Japanese at a Ski Resort: Lift Tickets, Rentals and Lessons

Big ski resorts in Japan often have English support, but rental counters, small resorts and the ski patrol are where a little Japanese makes the day much easier.

5 min read

Start speaking free
Skiers at the bottom of a snowy slope beside a chairlift
What you need to know

Japanese at a Ski Resort: Lift Tickets, Rentals and Lessons

A ski day in Japan follows the same steps anywhere: buy a lift ticket, rent equipment in the right size, perhaps book a lesson, choose runs that match your level, and deal with weather or the occasional fall. This guide gives you the ticket and rental vocabulary, the size questions you will be asked, lesson phrases for beginners, the signs on the slopes, weather words, and what to say if you or someone in your group is injured.

Lift tickets come in day, half-day and night options, often on a card with a deposit

Rental staff will ask your shoe size in centimetres and your height

Course signs use beginner, intermediate and advanced levels

The ski patrol and the first-aid room are the people to ask for help

Buying lift tickets

Lift ticket counters offer several options, and many resorts use a rechargeable card with a small refundable deposit. The names are short and usually displayed with prices.

Ask about night skiing and the deposit when you buy, so you know what to keep and return.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
リフト券rifuto-kenLift ticket
大人の一日券を二枚お願いします。Otona no ichinichi-ken o nimai onegaishimasu.Two adult one-day tickets, please.
半日券hannichi-kenHalf-day ticket
ナイターは何時までですか。Naitā wa nanji made desu ka.Until what time is night skiing?
デポジットは返ってきますか。Depojitto wa kaette kimasu ka.Will I get the deposit back?

Renting skis, boards and boots

Rental staff need three details: whether you ski or snowboard, your shoe size in centimetres, and often your height. For clothing, they will ask your size in S, M and L.

Boots that hurt ruin the day, so say so at the counter. Staff would rather swap them immediately than later.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
スキーのセットでお願いします。Sukī no setto de onegaishimasu.A ski set, please.
スノーボードを借りたいです。Sunōbōdo o karitai desu.I would like to rent a snowboard.
靴のサイズは何センチですか。Kutsu no saizu wa nan-senchi desu ka.What is your shoe size in centimetres?
二十七センチです。Nijūnana-senchi desu.27 centimetres.
ブーツがきついです。Būtsu ga kitsui desu.The boots are too tight.
もう一つ大きいサイズはありますか。Mō hitotsu ōkii saizu wa arimasu ka.Do you have one size bigger?

Booking a lesson

Ski schools often offer group and private lessons, and some have instructors who teach in English. Ask when you book, since availability can be limited.

In the lesson itself, instructors use short commands. Knowing a few key verbs lets you follow even if you miss the rest.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
英語のレッスンはありますか。Eigo no ressun wa arimasu ka.Are there lessons in English?
スキーは初めてです。Sukī wa hajimete desu.It is my first time skiing.
止まり方を教えてください。Tomarikata o oshiete kudasai.Please teach me how to stop.
ハの字hanojiThe snowplough position
体重を前にかけてください。Taijū o mae ni kakete kudasai.Put your weight forward.

Courses, lifts and slope signs

Course maps and signs grade runs by level. Some lifts only reach easier areas, so ask which lift goes where before committing to a long ride up.

Signs at the edges of courses often prohibit leaving the marked runs. Follow them; the patrol takes them seriously.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
初級コースshokyū kōsuBeginner course
中級コースchūkyū kōsuIntermediate course
上級コースjōkyū kōsuAdvanced course
初心者向けのコースはどれですか。Shoshinsha-muke no kōsu wa dore desu ka.Which course is for beginners?
リフトは何時まで動いていますか。Rifuto wa nanji made ugoite imasu ka.Until what time do the lifts run?
コース外滑走禁止kōsugai kassō kinshiNo skiing outside the courses

Snow and weather

Conditions change quickly in the mountains, and lifts may stop in strong wind. Resort boards and staff use a small set of weather and snow words.

If a lift has stopped, asking whether it will reopen saves a long wait.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
新雪shinsetsuFresh powder snow
圧雪assetsuGroomed snow
吹雪fubukiA snowstorm
視界が悪いです。Shikai ga warui desu.Visibility is poor.
強風でリフトが止まっています。Kyōfū de rifuto ga tomatte imasu.The lift has stopped because of strong wind.
また動きますか。Mata ugokimasu ka.Will it start running again?

Injuries and getting help

If you or someone in your group is hurt on the slope, stay where you are visible and ask anyone passing to call the ski patrol. At the base, the first-aid room can assess minor injuries.

Say what happened and where it hurts. Short, clear sentences are more useful than detail.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
パトロールを呼んでください。Patorōru o yonde kudasai.Please call the ski patrol.
けがをしました。Kega o shimashita.I have been injured.
足首をひねりました。Ashikubi o hinerimashita.I twisted my ankle.
動けません。Ugokemasen.I cannot move.
医務室はどこですか。Imushitsu wa doko desu ka.Where is the first-aid room?
Key points

A practical way to improve

Say your shoe size in centimetres, your height and your level aloud until they come without counting. Then practise the injury lines slowly and clearly. The Describe Symptoms at a Clinic mission in Unihongo is useful preparation, because explaining where it hurts is the same skill on the slope and at the doctor.

  1. 1

    Choose one clear goal

    Focus each session on a situation or skill you can actually use.

  2. 2

    Practice actively

    Say complete answers aloud instead of only reading or recognizing Japanese.

  3. 3

    Review and repeat

    Keep useful corrections and revisit the same skill until it feels natural.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How do I say my shoe size in Japanese?

Shoe sizes are given in centimetres. Say nijūnana-senchi desu for 27 cm. Check a conversion chart beforehand if you only know your size in another system.

What is naitā at a ski resort?

Naitā means night skiing under lights. Not every resort offers it, and the hours vary, so ask naitā wa nanji made desu ka.

What is hanoji in a ski lesson?

Hanoji is the snowplough position, named after the shape of the katakana ha. Instructors use it in beginner lessons to teach slowing down and stopping.

Can I ski off the marked courses?

Many resorts prohibit skiing outside the marked courses, shown as kōsugai kassō kinshi. Rules differ by resort, so follow the posted signs and ask the patrol if unsure.

Continue learning

All articles

Turn Japanese knowledge into speaking confidence

Practice with Unihongo's AI Sensei in an immersive 3D classroom, with roleplay missions, pronunciation coaching, useful feedback, and learning games that build your vocabulary while you play.

Start speaking free