Arc'teryx Academy Backcountry | Hakuba will be held over three days, from Friday, January 29 to Sunday, January 31, 2027, in Hakuba Valley, one of Japan's leading mountain resort areas. Arc'teryx Academy has a 19-year history in Canada, the brand's home country, and this is the first time it will be held in Japan.
The venue offers a wide range of programs. These include practical sessions in which participants learn the knowledge and skills needed for the backcountry together with professional mountain guides, athletes, experts and the local community, as well as film screenings that introduce the essence and appeal of mountain culture, talk sessions by snow athletes from Japan and abroad, a presentation of original works that next-generation creators made for the event, and a band performance.
The event aims to be more than a place to learn how to enjoy the mountains safely. It is also an opportunity for people who love the mountains to meet, share their experiences and values, and expand their own possibilities.
Event Overview
- Event name: Arc'teryx Academy Backcountry | Hakuba
- Venue: THE ALPS HOTEL HAKUBA, Otari Village, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Prefecture (長野県北安曇郡小谷村 THE ALPS HOTEL HAKUBA)
- Dates: Friday, January 29 to Sunday, January 31, 2027 (3 days)
- Official event page: https://academy.arcteryx.jp/hakuba/
A Variety of Programs to Experience the Appeal of the Mountains
Arc'teryx Academy offers a range of hands-on programs that all visitors can enjoy. They include "Base Camp," a special tent at the center of the venue, workshops held every day, and a "ReBIRD™" counter where visitors can learn about Arc'teryx's circular approach to manufacturing through product repair and customization. Each program is registered for in advance, and applications open on a rolling basis from Monday, November 2, 2026, through the official event website.
Base Camp, the center of the venue
Base Camp will open as a place for visitors to form new communities. Limited-edition products will be sold, and the latest gear rental and original drinks are planned.
Daily Programs: Friday, January 29 to Sunday, January 31
1. Clinics
The clinics give participants a chance to learn from professionals and put it into practice. They are intended for people who have received avalanche gear training, and 18 clinics in total are offered, from beginner programs to advanced ones. Learning directly in the mountains with professionals is meant to help participants take a safe first step into the backcountry and expand their own possibilities.
- How to join: Advance registration through the official website
- Details: https://arcteryx.jp/pages/academy
2. Workshops
Limited-time workshops that teach the skills and knowledge for enjoying the winter mountains safely are held every day.
Yukiita Workshop (雪板WORKSHOP)
This is a small-group workshop led by pro snowboarder Tadashi Fuse (布施忠), in which participants try "yukiita" (雪板), a board that originated in Japan and is made by BUDDHA BLANK. The wooden board has no edges or bindings. Over about 3 hours, participants learn everything from the basics of riding to free riding that makes use of snow conditions and terrain, while enjoying contact with the snow.
- How to join: Advance registration through the official website
- Registration: Yukiita Workshop registration
BEACON PARK
This limited-time workshop covers everything from the basic operation of beacons, which are essential for avalanche safety, to practical training that simulates an actual search. In addition to lectures by instructors, a "Beacon Treasure Hunt" (ビーコン宝探し), where participants can learn to operate a beacon while having fun, will also be held.
- How to join: Some sessions accept same-day registration, and some require no reservation (guests are guided in order when it is crowded)
- Details: https://academy.arcteryx.jp/hakuba/01/
RIDE WITH ATHLETE
This special session offers about 2 hours of riding with Arc'teryx Japan athletes. Participants can see the professional athletes' line choices and riding styles up close, and a professional photographer will also photograph the riding. On the final day, a special ride limited to 30 people, with three athletes taking part, will also be held.
- How to join: Same-day registration, first come, first served
- Details: https://arcteryx.jp/pages/academy_2027_ride_with_athlete
ReBIRD™ Service
Arc'teryx's "ReBIRD™" counter will open for a limited time. In addition to accepting products for repair, it lets visitors customize their gear with original Arc'teryx Academy stickers. Through repair and customization that help keep treasured products in use for a long time, visitors can learn about the circular approach to manufacturing that Arc'teryx proposes.
Coming Soon (information will be released in due course)
Friday, January 29 Only
This one-day program features the voices of female riders active around the world and the diverse forms of expression born in Hakuba Valley. In addition to a film and talk session in which Robin Van Gyn and Japanese female riders discuss the future of the backcountry, "HAKUBA EXPOSED," which depicts the appeal of Hakuba Valley through photography, video, sound, animation and more, will be held in the evening. Guests can enjoy the challenges and creativity unfolding in the mountains together with the speakers and creators.
RnD THE DRAFT — JAPAN Film & Talk Session
This session is about Japanese female riders heading to the world, with Robin Van Gyn talking about the next generation's challenges and the future of the backcountry. It is a talk session by "RnD (Research & Development)," a project that expands the possibilities of women's backcountry freestyle. RnD founder and Arc'teryx global athlete Robin Van Gyn will appear together with Japanese female riders who passed the video screening for "The Draft - Japan." Looking back on their own riding and experiences, they will discuss the current state of the women's backcountry scene in Japan, their challenge of taking on the world, and the next generation's possibilities. The session shares the riders' feelings about taking on challenges and their outlook for the future as they aim for the world from Japan.
- Date and time: Friday, January 29, 2027, 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
- Venue: SNOW DROP slope-side restaurant, Hakuba Norikura Onsen Ski Resort (白馬乗鞍温泉スキー場ゲレンデレストランSNOW DROP)
- How to join: Advance registration through the official website
- Registration: Talk session registration
Robin Van Gyn (ロビン・ヴァン・ジーン)
A professional snowboarder from Canada. Active around the world with the backcountry as the main stage, Van Gyn won the first-ever Natural Selection Tour in 2021. Van Gyn is also involved in producing and directing video works and developing next-generation riders, and is a leading figure in the women's snowboarding scene.
Works by Next-Generation Creators: HAKUBA EXPOSED
Creators with deep ties to the mountains and people of Hakuba Valley will present live the works they created with inspiration from the area. Under a common theme and a limited production period, they use photography, video, sound, animation and other free means of expression to capture the appeal of Hakuba Valley, and the works will be shown on the stage in the evening. The event is not a competition for rankings. Attendees enjoy each creator's viewpoint and expression and celebrate the creativity born from the mountain community. Through a variety of works, the event looks at how time spent in the mountains and encounters with people stimulate creativity, and presents stories yet to be seen that the snowy mountains of Hakuba Valley have nurtured.
- Date and time: Friday, January 29, 2027, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
- Venue: SNOW DROP slope-side restaurant, Hakuba Norikura Onsen Ski Resort (白馬乗鞍温泉スキー場ゲレンデレストランSNOW DROP)
- How to join: Advance registration through the official website
- Details page: Coming Soon (information will be released in due course)
Saturday, January 30 Only
Professional snowboarders who have led Japan's snow scene, together with artists and musicians active around the world, will gather at the Academy. The day includes a screening of a documentary marking Tadashi Fuse's 30th year as a pro, and a talk session with Fuse and Kazuhiro Kokubo among others. In the evening, "Mountains of the Moon" will be screened with live music by a specially formed band that includes Ross James, who is coming to Japan from the United States. It is a one-day-only program for experiencing the many appeals of mountain culture through each guest's path and expression.
Documentary for Tadashi Fuse's 30th Pro Anniversary: ラッセル / BREAKING TRAIL
This screening and talk show covers the documentary ラッセル / BREAKING TRAIL, made to mark the 30th anniversary of the pro career of Tadashi Fuse (布施忠), who has paved the way for Japanese snowboarders to step onto the world stage. The film follows 30 years of taking on untouched slopes around the world. It sheds light not only on glory but also on loneliness, physical injuries and inner conflict, and gets close to the true self of Fuse, who has kept taking on challenges in order to live as himself. After the screening, pro snowboarder Kazuhiro Kokubo (國母和宏) and snowboard journalist Daisuke Nogami (野上大介) will join Fuse on stage for a talk show about their challenges so far, their feelings about snowboarding and their outlook for the future. The event is also planned to be streamed on Instagram Live.
- Date and time: Saturday, January 30, 2027, 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
- Venue: SNOW DROP slope-side restaurant, Hakuba Norikura Onsen Ski Resort (白馬乗鞍温泉スキー場ゲレンデレストランSNOW DROP)
- How to join: Advance registration through the official website
- Registration: Screening and talk session registration
Tadashi Fuse (布施 忠, ふせ ただし)
One of Japan's leading pro snowboarders. He earned his pro license at 18 and has appeared in numerous video works with top-class riders from around the world, leading the snowboarding scene in Japan and abroad. He continues to be active mainly in the backcountry, and marked his 30th year as a pro in the 2025-26 season.
Kazuhiro Kokubo (國母 和宏, こくぼ かずひろ)
A pro snowboarder from Hokkaido. He has competed on the world stage, including two Winter Olympics appearances and back-to-back wins in the halfpipe at the US Open. He also shows his unique style in video works, and shares Japanese snowboarding culture with the world through riding and video production.
Mountains of the Moon Live Film Experience
This is a special screening experience in which the film and live music by a special band led by Ross James resonate with each other amid fantastical nighttime mountain scenery. "Mountains of the Moon," a film by artist and pro skier Chris Benchetler, will be screened with live performances of songs by the Grateful Dead, who have been loved across the ages. Images and sound blend together so that viewers can immerse themselves more deeply in the world of the work, making it a special film experience in Hakuba Valley.
- Date and time: Saturday, January 30, 2027, 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
- Venue: THE ALPS HOTEL HAKUBA, Hakuba Norikura Onsen Ski Resort (白馬乗鞍温泉スキー場 THE ALPS HOTEL HAKUBA)
- How to join: Advance registration through the official website
- Registration: Screening and live stage registration
Ross James & Friends, a special band gathering in Hakuba Valley
Ross James is a guitarist based in the United States. He has performed with Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh for many years and has also shared the stage with Bob Weir, Billy Strings and others, widening his musical expression through collaborations with a diverse range of musicians. On the day, a Hakuba-only special band will play live, centered on Ross, who is visiting Japan for the first time in more than 10 years. He will be joined by Phil Lesh's sons Grahame Lesh and Brian Lesh, and by Alex Koford of The Terrapin Family Band.
The Grateful Dead, loved across generations, and Phil Lesh, who supported its music
The Grateful Dead is a rock band formed in California, United States, in 1965. Known for a musical style that blends rock, folk, blues and more, and for live shows that incorporate improvisation, the band is loved by many fans across generations. Founding member and bassist Phil Lesh shaped the band's sound with his original playing. His sons Grahame Lesh and Brian Lesh, who appear this time, along with longtime collaborators, will play the band's music on stage.
Chris Benchetler (クリス・ベンチェトラー)
A pro freeskier and artist based in California, United States. Having led the way in visual expression for freeskiing, he is active across a wide range of fields, including art, video production and gear design, and continues to create work that crosses sports and creativity.
Details and How to Register
Registration for the venue's special programs is by advance reservation. Applications open on a rolling basis from Monday, November 2, 2026, so please apply through the official event website. All programs have limited capacity and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Registration opens: Monday, November 2, 2026, from 10:00 AM (first come, first served)
- Details and registration (official event website): https://academy.arcteryx.jp/hakuba/
Endorsed by Three Local Tourism Organizations
Arc'teryx Academy Backcountry | Hakuba has received approval to use the endorsement names of three local tourism organizations: the Tourism Commission of Hakuba Village (白馬村観光局), 小谷村観光連盟 and HAKUBAVALLEY TOURISM.
The organizations approved because they understand that Arc'teryx Academy also contributes to promoting safety education in Hakuba Valley, sharing mountain culture and promoting local tourism. Use of an endorsement name is permitted after the organizer and the content of the event have been submitted to and confirmed by each organization.
Arc'teryx says it will continue to value its ties with the local community, offer opportunities to learn the knowledge and skills for enjoying the mountains safely, and contribute to the development of mountain culture and its handing down to the next generation.
