- Duration
- Half day (2.5 to 3 hours) or full day
- Group size
- 6–150 pax
- Cities
- Hakuba
- Indicative budget
- From ¥18,000 per person
Hakuba, which hosted the alpine and ski-jumping events of the 1998 Nagano Olympics, brings several resorts together on one pass, from Hakuba Norikura and Cortina in the north to Happo-one, Iwatake, Tsugaike and Goryu. Snow is plentiful and often light from mid-December to late March, and the ski schools are used to international guests. For a corporate group, it is one of the few places in Japan where complete beginners and strong skiers can be mixed without anyone getting bored.
On the morning of the activity, participants meet their instructor in groups of 6 to 8, formed from a short questionnaire sent before departure. Beginners stay on the gentle slopes near the base, intermediates make the most of the lifts, and confident skiers head out with a guide to the best sectors of the day depending on snow and wind. Rental equipment is fitted the evening before at the hotel or rental shop, which avoids the morning queue.
Those who do not ski set out on snowshoes with a mountain guide: at Hakuba Iwatake, for example, the gondola climbs to a marked course through beech and larch forest, with views of the three Hakuba peaks on a clear day. The walk is easy, with little climbing, and ends with a hot drink. Everyone meets for lunch, on the mountain or at the hotel; the afternoon can then hold a second lesson, a team challenge on the snow or simply the onsen.
Objectives
- Give every participant a real day in the mountains, whatever their level
- Build new connections by mixing departments and seniority within the groups
- Let beginners make their first run with confidence, supervised by professionals
How it works
- 1Before departure: level questionnaire, shoe and clothing sizes, group allocation.
- 2The evening before: fitting of rental equipment and lift passes handed out by group.
- 39:00 am: meet the English-speaking instructors, 2.5 to 3-hour lesson in groups of 6 to 8.
- 4In parallel: guided snowshoe walk in the forest (about 2.5 hours), hot drink break.
- 5Shared lunch, then a choice of: second lesson, team challenge on the snow, free skiing or onsen.
Good to know
- Season: mid-December to late March for most resorts; the most reliable snow is from January to early March.
- Supervision: one instructor per 6 to 8 skiers; complete beginners are limited to 6 per instructor.
- English-speaking instructors are in high demand in February and over Chinese New Year: book 3 to 4 months ahead.
- Helmets recommended and included with rentals; check that each participant's insurance covers winter sports.
- Plan B in a storm or if lifts close: onsen day and a visit to Hakuba village and its Olympic ski jump, or a soba workshop at the hotel.
Indicative budget
From ¥18,000 per person (half-day private group lesson for 6 to 8 with an English-speaking instructor and a one-day lift pass, or a guided snowshoe walk with gondola ride), as an indication. Equipment rental, lunch and transfers extra; group rates on request.
Frequently asked questions
Can participants who have never seen snow take part?
Yes, and it is common in groups from Southeast Asia or the Middle East. We offer them a very gradual first lesson on a beginner area, or a snow experience without skis: sledding, building a kamakura snow hut, snowshoeing. Warm clothing can be rented for those who do not have any.
How many people can you handle on the same day?
Up to about 150 participants, by spreading the groups across several schools and resorts in the valley. Above 60 people, we stagger rental and meeting times, and a SHINOGI coordinator stays at the base all day.
What happens in a snowstorm?
Instructors adapt the program to open runs sheltered from the wind, often in the trees, where fresh snow delights good skiers. If lifts close, we switch to the plan B prepared in advance: onsen, a visit to the village and the Olympic ski jump, a soba workshop or a working session.
Can lessons start from any hotel in Hakuba?
Yes. From a ski-in, ski-out hotel, such as at Hakuba Norikura, participants start with their skis on; elsewhere, a shuttle takes the group to the chosen resort in 10 to 25 minutes. We pick the resort according to the group's level, the snow cover and where lunch is planned.
