lessons in niseko

[dawnblue 0]

my wife and I are skiers. we are looking to take some snowboard lessons in niseko.

 

we will be staying in pension kisara in hirafu. is it worth going all the way to hanazono for lessons? we heard that there are great new beginners facilities there.

 

or should we just take lessons from one of the schools in hirafu? any recommendations?

[SnowJapan 178]

Hi dawnblue and welcome.

I'm sure some people will answer your specific questions.

Just in case you have not seen this page yet:

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/resorts/english.html

 

Enjoy Niseko!

[shadowtec 0]

I know this is a forum for japan snow but but I put my 2 bob in. When I went to Cornet peak in NZ back in june they closed the resort on the first day I was there. So I just used the pass I could not use and for a extra $30 (nz I think) I got a 1 hour private lesson. And it was totaly worth it !!

[dawnblue 0]

at Whakapapa on North Island, NZ$90 got you a one-day pass AND one lesson AND equipment rental!

[shadowtec 0]

Originally Posted By: dawnblue

at Whakapapa on North Island, NZ$90 got you a one-day pass AND one lesson AND equipment rental!

I was only there for 3 days (will try for more in 09)

I had to stop myself from saying "I come from the mainland"

[dawnblue 0]

info from a local would be appreciated....

[keba 0]

A couple of friends and I got a private lesson a few years ago with the NISS (it's on the page SJForums linked you to). They were pretty good, we got a Kiwi instructor (park and pipe specialist) and they have a base at Hirafu.

 

Instructors are always a bit hit and miss I've found, very much a 'lucky dip'. You don't know until after your lesson whether you've just wasted half a day and a chunk of money. Good luck.

[shadowtec 0]

Originally Posted By: keba

Instructors are always a bit hit and miss I've found, very much a 'lucky dip'. You don't know until after your lesson whether you've just wasted half a day and a chunk of money. Good luck.

I have to agree with that statement. When I first picked up the board and started riding a couple of years back I got a couple of group lessons (with my lift pass at a unnamed resort in OZ) and the instructors where useless. But as I stated in my earlier post the private lesson I got in NZ was great!

In the end if you get a good instructor then you will learn a lot (I think you dont make it the first thing you do when you hit the slopes but that is my own 2cents)

[thursday 1]

if it's your first lesson on board, you'd be spending it on Ace Family. From there on, if you're picking up quickly, ask to go over to Hana. Then the instructor can tell you if you're ready for more terrain.

[foreversnow 5]

Yeah I agree with Thursday. Ace Run is perfect for beginners then they see the beginners run at the top of the mountain, which is also really good, and venture up there BUT I certainly wouldn't recommend the run back to the bottom to beginner beginners.

[keba 0]

I'll second that... for absolute beginners, Hanazono might be a bit much to start with.

[dawnblue 0]

thanks, that settles it then, since we are staying in hirafu, we will just have lessons with one of the schools in hirafu and checkout hana another day

[Mike Pow 52]

Was over at Hanazono today having a snoop around and the new beginner area - Hanazono Bowl - looks great.

 

 

While it may be a pain to make the journey over there each morning,

 

1) the covered magic carpet will be a damn site easier than the fixed Ace Family Double chair

 

2) there's a great flat area to work on skating and getting used to the equipment

 

3) the area will be a lot wider and the pitch looks more consistent than that of the Family Run

 

4) it's a dedicated beginner area, so no inconsiderate skiers or boarders whizzing past you

 

5) easy to change / alter equipment if something's not quite right. The rental shop is right there.

 

6) there's been significant earthworks over the summer to make the green run back to the base of Hanazono wider and more consistent in pitch

 

7) the new day lodge looks like it'll be the best place on mountain to eat and rest

 

I think Hanazono is on to a winner.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Sounds fabulously well planned for suiting beginners Mike!

 

Great that it is a dedicated beginners area too - one of the biggest things for newbies is the rear of people coming behind you...can't tell you how many times I have seen my kids go down because they got rattled by someone shizzing past too close without due consideration for thier obvious beginner status. Nowdays I try to remind them of this every few days on mountain - teach them some courtesy and consideration.

[torihada 2]

A bit off topic; q for Mamabear. When did your kids start snowboarding? I started mine skiing and wondered when would be a good time to eject them from the darkside.

 

Just a consideration as I'm about to buy new boots and skis for my nine - nearly ten yr old daughter. The main reason for getting them off two planks is I can't give them any guidance as I've never skied. Cheers

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Our entire family began in 2007.

 

Child #1 and #2 both experienced ski's on the school Year 7 Ski Trip (Snowboarding is not allowed on that trip) - the eldest was 11, and the 2nd was 11.5yrs old. They both snowboarded for the first time in Niseko in January 2007, when they were almost 15 and 13.5 yrs old, they were on a 'mens trip' with Papabear.

 

After that experience they returned home pumped to take the small boys and me. We went March/April 07 when child #3 was 10, and #4 was 7 years old. The 7 yr old's board is so little, and there was some concern over whether he would have the muscle strength to ride properly - we need not have worried.

 

They have improved reasonably quickly because we have taken them for at least one trip in both northern and southern hemisphere winters.

 

I have been fortunate in that my cubs are quite mature and sensible and abide by the courtesy's required on the mountain despite thier young age, but I have seen some youngsters on boards who are like a missile of destruction - I have not noticed so many such missiles on ski's....but that might be just because I don't ski.

 

I think your 10yr old daughter would be more than fine. What does she want to do?

[keba 0]

Yeah Mike, looks the goods. It's been a while since I've skied Niseko, obviously...

[Mike Pow 52]

Originally Posted By: keba

Yeah Mike, looks the goods. It's been a while since I've skied Niseko, obviously...

It's brand new.

And word is that the magic carpet will be FREE!!!!!

[JuniorStubbs 0]

Instructors are always a bit hit and miss I've found, very much a 'lucky dip'. You don't know until after your lesson whether you've just wasted half a day and a chunk of money. Good luck.

 

All the instructors that i'm working with at Niseko Village are either CASI/CSIA 2, BASI 2, AASI 2 or better qualified. Also will are all taking SAJ 2 and 1 exams in the next two weeks. If you are unsure of the quality of your instructor, just ask the ski school about their level of certification.

 

good luck.

 

Also been up the gondola at Niseko Village - its shut to the public still - nearly enough snow to open it up, will probably be open after the snow this weekend.

[thursday 1]

that magic carpet sounds wonderful. Looks like a place to start my little one.

[thursday 1]

I would've thought the instructor selection criteria would be quick strict given the competition for jobs at Niseko.

[keba 0]

Originally Posted By: Niseko Instructor, wooooohoooo

All the instructors that i'm working with at Niseko Village are either CASI/CSIA 2, BASI 2, AASI 2 or better qualified. Also will are all taking SAJ 2 and 1 exams in the next two weeks. If you are unsure of the quality of your instructor, just ask the ski school about their level of certification.

With due respect to your own teaching skills, I still think there is an element of luck involved. Not everyone connects at the same level, sometimes you just have to get the right instructor on the right day, regardless of how many letters they've accumulated after their name.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

You are right Keba, but so is Niseko Instructor...

 

Someone can be seriously well qualified as an instructor (in other words can pass the testing well), but suck with people skills - and perhaps not even suck with ALL people skills, but just simply not relate well to some groups.

 

I recall a fabulous instructor in Niseko our first trip who was brilliant for our travel companions children who were seriously athletic and well used to tough love coaching methods. However he almost crushed the spirit of our more sensitive son's.

 

As a precaution and due to the boys concerns of being dumped with a stranger who yells at them yet again, I tagged along with the new instructor on the second trip. Need not have worried - he related very well to children, and brought the best out in the more timid ones while keeping the reb-dogs under control.

 

Some people no matter how skilled should not teach children.

Some instructors will get a lot more joy out of taking a group of young men to the park rather than helping a group of middle aged women make it to the bottom of the Ace Family run without stacking it.

 

The reality is that skills, training and possessing the qualifications is a very very good first step and gives you some level of assurance of quality. The second half of that equation is the company and the instructor themselves recognising the differences in customers and working out which they enjoy and which they don't. Some will get a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day when the 4 yr old girl who has been clinging to Daddy's leg in tears for HOURS finally slides for a few metres and suddenly cracks a smile. For others they want to erase the day with a large brew! If that is the case they should not take that type of customer.

[torihada 2]

Originally Posted By: Mamabear

Our entire family began in 2007.

Child #1 and #2 both experienced ski's on the school Year 7 Ski Trip (Snowboarding is not allowed on that trip) - the eldest was 11, and the 2nd was 11.5yrs old. They both snowboarded for the first time in Niseko in January 2007, when they were almost 15 and 13.5 yrs old, they were on a 'mens trip' with Papabear.

After that experience they returned home pumped to take the small boys and me. We went March/April 07 when child #3 was 10, and #4 was 7 years old. The 7 yr old's board is so little, and there was some concern over whether he would have the muscle strength to ride properly - we need not have worried.

They have improved reasonably quickly because we have taken them for at least one trip in both northern and southern hemisphere winters.

I have been fortunate in that my cubs are quite mature and sensible and abide by the courtesy's required on the mountain despite thier young age, but I have seen some youngsters on boards who are like a missile of destruction - I have not noticed so many such missiles on ski's....but that might be just because I don't ski.

I think your 10yr old daughter would be more than fine. What does she want to do?

My 7 nearly 8yr old son wants to board (and has leg muscles like tree trunks - I think he'll be a natural), my daughter wants to ski (then again she's always more reserved with new experiences). I'm inclined to keep them on skis as my son can use daughters old set & boots = save money. Also they take some lessons while in Japan - which gives us adults time to hit some steeper/faster stuff - and I'm not sure there'll be any lessons for kids boarding (I've only ever seen the ski schools teaching kids skiing). Then again I feel confident teaching them to board.

I'll probably phone some of the ski schools next week and check if they do kids board lessons and see if any Japanese sports shops do any kids boarding packages.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Originally Posted By: torihada

[
My 7 nearly 8yr old son wants to board (and has leg muscles like tree trunks - I think he'll be a natural), my daughter wants to ski (then again she's always more reserved with new experiences). I'm inclined to keep them on skis as my son can use daughters old set & boots = save money. Also they take some lessons while in Japan - which gives us adults time to hit some steeper/faster stuff - and I'm not sure there'll be any lessons for kids boarding (I've only ever seen the ski schools teaching kids skiing). Then again I feel confident teaching them to board.

I'll probably phone some of the ski schools next week and check if they do kids board lessons and see if any Japanese sports shops do any kids boarding packages.

I reckon let them do whichever they want.
Boy wants to board? - would YOU be happy on ski's?
Girl wants to ski? - she would be mad at you if you forced her to board, and a petulant 10 yr old is not fun!
Just out of interest, what does thier Mother do? Ski or Board?

We have stuck our kids in snowboard school everywhere we have been. Niseko, Thredbo, Falls Creek and they are booked into Zermatt Snowboard school. If they are doing different things then they wont be together obviously, but they will meet other kids in the group. Often the meeting place has both board and ski school starting at the same time from the same location - easy peasy.

As for packages - maybe hire his first time around in case he hates it and wants to ski again. Our kids were total beginners, so they were gonna hurt no matter what - so we made the board, binding and boot investment before they even saw the snow. They youngest boys need new gear now as they have grown, but options are there - handdown where possible and sell the smallest board and reinvest to get a larger board. At the moment the little 7 yr old boy board is just hanging on my 9yr olds wall in the board racks, wall candy at its best! Shame you do not live around the corner or I would hand it over for you to give the nipper a crack.