Naeba Snow School — Local services in Yuzawa

I am extremely disappointed with the experience at this ski school. I booked a 110-minute private lesson for two ppl (one of them is even a 7 yrs old kid) who had some prior experience but were not skilled enough to handle unexpected situations. We expected professional guidance and support, but what we encountered was an instructor who was utterly irresponsible and unprofessional.

First of all, the instructor made no effort to help them put on their ski equipment. My kid was struggling with just one ski boot on, and instead of assisting, the instructor simply walked ahead, leaving both students behind in the snowy ski area. It was snowing heavily at the time, and abandoning students in such conditions is completely unacceptable and dangerous.

Secondly, the instructor showed a complete lack of consideration for their actual skill level. Despite both students had limited skiing experience, the instructor suggested to take up a lift to a high slope(and yes, he just walked on his own towards the lift without explaination). When my family expressed their discomfort and fear, the instructor ignored their concerns and provided no real guidance. It was only when my wife firmly insisted that she did not feel safe that the instructor finally gave a brief explanation and changed to a different slope. This is a clear indication of negligence and a failure to adjust the lesson according to the students’ abilities.

Lastly, this was supposed to be a private lesson for two people, yet the instructor only focused on teaching the child, completely neglecting the other person. There was absolutely no balance in attention, and the instructor made no attempt to involve both students equally. This is unacceptable, especially for a private session that should ensure both students receive equal guidance and instruction.

This experience was not only disappointing but also dangerous. Leaving students unattended in harsh weather, disregarding their actual skill level, and failing to provide balanced instruction are serious issues. I had to personally express my dissatisfaction to them face-to-face. Even though they offered a free lesson as compensation, I had no desire to accept it. Moreover, I felt uneasy and could not trust them with the safety of my family any more

I would strongly caution anyone considering this ski school—look elsewhere if you want a responsible and professional...

2019年1月12日午後16時からの50分プライベートレッスンを安くお受けさせていただきました。独学してから、はじめてのスノボレッスンなんですが、とても勉強になりました。優先にリフトを４回も乗れました。岡田先生のおかげでターンがだいぶスムーズになりました。

わけわからない英語の酷評を見て、絶対ウソだと思って、僕が知ってる全言語で正しい評判を書かせていただきます。岡田先生頑張れ！苗場スノースクール頑張れ！

I enjoyed my first ever snowboarding lesson after a season of self-learning. My 50 minute private lesson at the end of the day (2019-01-12) was offered at a discount and it was worth every penny. I speak Japanese fluently as a second language and had Mr Okada as my instructor, who was very courteous and professional. He answered all my questions thoroughly and was able to pinpoint the root causes of my mistakes. I could make immediate progress during the lesson and achieved S turns on red slopes soon afterwards. We had priority to the lift and wasted no time during the 50 minutes. I would recommend the school to anybody.

This school doesn't deserve nonsensical accusations, so I'm writing this review to give my fair comment.

在自學一季之後我第一次上了滑雪板的一對一日語教學。教練是岡田先生。下午4點開始的50分鐘課程有特價優惠所以值回票價。老師專業親切，立馬指點出我的壞習慣，讓我的S彎馬上立竿見影，幾天後可以在紅色坡道轉彎。教學中可以免排隊直接乘坐纜車，非常有效率，老師沒有浪費半點時間。我非常推薦這家學校。

有人惡搞故意寫差評讓我很不以為然，才認真寫這篇為老師加油。

J'ai reçu une leçon privée sur snowboard en japonais le 12 jan 2019. C'était la dernière leçon de la journée, et pour ça il y avait un taux de remise très raisonnable. M. Okada était très très sympa et aussi professionnel. Il m'avait bcp aidé. Avec lui, on pouvait monter le télésiege directement sans la queue. Pas une minute perdue. J'ai appris comment tourner un S tout doucement. J'étais super content.

Merci et bon courage Okada sensei, merci Naeba...

My hubby and I booked private snowboarding lessons and the instructors we had were great. Super encouraging and friendly and overall just making sure we have fun as well as learning something. I'm a person who is terrible at sports generally and also a very small person at heart, but the way the instructors are makes me happy to go back.

The lessons were all in Japanese and there were hand gestures too, but probably would be a bit difficult if you don't speak or understand...