The last major event of 2025! We held a 3-night, 4-day ski program in Shiga Kogen, Nagano Prefecture, from December 26th to 29th! These four days, eagerly awaited by many children, were filled with smiles, occasional tears of frustration, and many joyful voices.

Program Highlights

Day 1 | To Shiga Kogen Ski Resort, Nagano Prefecture

Day 1 of the program began with a meeting at the group meeting point at Tokyo Station!

A total of 42 children gathered, some saying they couldn't sleep from excitement, others nervous about their first "Campship" but excited about the experiences they would gain, and still others happy to reunite with old friends.

On the bullet train, they shared and ate snacks they had brought, worked together on the Campship original word hunt using clues from their travel guide, and played mazes with the leaders. These were all moments that foretold the many smiles that would fill the next four days.

Once we got off the bullet train, it was snowing, and the children's happy faces were striking.

From Nagano Station, we took a bus to Hotel New Yokote, where we would be staying. We spent the time lively, playing music and singing together, getting absorbed in conversations, and making new friends. Even during a bathroom break along the way, the heavy snow surprised everyone! The children seemed eager and couldn't wait to ski!

It was an unusually heavy snowfall that day, and when we arrived at the parking lot near the hotel later than planned, there was a blizzard outside the bus! Despite shivering from the cold, we walked with smiles to the hotel located in the middle of the ski resort. After putting our luggage in our rooms at the hotel, we had lunch and then checked in to the Campship Academy. We shared the three Campship rules - "No violence of any kind," "Cooperate with each other," and "No work, no food" - and it was a time when we all promised each other that the next four days would be the best memories for all participants.

On the first day of the program, the snowfall was so heavy that the ski resort lifts stopped. So, we put on our ski boots and fitted the skis, preparing to start skiing immediately the next morning. Although the children, who had been looking forward to skiing, were initially disappointed, the leaders explained that it would make tomorrow's skiing even more enjoyable. After they understood, they enthusiastically enjoyed playing in the freshly fallen soft snow.

After playing in the snow and warming up in the bath, it was free time until dinner. We laid out futons and played card games.

After dinner, we wrote our reflections for the day in our guides, and then spent the free time before bed as we pleased. Some got autographs from the leaders in their guides, others spun wet towels in the extreme cold outside to freeze them into swords, played card games, braided friendship bracelets, or performed magic! We enjoyed the freedom and interaction unique to a ski camp with friends and leaders.

We went to bed at 9 PM, concluding a packed first day amidst heavy snow.

Day 2 | Skiing & Snow Play

The next morning, before breakfast, the children and I immediately headed out into the snow! This was the Polar Bear Club, an early-morning exclusive event of the Campship Academy where kids pretend to be polar bears and jump into the fresh, fluffy snow.

Day 2 was sunny and the children were excited about skiing! After breakfast, they changed into their ski wear and headed to the entrance to put on their ski boots! After having leaders check if their ski boots were properly on and if they had all their small items like goggles and gloves, it was off to ski lessons! Those with one-on-one lessons also set off!

After lunch, we played card games again! This is during a game of Werewolf.

In the afternoon, we went skiing again. The advanced group went to the summit! The scenery was beautiful, lifting our spirits! We savored the exceptional feeling of skiing against a backdrop of a clear blue sky and pristine white snow.

After ski lessons, those who wanted to ski more went free skiing with a leader's group, while those who wanted to play in the snow had snowball fights, rode sleds, and built igloos outside!

After playing a lot, we got clean in the bath! We had dinner and then had free time! During free time, in addition to making friendship bracelets, playing card games, and twirling towels, we also did some stargazing. We were very satisfied to hear a professional explanation from the science teacher who participated as an adult leader! It was a beautiful night sky. We're looking forward to tomorrow too! Good night.

Day 3 | Skiing & Detective Training Academy

Today is Day 3, and there's still plenty of fun to be had!

Here's a glimpse of the washroom early in the morning. If it's wet, they clean it themselves. Through communal living, it's an important opportunity for children to grow by learning to look for things they can do for those around them.

We wake up, eat breakfast, and prepare for skiing. The children have become more efficient! They keep coming, looking forward to spending another day in the snow!

Today, even the intermediate group challenged the summit! Thanks to the ski coaches' careful guidance, the children's progress was remarkable, and they seemed to be increasingly enjoying skiing and exclaiming, "I can do this now!" It was a truly joyful moment for the participating staff and leaders. We were impressed by the high level of skill demonstrated by the children as they slid down the slopes.

After lunch and another ski lesson in the afternoon, we also made oshiruko (sweet red bean soup) as an optional activity, in addition to free skiing and snow play! The children arranged dishes and prepared mochi, then made oshiruko and served it to everyone who had been skiing or playing in the snow. It was warm and delicious.

After our bath and dinner, we enjoyed a brief free time before gathering in the dining hall. Tonight was the Campship Party! For this Campship Party, we planned a "Detective Training Academy" with the theme of aspiring detectives (the children) working together through games to become excellent detectives! The games were a charades game where three leaders spontaneously posed simultaneously, and a puzzle treasure hunt!

The treasure hunt was particularly popular with the children, and seeing them asking for hints and searching around made me very happy that we had prepared it. As a rule, for the treasure hunt, we set a condition for becoming a detective: all members of the group must share the objective and act together. Watching them ponder together, marvel at someone's flash of insight, and go searching together, I could feel the children's growth.

The results of the ski test taken in the afternoon were also announced, and I was drawn in by the earnestness of the children who shed tears of frustration when they didn't reach the next level.

Finally, we all celebrated the birthday of a child who had a birthday during the program, bringing day 3 to a close.
Only one day left! We've had so much fun until now, let's enjoy tomorrow to the fullest until the very end!!

Day 4 | Final Day

The final day has arrived, and we'll enjoy our last ski! We wake up, put away our futons ourselves, and tidy our rooms.

We enjoyed skiing to the very end! Skiing freely in good snow is a heartwarming memory. Even the beginner group learned to stop skillfully on their own.

After lunch, we boarded the bus and departed from Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama.

The final scene before leaving the slopes. The winning team of the Room Clean UP Award, which competes for the tidiness of the rooms, used their grand prize, "A ticket to throw a favorite leader into the snow," and threw a leader in! We all had a fun time together before departure.

We bought souvenirs along the way. Choosing travel mementos is also a fun time.

We safely boarded the bullet train back to Tokyo from Nagano Station and chatted happily.
The return bullet train, filled with the friendly atmosphere of children who became friends as fellow participants in the same program, was also a time of great accomplishment for us leaders.

The children shared snacks, invited us to play card games, and before we knew it, we arrived at Tokyo Station after a fun journey.

We returned to the same group meeting spot where we gathered three days ago, greeted by the happy faces of the parents. I'm sure the children will have many stories to tell.

Just like that, the four days came to an end. Thank you for the voluminous memories at the end of 2025! See you again at the Campship Academy!