NSD Kids Program Expands to 16 Resorts, Adds Arai Mountain & New Ambassador

TL;DR: Hakuba operator NSD expanded its all-you-can-ski kids program to 16 resorts, now including Arai Mountain and appointing ex-Alpine racer Tetsuya Okabe as ambassador.

Nippon Ski Development (NSD) — the Hakuba-headquartered company that operates Hakuba Happo-One, Hakuba47, and a dozen other resorts across Nagano, Niigata, and Gunma — announced today that its "NSD Kids Program" has added Arai Mountain Resort to its roster, bringing the total to 16 participating facilities. The company also named Tetsuya Okabe, a former Japanese national Alpine ski team member, as the program's new ambassador.

The program, which launched recruitment on August 3, 2026, is aimed at lowering the entry barrier for children's ski debuts and creating an environment where families can enjoy snow resorts together. Parents pay ¥1,800 during the first registration window (through January 31, 2027) or ¥3,500 in the second window (February 1 – March 31, 2027), and elementary-age children receive a season pass valid at all 16 resorts, access to seasonal gear rental that adjusts as kids grow, and invitations to events like kids' races, camps, and the "Ski With Us!" sessions with former national-team athletes.

Arai Mountain Resort — known for deep powder and expansive terrain in Myoko, Niigata — is now the second Niigata property in the program. NSD also added White World Oze Iwakura (Gunma) to both the kids program and the new junior-high season pass, which this year dropped its previous eligibility restrictions and is now open to any enrolled middle-school student. Marunuma Kogen (also Gunma) joined the adult "common time ticket" roster.

Key Facts

• 16 resorts now participate in the NSD Kids Program, up from 15; Arai Mountain Resort is the newest addition and the second facility in Niigata Prefecture.
• Tetsuya Okabe, a former Japanese national Alpine team racer, was appointed as the program's ambassador (no start date specified in the release).
• Registration fee: ¥1,800 through January 31, 2027; ¥3,500 from February 1 onward — both for the 2026–27 winter season.
• Middle-school season pass eligibility expanded: previously required past NSD Kids Program participation; now open to any current junior-high student.
• White World Oze Iwakura (Gunma) added to both kids program and junior-high pass; Marunuma Kogen (Gunma) added to adult common time-ticket network.
• The program's tagline is "For the Future of Children and Snow" and explicitly references declining childhood outdoor experiences amid rising cost-of-living and dual-income household pressures.

What This Means for International Buyers & Visitors

If you're weighing Hakuba property as a family-focused investment or considering a long-term relocation, programs like this matter — not for the headlines, but for the guest mix they shape. A ¥1,800 all-season kids pass pulls Japanese families back year after year, and those families fill midweek shoulder dates, book longer stays, and create the kind of predictable baseload occupancy that makes rental management far less seasonal.

Arai's inclusion is worth noting. It's historically been a favourite among serious powder hunters (especially Australians and a growing wave of Singaporeans and Taiwanese), but it sits outside the classic Hakuba corridor. NSD's willingness to fold Myoko resorts into the same pass network signals that they're thinking regionally, not just locally — good news if you own in Hakuba and worry about competitive fragmentation. The appointment of Okabe, a recognisable name in Japanese ski racing circles, reinforces NSD's domestic marketing push; if your rental strategy leans on Japanese guests (who typically book longer and cancel less), this kind of ambassador-driven family programming is a tailwind worth watching.

Background

NSD's multi-resort pass strategy isn't new — the company has been quietly stitching together a network that competes with the Ikon / Epic oligopoly by focusing on domestic families rather than international pass holders. The kids program, now in its third or fourth iteration (NSD hasn't published a full timeline), is part of that playbook: low up-front cost, high switching cost once families are in the ecosystem, and ancillary revenue from lodging, lessons, and gear rental. It's not glamorous, but it works.

The timing of today's announcement — mid-September, well ahead of snow — is deliberate. Early registration windows at ¥1,800 lock in families before competitors' season-pass deadlines, and the February price jump to ¥3,500 creates urgency without feeling punitive. I'd expect to see similar announcements from rival operators (Tokyu, Prince, Kamori Kanko) within the next four to six weeks.

Editorial note: This article synthesises Japanese-language press releases. HakubaHub is not affiliated with NSD or any resort operator. All registration terms, dates, and fees should be confirmed directly with the program before purchase.