What is the Avalanche Accident Prevention Study Group (ASSH)?
The Association for Avalanche Safety and Security (ASSH) is an organization that raises awareness and educates people about scientific knowledge to prevent avalanche accidents, such as the science of avalanches, avalanche meteorology, and avalanche medicine, as well as cutting-edge, practical search and rescue methods. Every year, ASSH holds avalanche accident prevention seminars, lectures, avalanche schools, and AvSAR workshops for people involved in snow activities, from skiers and snowboarders to mountain guides, ski and snowboard guides, ski patrols, and public rescue team members
Lecture: "Protecting Yourself from Avalanches"
This seminar is usually held towards the start of the avalanche season, and this year the theme will be "Protecting Yourself from Avalanches" and will be held at five locations across the country: Sapporo (October 25th), Mt. Oyama (November 5th), Tochigi (November 29th), Tokyo (November 30th), and Hakuba (December 13th). All sessions require advance registration and are free to attend
[Objectives] Spreading awareness of scientific knowledge about snow, avalanches, and meteorology, avalanche crisis management, search and rescue methods, learning from avalanche accident cases, spreading awareness of medical knowledge about hypothermia, and spreading awareness of air rescue by the Hokkaido Disaster Prevention Aviation Team.
[Target audience] Climbers, skiers, snowboarders, and other snow enthusiasts, students, public rescue team members, guides, ski patrol, doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals.
2025 Lecture "How to Protect Yourself from Avalanches" Schedule
■ Sapporo Saturday, October 25, 2025, 10:00-18:00 33rd Sapporo Lecture "How to Protect Yourself from Avalanches" (Pre-registration required)
■ Mt. Oyama Saturday, November 15, 2025, 10:00-18:00 2nd Mt. Oyama Lecture "How to Protect Yourself from Avalanches" (Pre-registration required)
■ Tochigi Saturday, November 29, 2025, 10:00-18:00 8th Tochigi Lecture "How to Protect Yourself from Avalanches" (Pre-registration required)
■ Tokyo Sunday, November 30, 2025, 10:00-18:00 7th Tokyo Lecture "How to Protect Yourself from Avalanches" (Pre-registration required)
■ Hakuba Saturday, December 13, 2025, 14:00-21:00 6th Hakuba Lecture "Protecting Yourself from Avalanches" (Pre-registration required)
The lectures were an omnibus format with multiple experts on a wide range of topics, including the science of avalanches, avalanche risk avoidance, medical information on avalanche accidents, avalanche search and rescue know-how, and avalanche behavioral studies by mountain guides
.
[Tokyo Lecture Program]
10:00-10:05 Opening remarks
10:05-11:05 "Snowfall and weather" "Meteorological observations and information provision in mountainous areas by the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience"
Nakamura Kazuki (Snow and Ice Disaster Investigation Team (public corporation), National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience)
11:05-12:05 "The science of snow and avalanches"
Ozeki Toshihiro (Snow and Ice Disaster Investigation Team (public corporation), Avalanche Accident Prevention Research Group, Hokkaido University of Education)
13:00-13:50 "Avalanche Search & Rescue (AvaSAR)"
Kanamura Kosuke (Snow and Ice Disaster Investigation Team (public corporation), Japan Mountain Guides Association (public corporation), Donkoro Outdoor School (NPO))
13:50-14:40 "The behavioral science of mountain guides - to avoid being caught in an avalanche"
Sasakura Takaaki ((public corporation)
14:50-15:50 "Behavioral Science of Ski Guides - How to Avoid Being Hit by an Avalanche and How to Save Your Friends from an Avalanche"
Mountain Guides Association, Japan Mountain Guides Association, Hokkaido Backcountry Guides)
16:00-17:00 "Risk Management for Snowboarders"
Nakagawa Shinya (Snow and Ice Disaster Investigation Team, Japan Mountain Guides Association, natures.)
17:00-18:00 "Medical Knowledge Necessary for Avalanche Search and Rescue"
Asai Tei (Director of Japan Mountain Guides Association, Rishiri National Health Insurance Central Hospital)
18:00-18:05 Closing Remarks
This is a valuable opportunity for backcountry skiers and snowboarders to learn useful specialized knowledge and practical know-how
■For applications and details, please visit
http://www.assh1991.net
◇Avalanche Accident Prevention Research Group https://www.assh1991.net/
ASSH was established in 1991 and has been enthusiastically involved in its activities ever since, with the participation of alumni of the Hokkaido University Ski Club, Alpine Club and Wandervogel Club, as well as researchers from the Hokkaido University Institute of Low Temperature Science, skiers who enjoy snowy mountains, mountaineers and doctors.