SnowWind
Journal
Series
Your First Ski Trip to Hokkaido
What to decide before your first ski lesson in Hokkaido: which lesson to book, snowboard or ski, and the on-slope safety rules at Japanese resorts.
3 articles
Articles Part 2 November 9, 2026
Which ski or snowboard lesson should I book? Start with your level, then compare five courses
Zero experience: the Beginner Lesson. Linking turns: a Progression Lesson. Fluent S turns on red runs: Tree & Powder. The Companion is not a lesson.
Read → Part 3 November 9, 2026
Snowboard or ski for your first time? KAKU's five answers
Ski first? Which is harder, riskier, where people get hurt, what each does best. KAKU answers from teaching; injury notes are not medical statistics.
Read → Part 4 November 10, 2026
Japan ski resort safety rules: runaway boards, riding the lift, and stopping when you hit someone
Stay with your board while strapping in or out, learn to ride the lift with it on, and stop if you hit someone. KAKU on what the instructors saw in 2025–26.
Read →