International Outdoor Camp 3/27 - 4/2 in Yamagata

Outdoor with Education

Outdoor Programs

The international snow camp is an outdoor education camp for Jr.highschool students in Yamagata prefecture, Japan.  Participants learn the diversity and leadership through our outdoor programs in English.

Schedule

27th March - 2nd April 2022
6 nights 7 days

eligible participants

Gread 7 - 9
Maximum 15 students

Participation fee

JPY198,000 (incl. 10% tax)
Including 6 nights of accommodation and meals.

Programs

Programs include mountain trekking, avalanche beacon training, igloo building, and other outdoor and indoor programs.

Pro mountain guides

Pro mountain guides consult and implement all the outdoor programs.

Camp leaders

International students who study in Japan join our camp as camp leaders. Previous camp leaders have come from Sophia Uni, Waseda Uni, UWC ISAK Japan, Sendai Ikuei IB course, etc.

Camp Programs

itinerary

Day 1

27th March

14:00 Depart from Yamagata station
15:30 Arrive at the camp center
16:00 Opening ceremony
17:00 Ice breaking games
18:00 Welcome party

Welcome Party

For the participants and camp leaders to get to know each other, they will have ice breaking games and a welcome party.

Day 2

28th March

8:00 Breakfast
9:30 Igloo building challenge
12:00 Lunch
13:30 Leadership program
16:30 Seatwork
18:00 Dinner

Learn basic Leadership skills

The first outdoor activity will be igloo building. On this day, we will learn the important aspects of leadership.

Day 3

29th March

8:00 Breakfast
9:30 Avalanche control activity and how to use a signal beacon
12:00 Lunch
13:30 Avalanche rescue training
16:30 Seatwork
18:00 Dinner

Leadership of an acute situation

We will learn about the risks of an avalanche and how to control an avalanche in the class. Field activity on this day will be avalanche rescue training with using signal beacons and probes.

Day 4

30th March

8:00 Breakfast
9:30 Route finding activity
12:00 Lunch
13:30 Snowshoe trekking
16:30 Seatwork
18:00 Dinner

White out navigation

We will learn how to read a map and use a compass. The goal of this class is that students participants are able to make a their own route with a compass and a map. After lunch, we will trek to the snow mountain. Students Participants will find their own route with a compass and map.

Day 5

31st March

8:00 Breakfast
9:30 Treasure hunt on the snow field
12:00 Lunch
13:30 Free time
16:30 Seatwork
18:00 Dinner

Treasure hunting

The snow treasure hunting game consists of picking up blocks with English words written on them. Participants will need to make up a story using those word blocks they found in the snow field. After lunch, participants and camp leaders will have some free time to play in the snow field or just to chat.

Day 6

1st April

8:00 Breakfast
9:30 Cross-country ski lesson
12:00 Lunch
13:30 Banana boat and snow tubing
18:00 Farewell party
19:00 Talent show

Ski & Banana boat

There will be a lesson to learn how to cross country ski as well as some fun activities such as banana boat riding and snow tubing (which are a highlight of this winter camp!).

Day 7

2nd April

8:00 Breakfast
9:30 Feedback
11:00 Bus departure
12:30 Arrive at Yamagata station

Farewell feedback

Before leaving the campsite, there will be a feedback session and we will take a group picture. The shuttle bus will arrive at Yamagata Station at 12:00pm.

English Level

English language capability

English Requirements

For non native English speakers, it is ideal to have A1 level or more to communicate with other participants and camp leaders.

Common language

Camp leaders don't speak Japanese. Participants and camp leaders will communicate with each other in English

Experience

We focus on not only English skills but also pragmatic leadership and diversity programs.

Three rules of English

The common language between camp leaders and participants is English as everyone has come from various countries.

Speaking English rule

Students must speak in English in the dining room, class, and public places except for emergencies.

The three question rule

To spark conversations, participants should ask at least three questions to camp leaders during meal times.

The Phone rule

Phone and other electronic devices are not allowed in public places such as the dining room to avoid disrupting conversations.

Three skills for the world

This camp promotes three major skills that will be beneficial in the future.

Leadership

All programs in this camp focus on leadership skills. Participants will practice different aspects of leadership through activities and outdoor programs.

Decision-making

With the outdoor programs, participants will be able to practice decision making in both regular and emergency situations.

Diversity

As this camp has camp leaders coming from a variety of countries, it will be a good opportunity to experience diversity through learning about different languages, cultures, and religions.

The Leadership Program

All programs in this camp focus on leadership skills.

Trust building

With camp leaders coming from different cultures, participants will be able to understand the different perspectives through the experiences of the programs and activities.

Share the goal

Participants will learn how to work together as a team through the program in order to achieve a shared goal.

Recognize diversity

Participants will learn to be able to find a common ground through conversations to avoid conflicts in relationships.

Outdoor activities

Mountain GUide

All programs are supported and led by pro-mountain guides. Mountain guides not only teach useful skills to students, but also keep students’ safety all the time.

Snow trekking

Participants will become a leader of a group and lead members to the mountain top. They will use compasses and map skills they learnt before trekking. Participants will have the experience to overcome conflict with other team members.

Avalanche rescue

Avalanche rescue is a battle with a time restriction. In general, a human can survive only 15minits in an anaerobic environment.
When participants encounter an avalanche accidents who leads the team? How does the team support a leader? …. Participants will acquire the skill of emergency decision making and leadership.

Igloo building

The igloo building (snow dome) program will focus on team building. Participants learn how to decide on a goal and move forward to achieve that said goal. Random digging is not efficient. The key skill is to swap roles within in your team.

Vocabulary Treasure hunting

First, participants will look for blocks (which have English words on them), in the snowfield. After that, each team will make a story with the words they found. This game requires planning skills for finding the blocks and an imaginative skill for story making.

Web information session

Date : 2022, Jan, 26th(wed) 21:00-21:45

Place : Google Meet

Fee : Free of charge

Book now!!

Please read all the contents of the application guidebook before making a booking for our camp.