Camp Ship Academy's 2026 began with the Hokkaido program!

On January 2nd, with the New Year's atmosphere still lingering,
we boarded a plane and headed to Asahikawa, Hokkaido, in the middle of winter.

Amidst a landscape of pure white snow, the 5-day, 4-night program began!
The children fully enjoyed skiing, nature, and time with their friends ✨
From challenging themselves while falling during skiing, to preparing and sharing dinner together, to night skiing and hot springs, the 5 days were spent in closer proximity to friends and leaders, including the evening activities they chose!

Program Highlights

Day 1 | To Asahiyama Zoo

After boarding the plane from Haneda Airport and having lunch onboard, the scenery outside the window gradually turned white.
We arrived in Hokkaido in no time.

Upon arriving at Asahikawa Airport, children who joined locally also met up, and we headed to our first destination, Asahiyama Zoo.

This zoo is famous for its "behavioral exhibition" where you can observe animals' natural behaviors.
The children were engrossed in watching polar bears and seals swim, and penguins stroll across the snow, seeing them up close.

 

Our accommodation was a cabin-style house in the Kitoushi Forest!

With a kitchen, cooking utensils, and dishes provided, we worked together to prepare our own breakfast and dinner.
The first night's dinner was curry.
We divided up the tasks, cooked together, and shared a meal around the table!

 

Day 2 | First day of skiing at Canmore Ski Village

Skiing finally begins on the second day!

We moved to the ski resort right in front of the cabin and started with fitting skis and boots.
There was a mix of children trying skiing for the first time and those with experience, so the levels varied.

As expected of Hokkaido, the natural snow was fluffy!
At first, they couldn't move as they wished and fell often, but once they realized that falling didn't hurt, they gradually began to enjoy skiing.

 

Dinner on the second night was ginger pork.
After a lot of physical activity, everyone finished eating in no time!

 

Day 3 | Full-fledged skiing at Kamui Ski Links

On the third day, we took a bus to Kamui Ski Links.

Kamui Ski Links is a ski resort with the largest slopes in the Dōhoku area of Asahikawa, featuring 25 courses.
It's also known for the quality of its powder snow, attracting many skiers from Japan and abroad.

The children's skiing skills improved rapidly as they experienced skiing on the wide slopes!
"I skied faster than before!"
"Next, I want to go to this course!"
I was delighted to hear such joyful voices and requests for what they wanted to do.

 

Dinner was hot pot.
Eating hot pot in cold Hokkaido warmed both our bodies and our hearts.

 

Day 4 | Last day of skiing

On the fourth day, we continued skiing at Kamui Ski Links.
Many children became more confident in their skiing, and we started to see them enjoying the scenery as they skied.
Skiing amidst Hokkaido's vast snowy landscape must have been a special memory!

 

Our last dinner in Hokkaido was sushi!
While boys and girls had been eating in separate cabins, for the final meal, everyone gathered around the same table.
It was a lively evening, with friends happily exchanging dishes like, "Let's swap this for that!"

 

After dinner, everyone chose how they wanted to spend their evening.
Those who wished to, went night skiing at Canmore Ski Village.
Night skiing, gliding through the snow illuminated by lights, was a different experience from daytime skiing.

The temperature at that time was a shocking minus 17 degrees! Despite the extreme cold, the children were zipping down the slopes, exclaiming "It's hot!!".

The night slopes, with fewer people, allowed for more freedom in skiing, and I could feel the children's curiosity growing even stronger.

Meanwhile, those who didn't go night skiing headed to Kitoron in Kitoushi Forest.
They ended their day at their own pace, relaxing in the warm bath.

 

Day 5 | Final Day

On the final day, we cleaned up the cabins and headed to Asahikawa Airport.

 

Our final meal together was ramen at Asahikawa Airport!
Since you can't come to Hokkaido without having ramen, we had it for breakfast before boarding.
The classic soy sauce ramen was delicious!

 

It was a small group program with only 15 people including leaders and staff, but because of that, the children and leaders grew closer, spending 5 days in a family-like atmosphere!

As a leader, I was also happy to connect with each child individually.

The boys' room was lively with dancing, and the girls' room buzzed with talk of crushes and chatter.
One of Camp Ship's charms is seeing children naturally open up and deepen their friendships amidst the great Hokkaido wilderness. And being able to witness that firsthand was a great joy as a leader.

I'm looking forward to seeing what challenges and encounters the children will have in the next program!
See you again at Camp Ship.