First time skiingin Japan

Still unsure? Choose skiing for your first trip. You'll fall less on day one and start having fun sooner.

Niseko charges peak prices for the whole of 24 Dec – 28 Feb, not just New Year and Lunar New Year. Resorts near Tokyo are busy every weekend and on Japanese public holidays. Late in the season, snow at lower resorts gets heavy and wet. Resorts open and close on different dates, so check before booking.

Rental prices are from a shop in Grand Hirafu, Niseko. Honshu resorts are usually much cheaper. Group lessons are set at about ¥20,000/day; in Niseko for 2026–27 a half day is about ¥15,000–22,000 and a full day about ¥17,000–25,000 depending on dates, with peak season the highest. Other resorts may differ. Multi-day passes are usually cheaper than the daily price times the number of days (e.g. Hakuba 5 days ¥53,400). The exchange rate is an estimate; check the real rate before you go.

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1. Sort out rental gear first thing

   Rental shops get busy by mid-morning, so book online if you can. Give your real weight, height, age and ability. The shop uses them to set how easily your bindings release in a fall, which lowers the risk of injury. Try boots on with one pair of thin ski socks, don't tuck your trousers into the boots, and walk around the shop for a while. Boots should be snug with your heel staying down, but not so tight your feet go numb.

2. Buy a lift ticket

   On day one you may only use the beginner area. Some resorts sell half-day tickets or cheaper tickets for the short beginner lifts. Ask at the counter before buying a full-mountain ticket.

3. Take a lesson

   The best money you'll spend on the trip. Take lessons for at least the first one or two days (or half days over two or three days) to learn safe, correct basics. It beats a friend teaching you, which usually ends in a day of falling. Group lessons are cheaper. Private lessons cost more but you improve faster, which suits nervous learners or people with physical limits. Young children have separate kids' ski schools (minimum ages vary). Big resorts have English-speaking instructors.

4. Start on the beginner slope and the conveyor

   Beginner areas usually have a moving carpet instead of a chairlift. Practise walking with one ski on, then glide down a gentle slope until you can stop by yourself.

5. Stopping and slowing down

   Skiing: the pizza (snowplough). Point your ski tips together and push the tails out into a wedge. The harder you press the edges into the snow, the slower you go. Snowboarding: stand across the slope and press your heel edge, sliding left and right (the falling leaf). Practise until you can stop every time before riding a lift.

6. Learn to fall and get up

   When you fall, lean to the side or sit down. Don't put a straight arm out. Snowboarders should land on their bottom or forearms rather than their wrists. To get up, turn your skis or board across the slope and push up from the uphill side.

7. Your first chairlift

   Take your backpack off or wear it on your front. Skiers hold both poles in one hand. Snowboarders keep only the front foot strapped in. Look back, wait for the chair to touch the back of your legs, then sit. Lower the safety bar (some lifts in Japan don't have one) and only raise it at the unload sign, then stand and glide off to the side. On your first ride you can ask the operator to slow the lift. If you miss the unload point, stay seated and wait for the lift to stop. Don't jump.

• Always ski at a speed where you can stop or avoid people The first and most important rule. Stay on slopes that match your ability. If you feel too fast to control, turn across the slope to slow down.
• People below you have priority They can't see you. Avoiding them is always the job of the person above.
• Don't stop in the middle of a slope or below a ridge If you need a rest, move to the side where people above can see you.
• Look uphill before you set off Every time you start moving or join a new slope.
• Never duck under a rope into a closed area Off the marked slopes there is a risk of avalanches and getting lost, and you may have to pay for your own rescue.
• Wear a helmet It helps reduce head injuries but does not make a hard crash safe. You still need to control your speed. Rent one at the gear shop.
• Don't let your gear slide down the hill Lay a detached snowboard face down or across the slope. A runaway ski can hit someone below.
• No skiing after drinking You're more likely to crash, and insurance often won't pay if you're hurt while drunk.
• If there's an accident, stop and help Cross your skis or plant your board above the scene so people above can see it. Alert ski patrol or a lift operator, and swap contact details with anyone involved.
• The sun is stronger than you think UV rises with altitude and fresh snow reflects a lot of light. Reapply SPF 30+ sunscreen during the day, even when it's cloudy, and keep goggles or sunglasses on to protect your eyes.
• Watch out for the cold If skin on your face or fingers turns pale and numb, get somewhere warm. Don't rub frostbitten skin. Shivering that won't stop or confusion are signs of hypothermia. Check each other's faces while you ski.
• Onsen etiquette Wash before getting into the bath, no swimwear, and many places don't admit people with tattoos. Ask before going in.
• Never duck the ropes out of bounds Powder outside the marked area (off-piste/backcountry) carries avalanche and getting-lost risk. Don't go without a guide. Insurance often won't pay, and you may be charged for your rescue.