Equipment were new, attended the class by Canyons (Ross was our instructor and he was amazing & patient) and really had a blast! Definitely worth the detour from our Tokyo trip!
This ski resort is the most convinient one in Japan. You can take train from Tokyo station and arrive Gala Yuzawa station which takes you only 2.5 hours. Once you arrive the station, you don't have to go out of the building, it's connected to the station. So no matter what weather you have on the day, you don't have to worry about it.
Also, they have some staff who speak English, chinese, and even Thai and Arabic. So if you are looking for a good ski resort as a foreigner, I'd strongly recommend here.
Super convenient skiing location at Gala Yuzawa for a day trip 75min from Tokyo Station via Shinkansen, transferring to cable car from the train station. Fair varieties of runs and a long trail for novice from near the top and a super long run from slope to train station as well. Good food at the restaurant. Breathtaking views of the mountainous valley from the top towards Echigo Yuzawa. Lockers at the train station level is a bit inconvenient.