"Will my child be able to ski well?" This will turn the anxiety of parents into the joy of watching their child grow. "Yuki Kids" is a new skiing experience program offered by Hoshino Resorts this winter that will help children improve naturally and surely while having fun. Let's find out the secret behind it.
Launch of the "Snow Kids" project
Hoshino Resorts is popular with a wide range of users for its sophisticated facilities, diverse activities, and other comprehensive content, but it is particularly popular with families. Among Hoshino Resorts, the most family-friendly brand is "Risonare," and "Risonare Yatsugatake" is considered to be its birthplace.
This winter, Awaji Kihiro of RISONARE Yatsugatake will be at the helm of Hoshino Resorts' newly revamped kids' ski experience program, "Yuki Kids."
The birth of Yuki Kids began with the real concerns of parents on the ground. Awaji says:
"In winter, the demand from families who want to let their children ski is increasing every year, and parents are very interested in ski trips and ski schools for their children. However, there are many concerns, such as 'Which school should I send my child to? Will they be able to maintain concentration during lessons?' and 'Will my child be able to improve at the same level as me?'
We wondered if we could offer lessons that would fully meet this demand. Most of our customers are families in their 30s and 40s with young children. In fact, I myself am 41 years old, so I put myself in the shoes of customers of the same age and thought about what kind of lessons I would want my own children to experience."
At that time, valuable evidence came from a venue survey conducted in the 2023-2024 season on "what people expect from ski lessons."
After interviewing 100 parents who had their children experience skiing at Hoshino Resorts, it was found that more than half of them expected "an experience unique to winter" and "improvement in skiing skills" from the school.
The survey results revealed the direction we should take: we need a program that can guarantee "steady improvement" while allowing children to have fun through experiences unique to winter.
If you're targeting families visiting for family skiing, the target age range for children is 3 to 12 years old. This is the golden age of growth, as children become able to move their bodies as they wish, become more active, and develop curiosity and emotions. In other words, this is the age when skiing is most naturally adopted as a "fun activity." How can you get children to truly enjoy skiing, a game of snow? And how can you ensure they become good at it?
Awaji's challenge has begun.
The encounter I've been searching for
Until now, Hoshino Resorts has been offering "Snow Kids 70," which breaks down skiing movements into 70 steps and provides step-by-step lessons. This certainly wasn't unpopular. But why has it undergone a complete overhaul this season? We asked Awaji-san frankly.
"As a ski instructor, I can naturally teach technique. However, my instruction tends to rely on personal experience and is often too personal. To overcome this obstacle, I desperately needed a path to improvement that had a scientific basis and academic backing."
Awaji searched for scholars, scientists, sports trainers, and all kinds of experts in sports science-related fields at universities and research institutes, and he must have read countless research papers. It wasn't easy, but after nearly a year of hard work, he finally found the ideal "encounter" he had been hoping for. That person was Professor Takekoshi Makoto (Nippon Sport Science University, Department of Sports Management, Faculty of Sports Management).
"Professor Takekoshi's paper analyzed the movements that would help improve skiing, which was exactly what I was looking for. I couldn't wait any longer and called his lab. It was like, 'Nice to meet you, I'm from Hoshino Resorts...' (laughs). I carefully explained our ideas and concepts from the ground up. He sympathized with what I said and said, 'OK, let's work together!' I was so happy. But it took quite a long time to get to this point (laughs)."
Yuki Kids is a method that crystallizes a wealth of knowledge and passion, released after a careful and thorough development process that took approximately three years, including the meeting with Professor Takekoshi.
The magical scientific method
The biggest feature of this "Yuki Kids" is the "scientifically based method that will definitely help children improve their skiing," which was developed in collaboration with Professor Takekoshi.
Professor Takekoshi has analyzed the movements of a wide range of skiers, from beginners to professionals, and has researched "body movements that accelerate improvement."
The research clearly shows where the differences between professionals and beginners' movements are apparent, and which movements require repeated practice to improve most quickly.
In order to introduce a scientifically based method based on these research results to children, we conducted a test with children who had never actually skied, and discovered the following.
1. Compared to adults, children have a harder time moving their bodies as they wish on slopes.
2. For children to improve their skiing skills, the four important movements are "up and down," "left and right," "center of gravity position," and "speed tolerance."
With this in mind, Yuki Kids was designed to teach movements that can be summarized under the following four keywords:
- Up and down movement (how to use your body vertically)
- Left and right movement (sense of shifting center of gravity)
- Maintaining your center of gravity (how to maintain your body's axis)
- Speed tolerance (getting used to gliding speed)
Let's ask Awaji-san for more details.
"First, practice the four movements necessary for improvement on flat ground, memorize them with your body, and then practice them on a slope. By doing so, you can naturally reproduce the movements, which will help you improve faster."
Unlike previous ski lessons that focused on technical instruction, we have devised a way to naturally acquire the "four movements for improvement" through various games. For example, you can put on ski boots and play rock-paper-scissors with your feet, or do original poses. The "four movements for improvement" are incorporated into the fun of playing with the staff, so your skiing will naturally improve."
You'll improve naturally and surely while playing and having fun. It's a truly magical "scientific method."
What is important is coaching from the child's perspective
The unique feature and strength of Yuki Kids is that it is not just the power of science, but also the communication strategies and motivation that are essential when teaching children.
"They're still young, so verbal communication can be difficult. That's why we don't use any technical terms at Yuki Kids. Saying 'bogen' wouldn't get the point across. Instead, we use images that even children can understand, like 'rice ball shape' or 'mountain shape', and we make them aware of the direction their body is facing by saying 'belly button beam!' I think this ingenious way of 'making it into a game' is the key to keeping children's concentration and helping them naturally learn the correct movements while having fun."
And now, Hoshino Resorts is focusing on and placing importance on "coaching skills."
"Under Professor Takekoshi, our staff are also currently learning coaching. How to motivate the children and how to reassure them is more important than teaching them techniques.
What can you say to a child who is too scared to put on skis and can't move to encourage them to take the first step? How can you encourage a child who quickly gets bored or whines that they don't want to ski because it's cold to become more positive about the lessons? We believe that the power of coaching can be used to great effect to maintain motivation and turn on the motivation switch.
With this YukiKids program, we are standardizing coaching skills so that every resort offering YukiKids and every staff member can provide lessons of the same quality."
A safe and secure design that also nurtures children's minds
Starting this December, you can experience "Yuki Kids" at three locations: RISONARE Yatsugatake, Hoshino Resort Tomamu, and Hoshino Resort Nekoma Mountain. Lessons are set at different levels, and if you wish, you can take one lesson (1 session) in the morning and two lessons (2 sessions) in the afternoon.
At the Yuki Kids Snow Park in RISONARE Yatsugatake, you can try out the Yuki Kids Level 1 lessons for free (reservations required). Even children who are trying skiing for the first time can easily participate, and since they can get used to the snow and equipment, they can feel safe when they make their debut on the slopes.
Tomamu has escalators that go back and forth within the area, so you can be sure to get plenty of slopes during your lesson in safety and comfort. Nekoma Mountain will be held in the beginners' area.
Parents are concerned about how their children are doing even after leaving them at school. At Yuki Kids, parents are welcome to keep an eye on their children. This is because parents' peace of mind is the deciding factor in whether or not their children can enjoy the skiing experience.
After completing the course, you will also receive a "lesson chart" and an original badge as you progress through the levels.
It's a great point for parents that the program is designed to foster self-esteem, ambition, and a child's spirit, making them think, "I did it!", "I want to go again!", and "I want to get better."
「The goal of "Snow Kids"
Yuki Kids' vision and goal is a future that goes beyond simple kids' lessons.
"I hope this experience will bring a smile to the children's faces and make them want to ski again and go skiing with their families," says Awaji.
The number of skiers in Japan has been declining for many years, but if a child has a formative experience of skiing as a child that makes them think, "It was so much fun!" or "I fell in love with skiing," skiing can become a lifelong hobby for that child.
Yuki Kids doesn't just teach how to ski; scientific methods, fun play, coaching, and safe design
to an advanced level, naturally inspiring children to "try it," letting them experience the feeling of "success," and making them love skiing so much that they beg their parents to take them skiing more. In other words, Hoshino Resorts' Yuki Kids supports the mental and physical development of children, strengthens family bonds, and, in a broader sense, plays a social role in nurturing the skiers of the future.
A ski debut is a big adventure for both children and parents. It will surely become an irreplaceable family memory. This first step can be experienced while having fun, laughing, and making sure you improve your skills. It creates the ultimate snowy mountain experience for the whole family. That's what Hoshino Resorts YukiKids is all about.
YukiKids is sure to be the perfect solution for any family thinking about taking their child on a skiing trip this winter.
◆Official website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/jp/sp/yukids/
[Event Period]
RISONARE Yatsugatake: December 15, 2025 - March 19, 2026
Hoshino Resorts Tomamu: December 1, 2025 - April 5, 2026
Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain: November 29, 2025 - May 6, 2026
*Subject to change depending on weather conditions
[Price]
RISONARE Yatsugatake: 5,300 yen per lesson *Level 1 at the in-house Yuki Kids Snow Park is free (only for guests staying at the hotel)
Hoshino Resorts Tomamu: From 6,800 yen per lesson
Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain: From 6,500 yen per lesson
・Price includes: lesson fee, paper chart, rental gear and wear
(prices vary by resort, so check the official website for details)
The person who taught me
Mr. Kihiro Awaji
Born in Tokyo, he moved with his family to Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture when he was three years old, and spent his elementary, junior high, and high school years in Yamanashi Prefecture. He started alpine skiing in the fourth grade of elementary school, and has competed in the All Japan Junior High School Championships, Inter-High School Championships, and National Athletic Meet. He is
currently in charge of activities at RISONARE Yatsugatake. Since the relaunch of the "Yuki Kids" program, he has been involved in the kids' ski lesson business and is the general director of this project. His skiing skills are SAJ Grade 1. He is also a father of an elementary school-aged child, and is a reliable presence in all aspects.