Please read these terms and conditions carefully. By making a booking or payment, the person making the booking confirms that they have read, understood and accepted these terms on behalf of everyone participating in the booked services.
Niseko Academy is a snowsports lesson and guiding service operated by Aspire GK and is referred to below as “the Academy.”
The person making the booking is responsible for ensuring that all participants are aware of and accept these terms. References to the “client” include the person making the booking and everyone participating in the booked services.
Private Lessons and Guiding Services: Booking Terms and Conditions
1. Bookings and payment
Bookings are subject to instructor or guide availability and are not confirmed until accepted by the Academy in writing and the required payment has been received.
For bookings confirmed 61 days or more before the scheduled start of the first lesson or guiding service:
- A 20% reservation deposit is due within seven days of confirmation.
- The remaining 80% balance is due 35 days before the scheduled start of the first service.
For bookings confirmed 60 days or fewer before the scheduled start of the first service, full payment is due within three days of confirmation or by any earlier deadline stated on the invoice.
For bookings made at very short notice, the Academy may require immediate payment before confirming the booking.
If payment is not received by the stated deadline, the Academy may cancel the reservation and release the allocated instructor or guide.
2. Cancellation policy
The following cancellation terms apply to the total value of the booking:
- Cancellations received 61 days or more before the scheduled start of the first service will receive a full refund.
- Cancellations received between 30 and 60 days before the scheduled start of the first service will receive an 80% refund.
- Cancellations received between 8 and 29 days before the scheduled start of the first service will receive a 50% refund.
- Cancellations received seven days or fewer before the scheduled start of the first service are non-refundable.
No refund will be provided for failure to attend or for cancellation after a lesson or guiding service has started.
Cancellation periods are calculated in Japan Standard Time from the scheduled start of the first service included in the booking.
Refunds will normally be made through the original payment method. The Academy is not responsible for differences resulting from exchange-rate movements or charges imposed by banks, payment providers or other third parties.
3. Booking changes and partial cancellations
The Academy will accommodate reasonable booking changes wherever possible. All requested changes are subject to instructor or guide availability and are not confirmed until accepted by the Academy in writing.
Any change that increases the booking price must be paid for before the amended service is provided.
Any change that reduces the value of a booking—including removing a lesson or guiding day, changing a full-day service to a shorter session or changing to a lower-priced product—will be treated as a partial cancellation. The applicable cancellation terms will be applied only to the value removed from the booking.
Where the price of a private lesson or guiding service is fixed for the group, reducing the number of participants does not reduce the booking price. Any separately priced per-person products or services will be treated as partial cancellations.
Where a booking is moved to a later date, any subsequent cancellation entitlement will be calculated using the earlier of the original and revised service dates. Moving a booking therefore does not reset the applicable cancellation period.
4. Weather, snow and resort operations
Skiing and snowboarding take place in an outdoor mountain environment. Weather, snow quality, visibility, lift queues, terrain availability and operating conditions can change rapidly and cannot be guaranteed.
Lessons and guiding services will normally proceed during snowfall, poor visibility or adverse weather. A client’s decision not to participate because of weather, snow conditions or personal preference does not create an entitlement to a refund.
Lift and terrain operations are controlled by the relevant ski area and may be changed or suspended for operational or safety reasons. Where practical, the Academy may adapt the service, change the meeting location, move to suitable available terrain or offer a reasonable alternative.
If the Academy is unable to provide the booked service, it will first attempt to arrange an alternative date during the same winter season, subject to availability. Where no reasonable alternative can be provided or accepted, the Academy will offer an appropriate credit or refund for the service that it was unable to provide.
The Academy is not responsible for independently booked accommodation, transport, lift passes, equipment rentals, flights or other consequential expenses. Clients should obtain suitable travel and cancellation insurance.
5. Arrival, equipment and lift passes
Clients are responsible for arriving at the agreed meeting point before the scheduled start time with suitable clothing, equipment and any required lift pass.
Lessons and guiding services cannot normally be extended to compensate for late arrival, delays in collecting equipment, missing lift passes or other circumstances within the client’s control. Missed time in these circumstances is non-refundable.
Clients must inform the Academy in advance of any medical condition, injury, disability or other matter that may reasonably affect their ability to participate safely.
6. Acknowledgement of risk and client responsibility
Skiing, snowboarding, off-piste skiing and backcountry travel are inherently hazardous activities. They involve risks that may include falls, collisions, variable snow and terrain, avalanches, changing weather, equipment failure and the actions of other mountain users. These risks cannot be eliminated completely, even when reasonable care is taken.
By participating, each client acknowledges the inherent risks involved and voluntarily agrees to participate within their own ability and to follow reasonable safety instructions given by the Academy’s instructors or guides.
Clients are responsible for acting with reasonable care, accurately describing their experience and ability, using appropriate equipment and not participating while impaired by alcohol, drugs, illness or any other condition that may make participation unsafe.
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits any responsibility or liability of the Academy that cannot legally be excluded or limited.
7. Insurance
All clients must have appropriate insurance covering their participation in the booked activities.
Insurance should include, as applicable:
- Medical treatment and emergency evacuation
- Search and rescue
- Repatriation
- Personal accident and third-party liability
- Winter sports activities
- Equipment loss or damage
- Trip cancellation or interruption
- Resort or lift closure
- Off-piste, gate-accessed or backcountry activities
Many areas accessed through resort gates are outside ski-area management boundaries and may be classified as backcountry terrain. Clients participating in guiding services are responsible for confirming that their insurance covers the specific activities and terrain included in their booking.