Frequently Asked Questions

To make a booking, please use the ‘Book Now’ button at the top of our website above.

We recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.

Please ensure all participant names are assigned to each lesson.  

This really helps ensure a speedy check-in process!

Private lessons are reserved exclusively for members of your own group or family. They can be a little more expensive, but offer a more focused learning experience that enables you to progress quicker than in group lessons. Please note the maximum number of participants in a Private lesson is 5.

Group lessons are non-exclusive and open to the public, meaning there will be other participants outside your own group or family. They tend to be more affordable and provide the opportunity to learn alongside others at your level, which makes it a fun and sociable experience. 

Generally we would recommend those aged between 3-6 years to join our Yeti program rather than Private lessons, as they have the additional support of our kids centre staff.

Children's Group Lesson details can be found and bookings made through the following link:

https://www.evergreen-skischool.com/kids-and-teen-lessons-2/

Adult Group details can be found and bookings made through the following link:

https://www.evergreen-skischool.com/group-ski-snowboard-lessons/

Our full range of Private lessons can be found and booked on the following link:

https://www.evergreen-skischool.com/private-lessons/

Yes, Rental Gear is extra and needs to be acquired from separate vendors.

Details of our Rental partners can be found on our pre-arrival page: Pre-arrival information or under the ‘Rental’ section of our FAQ.

Yes, lift Passes are extra and need to be acquired from separate vendors.

Details can be found on our pre-arrival page: Pre-arrival information or under the ‘Lift Passes’ section of our FAQ.

Yes, everyone using the slopes has to have a Lift pass, whether you use a lift or not.

Evergreen has the privilege of operating on the Slopes in Hakuba. 

We DO NOT own or operate the slopes in Hakuba. As such we, and our guests, have to abide by the resort rules. The resort rules are that everyone using the slopes, including all our lesson guests, have to have a lift pass.

Evergreen does not profit in any way from the sales of Lift Passes.

Additionally, Lift Passes cover:

1. The cost of Ski Patrol that operates on the mountain, if you need assistance on the slopes. Trust us, this can be for ANYBODY whether First Timer or Beginner to highly Advanced!
2. It covers the cost of grooming and maintenance of the resort, so that everyone can enjoy the facilities.

Here is a list of items you will need for skiing or snowboarding:

1. Ski/Snowboard
2. Ski/Snowboard boots
3. Ski Poles
4. Helmet (and wrist guards for snowboarders)
5. Snow Jacket and Pants
6. Goggles
7. Beanie
8. Gloves
9. Thermals/warm socks
10. Sunscreen & Lip Balm

Items 1-4 can be rented at rental equipment stores. Most stores will also have Snow Jackets and Pants available for rent. The remaining items will need to be purchased separately.

Please contact the rental stores directly to confirm their offerings as each store may have different products and options.

Short answer, it depends on the person, but here’s a rough guide:

• First 2 hours: Learn to put on equipment, move around, and start sliding and learning to stop. You’ll get a feel for balance, but most won’t yet feel comfortable on their own.
• 4–6 hours: Most people begin to control their speed better, comfortably stop, make basic turns, and can be introduced to the beginner lifts. 
• 8–12 hours: You’ll usually be linking basic turns more smoothly, riding lifts confidently, and enjoying beginner slopes more independently — while avoiding the bad habits that come from self-teaching. This is where the sport starts to feel fun instead of frustrating.
• 12+ hours: This is where progression really accelerates. With solid fundamentals, most people are ready to explore different terrain, build confidence on varied slopes, and prepare for more challenging runs.

Key points to remember:

• Everyone learns at a different pace — age, fitness, and confidence make a big difference.
• The more hours of lessons, the quicker and safer your long-term progression will be and the more terrain you’ll be able to enjoy!

A phrase that is often used is “Skiing is easier to learn but harder to master. Snowboarding is harder to learn but is easier to master”.

• Skiing:
  • Easier to pick up at first — most people can stand, slide, and control speed fairly quickly.
  • Feels more natural because you use 2 legs and your feet face forward.
  • Harder to master — techniques like parallel turns, carving, and steeper slopes take longer to learn.
• Snowboarding:
  • Harder to pick up — falling is more frequent, and just getting moving can be tricky.
  • Progression can feel faster once the basics click, but it still takes practice and persistence to control your board confidently.
  • Easier to advance in certain movements once you’ve learned the fundamentals, but it still takes a lot of practice and perseverance.

Key point:

• Age, fitness, balance, and personal preference all matter — the best choice is whichever looks more fun to you.
• Those that have experience surfing, wake boarding or skateboarding can usually pick up snowboarding quickly.

Plan ahead:

Ensure you know exactly where you are going to meet for your lesson and plan how you will get there on time. Using map apps will help to ensure you are heading in the right location.

Also, things often take longer than expected, so we recommend picking up your rentals the night before and allowing extra time to get to our office in the morning. Ski gear can be heavy and awkward to carry, ski boots are notoriously tight and tricky to walk in, and it always seems like there’s a hill involved—so give yourself plenty of time!

Travel Insurance:

We always recommend that our guests get appropriate travel insurance to cover them for winter sports.

Dress appropriately:

Wear proper ski clothing as outlined above, including waterproof layers, thermals, gloves, goggles, and sunscreen. Even on cold or cloudy days, the sun reflects strongly off the snow.

Stay connected:

We've seen families and groups get separated on the mountain with no way to contact each other due to lack of mobile data. These situations can be very stressful for those waiting.

To avoid such situations, consider getting local data SIMs on all your mobile devices. At the very least, agree on a backup meeting point, like your hotel lobby or a convenient location in the resort in case you get separated from your group or family.

Set realistic expectations:

Watching Skiing or Snowboarding on TV or online can make it look effortless, but balancing and controlling skis/boards can take time and practice. Don’t worry if it feels awkward at first and you fall over, we all did!

Most importantly, enjoy the journey! Everyone learns at their own pace, so stay patient, keep a sense of humour, and have fun out there!

All our instructors speak English.

All our group lessons will be conducted in English.

We can provide some Private lessons in Mandarin.

Please contact us to inquire about the availability of private lessons in German, French, Spanish or other languages.

Happo-One Evergreen Office

No, we do not have a rental shop at our Happo Office. The closest Rental is the Rhythm Wadano shop, which is about 300 metres from our office. 

Spicy Rentals and Central Snow Sports are also in various locations around Happo.

Please allow plenty of time to get rentals and allow plenty of time to get from the Rental shop to our office location. 

Tsugaike Evergreen Office

Yes, Spicy Rentals have a shop right next door to our meeting location at the base of the Tsugaike Gondola.

Please allow time to get rentals.

Iwatake meeting location

Yes, there is a Spicy Rentals shop close to the Iwatake Gondola and ticket office.

Cortina meeting location

There is a Rental shop inside the Green Plaza Hotel.

When getting rental gear here, please ensure the Skis are no higher than chin height.

Regarding nearby hotels, we recommend searching on websites such as Expedia, Hotels.com, Agoda, TripAdvisor or Booking.com. 

Happo

We have a number of ‘Single Use’ lockers available in our office for customers to store their belongings during the day. The lockers take a single 500 JPY coin to lock each time. Opening and relocking will cost 500 JPY each time

Unfortunately, we do not have Ski lockers.

We ask all guests to take their gear with them back to their accommodation at the end of the day. You may leave gear on the racks outside at your own risk. But we do not recommend it.

Tsugaike

There are ‘Single Use’ lockers provided by the resort for visitors to use under the Gondola to store their belongings during the day.

There are no ski lockers

Iwatake

There are no ski lockers at Iwatake.

Cortina

Yes, there are a large number of lockers and ski lockers inside the Green Plaza Hotel.

Yes, there are medical clinics in the area. These include:

• Shintani Clinic: General practice located in Hakuba: Contact: 0261-75-4177 – Accepts overseas credit cards and speaks English.
• Hakuba International Clinic: Emergency specialist, orthopaedics. Contact: 0261-85-2264. Accepts overseas credit cards and speaks English.

Full refunds are provided if cancellation/change requests are made 7 or more days prior to the lesson start date.

Cancellations made within 7 days of the scheduled product and or service start date will attract the following fees-

1. 30% fee of product and/or service price where cancellation is made between 7 days and 48 hours prior to the scheduled start time/date specified in the booking.
2. 50% fee of the product and/or service price where cancellation is made between 48 hours and up to 11AM the day prior to the scheduled start time/date specified in the booking.
3. 100% fee of the product and/or service price where cancellation is made after 11AM the day prior to the scheduled start time/date specified in the booking.

Full Terms and Conditions can be found on the following link: 

https://www.evergreen-skischool.com/terms-conditions/

Plan ahead:

Ensure you know exactly where you are going to meet for your lesson and plan how you will get there on time. Using map apps will help to ensure you are in the right location.

Things often take longer than expected, so we recommend picking up your rentals the night before and allowing extra time to get to our office in the morning. 

Stay connected:

We've seen families and groups get separated on the mountain with no way to contact each other due to lack of mobile data. These situations can be very stressful for those waiting.

To avoid such situations, consider getting local data SIMs on all your mobile devices. At the very least, agree on a backup meeting point, like your hotel lobby or a convenient location in the resort in case you get separated from your group or family.

Please arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. So that you can start your lesson on time.

Private lessons start at their scheduled start times, if you are late, this will eat into your lesson time. The lesson will finish at the scheduled finish time.

If possible, please let us know if you are running late, so we can keep your instructor informed whilst they wait for you.

We kindly ask Private Lesson guests to meet only at the designated meeting locations at each resort. In the past, meeting elsewhere has led to challenges—such as guests and instructors having difficulty finding each other, or instructors being delayed because their previous lesson ended in a different area of the mountain.

No, skiing and snowboarding are very different disciplines, each requiring unique techniques and equipment. As such, they must be taught separately. We kindly request that individual lessons be booked for each sport.

The maximum number of participants in a Private lesson is 5. There are no exceptions.

For those wishing to have a lesson with 6 or more participants, please book an additional lesson.

We aim to provide consistency by assigning the same instructor for consecutive-day private lessons at a single location. Exceptions can occur due to instructor illness or injury.

For consecutive-day lessons across different resorts, it is not possible to have the same instructor for lessons shorter than 5 hours. For lessons of 5 hours or longer, we will do our best to allocate the same instructor across multiple locations, although this cannot always be guaranteed.

Please ensure your booking includes a note requesting the same instructor for the duration of your lessons. While we cannot guarantee this, we will certainly do our best.

We can certainly provide Private Family Lessons consisting of multiple ages.  It is important that all participants are at a similar ability level.  Please bear in mind children and adults have very different levels of concentration, motivation and speeds of learning. These differences can lead to varying progression rates, which may affect the overall group experience.

Children aged 3–6, in particular, have very different needs compared to older kids and adults. For this reason, we strongly recommend that children in this age group have either a separate Private lesson or join our Yeti Ski program (in Happo only) where they can learn with others of the same age group.

Ideally, private lessons work best when grouped by both age and ability. 

For lessons of 4-hrs or longer the lesson can split or rotated, meaning the instructor can focus on one or two group members at a time, before shifting attention to the others. Please discuss this with your instructor at the start of your lesson.  The maximum total number of participants the instructor can teach in the lesson is still 5.

For full-day private lessons (5 or 6 hours), guests are welcome to take breaks and lunch at times that suit them. The lesson duration is fixed and will conclude exactly 5 or 6 hours after the scheduled start time, regardless of the timing or length of any breaks taken.

This structure allows for flexibility in how the day is arranged. For instance, a 30-minute lunch break before or after the typical busy lunch period is perfectly fine. Some guests choose shorter breaks, while others take longer — the schedule can be adjusted accordingly within the overall lesson time. 

No, guests will need to provide for or pay for their own lunches during Private Lessons.

Yes, absolutely! 

The instructor can supervise children independently during lunch if you wish. Please provide them with enough cash to cover the cost.

It is also fine for them to meet you at a specific spot at a pre-determined time, if that was your preferred option.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to switch between skiing and snowboarding Private lessons at short notice. Ski and snowboard lessons require different instructors with specialized training, so we cannot guarantee availability for last-minute changes.

If you would like to change your booking at short notice please contact us as early as possible before your lesson date and we will do our best to accommodate your request. 

Please note that short notice changes to Private lessons will incur fees as outlined in our cancellation policy.

No. All lessons begin at Evergreen’s designated meeting point. Meeting elsewhere can cause confusion, as it’s easy for guests and instructors to miss each other on a busy mountain. Instructors may also be finishing prior lessons in a different area of the resort, making it difficult for them to reach alternative locations, other than the designated meeting point on time. Starting all lessons from one central point ensures that guests and instructors meet easily, stress-free, and on time.

Provided the child is 3 years old or turns 3 while enrolled in our lessons, they are eligible to join a Private lesson.  Unfortunately, we cannot accept children younger than this.

In Happo-One we offer Yeti Ski, Hero Ski & Snowboard and Adult Ski & Snowboard.

In Tsugaike we offer Hero Ski and Adult Ski lessons as well as First-time and Beginner Snowboard lessons.

We offer Private Ski and Snowboard lessons across all our locations; Happo, Iwatake, Tsugaike and Cortina.

Please arrive by 9:30 am and check-in to your lesson by 9:55am.

Lessons start at 10:00am sharp. 

Those not at their check-in flag by 10:00am will not be able to join their lesson.

!Refunds are not issued for late arrivals!  

We aim to keep our group sizes no larger than 8 participants per Hero/Adult group. However, during peak periods, it may be necessary to exceed this number slightly to maintain the best possible skill matches within a group.

For Yeti Lessons, we have a maximum capacity of 5 children due to their young age and the high level of supervision required.

Provided the children are in the same program and have the same skiing/snowboarding ability, they can be in the same class.

Please speak to our check-in staff upon arrival to arrange this. 

No, we do not offer Day Care.

If you require babysitting services while in Hakuba, please contact the following companies directly:

• Little Lily
• Mommy Smile

No, we are not able to accept a child under the age of 3 years into our Yeti program. 

Provided the child is 3 years old or turns 3 while enrolled in our lessons, they are eligible to join our Yeti program.  Unfortunately, we cannot accept children younger than this.

No, a child under the age of 7 cannot join Hero lessons. 

We have a very limited level of discretion for those who are up to a couple of weeks of becoming 7 years old. Beyond that, we reluctantly have to draw the line.

No, a child aged 7 years or over cannot join the Yeti program. We will never drop a 7-year-old into the Yeti program.

No, a child aged between 7-14 years cannot join an adult class.

We have a very limited level of discretion for those who are up to a month of becoming 15 years old. Beyond that, we reluctantly have to draw the line. We have to consider that other adults in the lesson are not expecting anyone under the age of 15 years to be in their lessons.

No, any person aged 15 or over cannot join a Hero class.  We will never drop a 15-year-old into the Hero program.

If you would like a lesson where children who fall across different program age groups to learn together, it`s best to book a Private lesson.

In this case, it is important that all participants are of the same ability level.

Children aged 3–6, in particular, have very different needs compared to older kids and adults. For this reason, we strongly recommend that children in this age group have either a separate Private lesson or join our Yeti program (in Happo only) where they can learn with others of the same age group.

Ideally, Private lessons would be split by age and ability.

Yes, provided the lessons are booked consecutively, we will honour the multi day discounts. Please contact us directly to amend the price(s) accordingly.

Yes, lift passes are extra.

Yes, everyone using the slopes has to have a lift pass, whether you use a lift or not.

Evergreen has the privilege of operating on the slopes in Hakuba. 

We DO NOT own or operate the slopes in Hakuba. As such we, and our guests, have to abide by the resort rules. The resort rules are that everyone using the slopes, including all our guests in lessons, need to have a lift pass.

Evergreen does not profit in any way from the sale of lift passes.

Additionally, lift passes cover:

1. The cost of Ski Patrol that operate as an emergency service on the mountain. They are essential if you need assistance on the slopes. Trust us, this can be for ANYBODY whether you are a first timer or highly advanced.
2. It covers the cost of grooming and maintenance of the resort, so that everyone can enjoy the facilities.

Lift passes are extra and are required for all lessons, except for those in our Yeti program (3-6 years old).

Here are some details regarding Happo lift tickets and passes:

• Happo-One Lift Tickets: Can be purchased at four locations on the Happo-One ski resort. 

• On the Kokusai slope (50m from our Happo EISS Office)
• On the Sakka slope, at the Gondola and at Nakiyama. 
• Online booking is slightly cheaper

More information and online purchase options are available here.

The below table provides some information on lift passes which may be helpful.  It is split depending on whether the snow conditions are good or not.

*Sakka is the beginner slope nearest our Ski School in Happo.

** Please note the resort is not likely to fully open until the 3rd weekend in December, prior to this, the resort may offer ‘off-peak passes’ which are slightly cheaper. It may be cheaper to check what is available and buy on the day.

Please also note, we are not responsible if during your lesson your lift pass is not used, as everyone that uses the mountain has to have a lift pass.

The below table provides some information on lift passes which may be helpful.

Please also note, we are not responsible if during your lesson your lift pass is not used, as everyone that uses the mountain has to have a lift pass.

More information on Tsugaike lift passes and online purchase options are available here.

Purchased at the base of the gondola. Information is available here.

Purchased inside the Green Plaza resort at the check-in desk or at the ticket office at the slope base. More details here.

The Hakuba Valley pass is a great option if you are:

1. Planning to use the Hakuba Valley buses.
2. Planning to ski/snowboard in multiple resorts during your stay.
3. Are particularly adventurous and want to visit more than one resort in a day. (This is usually for more advanced snow sports enthusiasts).

Full information can be found here. 

Epic pass holders can get a complimentary resort pass at specific ticket offices across Hakuba Valley. More details are available here.

Evergreen International Ski School Happo is located at the base of the Kokusai Slope. You can find us on Google Maps here.

Our Tsugaike Ski School office is located at the base of the Gondola Lift, marked by Evergreen flags.

Google Maps location here. 

All Tsugaike bus & shuttle details can be found here.

Meet at the entrance of the ticket office at the base of the Iwatake Gondola here.

Your instructor will be wearing their green and blue EISS uniform. 

Bus & shuttle details can be viewed here.

Inside the lobby of Green Plaza Hotel, there is an Evergreen Tablet stand near the lift entrance. 

Your instructor will meet you there and will be wearing their green and blue EISS uniform. 

Bus & shuttle details can be viewed here

Taxis are available, and your accommodation can assist with arrangements. We recommend booking early during peak times (7:30–10:30 AM & 3:00–4:30 PM) to avoid long wait times.

• Alps Taxi: 02 6172 2221
• Hakuba Kanko Taxi Happo Office: 02 6172 2327
• Alpico Taxi: 02 6172 2236