NISEKO ZEN
Adventure Company
Meet the ZEN Team
This is Who We Are
Niseko Zen is a boutique Guiding company and ski school based in Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan.
We keep a close eye on the weather and how this will affect the snow conditions to make sure our guests are going to ski or board in the best powder available.
We have a qualified and experienced team that utilizes our local knowledge and connections to acquire a great variety of information to keep the groups safe and having a great time!
Our Guide team are all trained locally and have seasons of experience taking care of guests in the mountains. We require all of our guides to hold professional avalanche and rescue certifications.
We are working to grow the professional guiding community in Hokkaido.
Saki Hayashi
CEO
Canadian Avalanche Association Operations level 1
Wilderness First Responder (80hours)
Languages: English, Japanese
Torin Barnes
Operations Manager
Pre Hospital Emergency Care
​New Zealand Certificate in Avalanche Risk Management
(Level 6)​​
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 2 equivalent​​​
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Languages: English
Julian De Giusto
Operation Coordinator & HR
AADIDESS Ski instructor level 2
American Institute for Avalanche Research & Education Avalanche Pro 1
Equivalent ASC2 (Peter Billous)
Wilderness First Responder (80hours)
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Languages: English, Spanish
James Oertli
Marketing Manager/ Photographer
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Year round Hokkaido local
American Institute for Avalanche Research & Education Avalanche Pro 1
Languages: English, French, Italian, Swiss-German
Ayu Setogawa
Local Guide & Snowboard Instructor
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Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors level 1
Avalanche Skills Training 1
Resort Powder Specialist
Languages: English, Japanese
Facundo Galleano
Backcountry Guide & Ski Instructor
AADIDESS Ski Instructor level 1
Ski Patrol level 2 (Argentina & France certifications)
Ski Patrol Instructor EASP (Argentina School of on slope safety)
First Aid Instructor (France)
Recco System Operator
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Languages: English, Spanigh, Italian, Catalan, French
Diego Allolio
Safety Management Support
Backcountry Guide & Ski Instructor
Professional Ski Instructors of America - Telemark Instructor Level 2
American Institute for Avalanche Research & Education -Instructor Trainer
American Institute for Avalanche Research & Education 1 & 2 Avalanche Course Leader
American Institute for Avalanche Research & Education PRO level 3
Professional Ski Instructors of America - Ski Instructor Level 1
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Languages: English, Spanish
Bruno Gerardi
Backcountry Guide &Snowboard/Ski Instructor
Snowboard Instructor level3 ISIA stamp AADIDESS
Mountain Guide ISAGM (UIMLA certified) 2023
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Languages: English, Spanish, Basic Italian, Basic French
Jon Runchke
Backcountry Guide & Ski/Snowboard/Telemark Instructor
AADIDESS Snowboard Instructor level 1
AADIDESS Ski Instructor level 3
AADIDESS Telemark Instructor level 3
Wilderness First Responder(80hours)
American Institute for Avalanche Research & Education Avalanche Pro 1
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Languages: English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
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Charlie Yates
Local Guide & Snowboard/Ski Instructor
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Canadian Avalanche Association Operations level 1
Wilderness First Responder (80hours)
Languages: English, Japanese
Juan Berthold
Backcountry Guide & Snowboard/Ski Instructor
AADIDESS Snowboard Instructor level 3 ISIA
Wilderness First Responder (80hours)
American Institute for Avalanche Research & Education Avalanche Pro 1
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Languages: English, Spanish
Lars Meier Blattner
Backcountry Guide & Ski Instructor
Pre-Hospital Emergency Care
Avalanche Risk Management Level 5
Industrial Rope Access Technician level 1
New Zealand Snowsports Instructors Alliance Ski Instructor level 1
Snowsport Patrol Level 4​​​
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Languages: English, Swiss-German.
Mora Otsubo
Ski Instructor​ & Kids Ski lessons Specialist
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Ski Instructor for kids AADIDESS​
First Aid Crouse (pcr&basics)
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Languages: English, Spanish
Pedro Matrantuoni
Snowboard Instructor & Backcountry Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association Operations level 1
Wilderness First Responder (80hours)
Snowboard Instructor level 3
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Languages: English, Spanish
Jonathan Skinnider
Ski Instructor & Backcountry Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association Operations level 1
Canadian Avalanche Association Avalanche Search and Rescue Advance Skills
Canadian Avalanche Association Introduction to Weather
Wilderness First Responder (80hours)​​
Language: English
Florencia Carrasco
Ski Instructor
Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B)
American Institute for Avalanche Research & Education Avalanche Pro 1
AADIDESS Level 3 ski instructor
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Languages: English, Spanish
Sofia Mejia Llamas
Ski Instructor & Photographer
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PSIA level 2
PSIA Children Specialist 2
PSIA Freestyle 1
AADIDES Kids Specialist. S. C. de Bariloche, Argentina
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Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese
Mattias Moreno
Ski Instructor
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AADIDES Ski Instructor level 1
UIAA/FASA International Mountaineering Course (5days)
First Aid Crouse (PCR & basics)
Languages : English, Spanish
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Reilly Kane
Ski Instructor
New Zealand Snowsports Instructors Alliance Ski Instructor level 1
Red Cross Comprehensive First Aid Course
Basic Emergency Care Course
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Language: English
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Alexander Hadi
Ski Instructor & Backcountry Guide
CSIA level2
Wilderness First Responder (80hours)
American Institute for Avalanche Research & Education Avalanche Pro 1
Risk Management (Canadian Alpine Academy)
QNUK L3 Pre Hospital Care
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Language: English​
Tamaki Yamasawa
Ski Instructor & Backcountry Guide
New-Zealand Snowsports​ Instructors Alliance level 1
Japan Mountain Guide Association Ski Guide stage 1
Japan Mountain Guide Association Mountain stage2
Janapanese Avalanche Network Operations 1
Languages: English, Japanese
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Partner Companies
Tobira GG AKA Kazan Japan Travel
Kammui Japan
Tokyo Way
Nisade Alpine Developement