Help at a boutique ski lodge in the heart of the Japanese Alps in Nagano, Japan

Details

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  Description

  Our charming cedar wood ski chalet and restaurant are nestled in the heart of Madarao village in the Japanese Alps of Nagano. The Chalet has 7 beautifully appointed rooms, we're just 100 meters away from the ski slopes, making it an ideal location for snow lovers. On the bullet train, we're an easy 2 hours from Tokyo and less than 15 minutes from Nagano city - the home of the 1998 Olympics and the centre of a region rich in activities, culture, nature, temples and wonderful cuisine.
  
  Our cosy chalet has been lovingly restored over recent years with a new dining room, designer fireplace, Japanese ofuro bathtubs, comfy lounges, plush carpet, new bathrooms, drying room for ski gear, quality furnishings and lovely Japanese art, crafts & photography - adding a cultural richness to the overall ambiance.
  
  We value dedicated and caring staff who are committed to providing exceptional service to our guests. We strive for perfection in everything we do, and are seeking individuals who share this passion and genuine care for visitors. As you'll be part of a close-knit team in a relatively small mountain village, we welcome people with a collaborative, kind, adventurous spirit. We value and celebrate diversity and have zero tolerance for any form of discrimination or harm.
  
  We take great care of our staff, offering full training and orientation, excellent accommodation, a season lift pass for full time staff who stay for the entire ski season, and numerous other benefits. Our bilingual Japanese staff members contribute significantly to your cultural immersion and learning experience during your time in Japan.
  
  Join us and become part of something truly special amidst the breathtaking mountains of Japan.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Technology

  

  Politics / Social justice

  

  Sustainability

  

  Movies & TV

  

  Charity work

  

  Plant care

  

  Music

  

  Art & design

  

  Architecture

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Gardening

  

  Languages

  

  Photography

  

  Writing

  

  Animals

  

  Sailing / Boating

  

  Dancing

  

  Beach

  

  Team sports

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Nature

  

  Fitness

  

  Camping

  

  Winter sports

  

  Mountain

  

  Water sports

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Hiking

  

  Cycling

  

  Adventure sports
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  With our bilingual Japanese staff and friends, you will have the opportunity to learn about the culture and language of Japan. You will also share a staff lodge with many people from around the world. This is a unique opportunity for a truly enjoyable, adventurous, rich, multi-cultural working holiday experience where lifelong friends will be made.

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  Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage

  This host offers accommodation and payment.

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  Help

  We are hiring for ski season 2025/26!
  
  The roles are...
  
  Summer Helpers - General household and handy person work including cleaning and gardening. Every day will be different. Need about a week or two worth of work. For this role it is an immediate start so if interested get in touch right away.
  
  Winter Housekeepers - Detail oriented housekeepers with a commitment to maintaining gorgeous, clean, organized, and welcoming spaces. Our housekeepers need to love attention to detail ensuring a high standard of comfort and satisfaction. In this role, you’ll be responsible for tidying rooms, changing linens, restocking supplies, and maintaining inviting common areas. We focus on thoughtful service, so you’ll have time to pay attention to details and create a welcoming environment for our guests. If you’re organized, have a warm approach, and take pride in creating a cozy home-away-from-home, we’d love to have you on board!
  
  Winter Snow Ops and Chalet Maintenance- Keep the pathways clear of the metres of annual snow we get using the snow blowers, tractors and the humble shovel. keep the wheels spinning on all the vehicles, keep the equipment sparkling clean and the convenience of the guest experience at a perfect level. Anyone with mechanical skills will be highly regarded. You will also need an International Drivers Licence as you will be transfering guests from one accommodation to another and to the stations.
  
  Please don't apply if you aren't eligible for a Working Holiday Visa in Japan or already have residency. We don't accept any candidates without one or the other and we don't arrange working visas for people either.
  
  Here is a list of the countries who' citizens can apply... Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Iceland, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Sweden, Estonia, Netherlands, Uruguay, Finland, Latvia, Luxembourg
  
  For the winter roles to be considered for a role, let us know why you want to come to Japan and work in a ski lodge and what makes you perfect for the role. You will need and International Drivers Licence or the right to drive in Japan.
  
  Please have your CV ready or send us a link so we can check it out.
  
  We will definitely review all applications. We take kindness seriously and if you apply properly we will definitely respond. For those that aren't eligible we probably won't be in touch and you can assume you are not successful for a position.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Japanese: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  A big part of learning culture is learning language. With bilingual Japanese English speakers it is a great place to learn and improve on language skills
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  Accommodation

  You will enjoy lovely, clean, communal staff living spaces. Bedrooms are twin or triple share. You will enjoy a communal kitchen, lounge area, WiFi, laundry, heating/cooling, linen, towels, utilities and supplies such as shampoo, toilet paper, etc. Some food/staples are provided but mostly you will be responsible for shopping and cooking yourself.

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  What else ...

  In your time off you will be able to ski, snowboard, eat incredible food, see the famous snow monkeys, enjoy the warm local onsens, explore the region and so much more. You should have enough time to visit cities like Tokyo, Kanazawa, Nagano, Matsumoto or even Osaka and Kyoto. Some of the smaller towns in the region are the real drawcard though! Nozawa Onsen, Obuse, Yudanaka Onsen, Myoko, Shiga Kogen, Suzaka and many others.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  Our dining room is our office in the summer and many of our guests are digital nomads. We have fast internet and even have a fax machine if you need it :)

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

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