GALA has its own Shinkansen station located at the base of the resort and takes only 77 minutes from Tokyo Station. If you are coming from Tokyo, the best way to arrive is by Shinkansen (Bullet train).

For anyone staying in Yuzawa, there are frequent shuttle buses that operate during the winter season making it easy to reach your destination.

There are a number of accommodations located near Echigo-Yuzawa staion, which is less than 5min away on a free-shuttle bus.
Best website to look for local accommodation would be HopStepJapan.

Yes of course, check out GALA Yuzawa Official website and drop us an email if you have any other questions regarding lessons that are not covered in there FAQ's.

Notes: opening dates for 20-21 season is TBC around June 2020

GALA typically opens mid December and due to close first week of May depending on the snowfall.

Unfortunatly we're only able to provide lessons in English.

However, GALA Ski School offers ski lessons with translator for Thai or Twaiwanese.
For more information, please see following page: https://gala.co.jp/winter/english/lesson/ or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Skiers stand on two skis, one on each foot and use ski poles to help them balance. They slide down the hill facing forwards using either a snowplow or turns to stay in control.

Snowboarders strap both feet onto one board and slide down the hill sideways. Snowboarders turn the board to stay in control.

If you’ve ever been surfing, been on a wakeboard, ripsticked or skateboarded before; snowboarding may be easier.
If you’ve ice-skated or rollerbladed skiing may be easier.

If in doubt, we recommend skiing as it's generally easier to balance.

Everyone in the lesson will need to choose either skiing or snowboarding; the instructor can only teach one at a time
If you have people that want to try skiing and snowboarding they will need to take seperate lessons.

We recommend you book lessons so that only those of the same ability level are in each lesson.

With a private lesson, if you’re priority is to ski/snowboard together then you are more than welcome to join different ability levels together but please note, the lesson will be at the level of the slowest student. Those that are a higher level may not get much or anything from the lesson.

We can teach children down to around 4 years old. As long as they can get boots and skis/snowboards to fit them they can start to learn. Please check with the rental shop first to see if they will have gear small to fit any young children (we can help with this).

We recommend young children try skiing first as it’s a bit easier to balance and they can get going without an instructor holding them up a little bit quicker than snowboarding.

Young children definitely can learn snowboarding, but it will require many hours of patient one-on-one tuition, either from a parent or instructor. We strongly recommend one-on-one private lessons for children skiing under 5 and any kids snowboarding under 8.

There is no maximum age for learning to ski, our oldest customer so far was 82! Anyone who is still active and able bodied can give it a try but obviously may learn at a slower pace. Don't worry our instructors can make the lesson as slow and relaxed as you like.

We only offer group lessons for those aged 12 due to difficulty in managing large group with quality of instruction.
Please consider private lesson for children younger than 12.

If you wish to enroll kids younger than age 12, please consider private lesson

Yes, of course! Please make a booking request via the booking form below.
Our reservations team will then check if we have any other participants on that day, and if we do, you can join the lesson.

If we don't have any other particiants at that time we will place you on a waitlist and contact you as soon as we can. Alternatively you can confirm a private lesson to guarantee your lesson.

We do always recommend children and adults take separate lessons if possible if you want everyone to learn the most.

If you’re goal is to spend time together as a family, we also run family private lessons where everyone can learn together. Please note that these lessons will always be more focused on the children.

We recommend that our customers purchase a full day lift ticket so that you can ride on the chair lift if you are able to in the lesson.

For Gala, it is possible to buy just a round trip gondola ticket, but this won’t allow you to ride on any chairlifts and may limit you in the lesson. For more information you can speak with the GALA Reception on the day or visit the Gala Yuzawa Official Website

We recommend waterproof outerwear for skiing/snowboarding which can be rented at the resort or rental shops nearby.

For underneath, you’ll want to bring some thermal underwear (long sleeve tops and long-leg pants). If you don’t have any of these, ladies can wear tights or leggings, for men the best thing you might have would be boardshorts or sports shorts. It’s better to wear lots of thin layers than one big thick one as it’s easier to control how hot/cold you are.

For skiing/snowboarding you’ll need to have your ski/snowboard equipment (skis or snowboard, boots and poles for skiing), waterproof clothing, gloves and some goggles or sunglasses (if the weather is nice). We also recommend helmets, especially for kids.

Included in the fee is instruction by professional English speaking instructor that will teach you how to ski or snowboard and improve your skills.

What is not included in the lesson price?>

Costs such as lift tickets, rental equipment arenot included.You will need to arrange your own ski or snowboard equipment and lift tickets prior to meeting the instructor.

It is important to wear waterproof clothing, a hat or helmet, gloves and goggles and all equipment can be rented at the resort when you arrive or from local rental shops. Please advise us in advance if you need some help on arrangement.

Prebooking is recommended as the number of instructors are limited.
The further in advance the better especially during busy holiday periods and weekends.

It is possible that there may be spaces 'left on the day', but we do need booking in advance to guarantee availability of instructor.
Please drop us an e-mail or fill out the booking form to ensure lesson availability!

The easiest way to book a lesson is through our online booking form.

If you need some more help, advice or have any questions about your booking, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will be happy to assist you.

If we have available instructors, then we are happy to extend lessons on the day.

You can either pay the one hour extension rate to extend for extra hour, or pay the difference between half day lesson and full day lesson

Cancellations made by the customer are subject to the following fees:

15 - 7 days before: 20%, 6 - 2 days before: 30%, Day before: 50%, On the day: 100%

This includes changing your lesson from full day to half day and/or failure to show at the meeting time on the day.

Notes
*if you're late for the lesson, your lesson will still end at original timing agreed
*Not showing at the meeting point on the day will be subject of100% cancellation.

As long as the resort is open, we will run lessons.If the weather is so bad that the resort can’t open, we can either postpone pre-booked lessons to another date or refund any lessons booked on that day.

If it looks like the weather might be bad enough to close the resort we will contact all of our customers with lessons booked on that day.Please check your the email account used to make your booking regularly in the days before the lesson.

The weather is always difficult to predict, so the resort may close on short notice.

Cancellation due to customer's decision will be subject of cancellation fee

Our reception desk can be found at 2nd floor of Cowabunga Ski Center, hours are between 0800 AM and 1500 PM JST. Email is available between 0800 AM and 1700 PM JST atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Webform submissions available 24 hours and we aim to get back to you within 48 hours.

You'll also be informed of our on the day contact number once you have confirmed booking.

please bear in mind that it may take few days for us to get back to you