We recommend that beginners take at least two consecutive full days (6 hours per day) of lessons. This provides a more complete learning experience and helps you progress faster. If your schedule is flexible, we suggest taking at least five full days of lessons. This way, you can go from a total beginner to an intermediate level. For example, in snowboard lessons, you’ll learn to do falling leaf on both edges, transition between edges with S-turns, and start tackling steeper slopes and various terrains. With this foundation, you’ll be able to ski or ride confidently and safely at other resorts in the future.
However, everyone progresses differently, since both physical and mental factors can affect your learning. Chase for Snow instructors will tailor their professional guidance and practice to your personal needs, helping you reach your goals efficiently.
Snowboard lessons are available for ages 7 and up, while ski lessons are available for ages 4 and up. For safety reasons, especially regarding getting on and off the lifts and being in the air, children aged 4 to 5 can only take one-on-one lessons. For ages 6 to 12, a maximum of two children can take a lesson together.
Considering the risks involved in skiing, we do not accept students over 65 years old. However, experienced seniors can contact our customer service for an evaluation and may be allowed to join after assessment.
To ensure the quality of instruction, we do not recommend that children and parents take lessons together. Children often rely on their parents during class, making it difficult for them to build trust with the instructor, while parents may also find it hard to focus on their own learning. During lessons, we ask parents not to interfere with the teaching or help their children directly. If a child acts up, we hope parents can step away and allow the instructor to handle it. At Chase for Snow, we hope that besides learning to ski, children can also develop independence and problem-solving skills through the lesson experience. After all, skiing naturally comes with challenges and setbacks, and overcoming them through practice leads to real achievement. We are happy to support your child’s growth together with you.
In addition, children and adults have different learning styles and progress at different rates. For the best learning experience, we recommend arranging two separate instructors so that children and adults can have their own lessons.
Our suggestion is: choose based on your own interests!
Both skiing and snowboarding have their own fun and challenges. How quickly you learn depends on your fitness level and whether you have experience in similar sports. For example, people who exercise regularly and have good coordination usually find either snow sport easier to pick up. If you have experience with inline skating or ice skating, skiing (ski) might be easier. If you have experience with board sports like skateboarding or surfing, snowboarding will feel more natural.
There’s a saying: skiing uses two separate legs and faces forward, which is similar to walking, so most people find it easier to get used to and are less likely to fall. Many people who are afraid of falling, or want to avoid falls, will choose skiing first. However, snowboarding looks very stylish on the slopes, and that’s why many people choose it too.
Which one do you think suits you better—skiing or snowboarding?
The Niseko ski resorts usually open in early December and stay open until early May, closing when there is not enough snow.
If this is your first time skiing, we recommend coming for lessons before early April. After that, there is less snow, and only the advanced runs higher up the mountain remain open, which are not suitable for beginners.
We strongly recommend wearing all suitable protective gear—especially a helmet!
Helmets protect your head from injury in case of falls or collisions with others.
Snowboarders should also wear appropriate pads. Most snowboard falls involve your hands, hips, knees, or back, so we recommend using padded shorts, wrist guards, knee pads, and other protection to keep yourself safe.
Safety is the number one priority at Chase for Snow. Let’s work together to reduce the risk of injury and create a safe, happy learning environment.
Chase for Snow provides third-party liability insurance for every student, but for more complete protection, we require all students to have valid travel insurance that covers accidents or injuries related to snow sports.
Chase for Snow is a Niseko United certified school and must follow Niseko’s rules. We are not allowed to start lessons at the base of Niseko Village. If students really wish to have lessons at Niseko Village, we can ski over from another area, but this requires the student to be able to traverse mountains (at least red-level runs) and have an all-mountain pass.
We do not recommend taking lessons at Niseko Village, as the terrain is not suitable for teaching. After taking the gondola up, the slopes become very steep, and the green run back down is narrow and steep—making lessons very inefficient. Learning at nearby Annupuri or Hirafu is much more effective.
Please refer to the Chase for Snow lesson terms. Refunds are only available if Niseko United or Rusutsu resorts officially announce that all ski areas and lifts are closed.
However, lessons can still be held during snowstorms. As long as you are willing to attend, our instructors will continue to provide the best possible service for you.
