while resorts in other areas are closing as domestic demand falters.

Some ski towns in Japan are booming from a rise in international visitors, while resorts in other areas are closing as domestic demand falters.

Some ski towns in Japan are booming from a rise in international visitors, while resorts in other areas are closing as domestic demand falters.

Some ski towns in Japan are booming from a rise in international visitors, while resorts in other areas are closing as domestic demand falters.