NOBI KANO, “A SKIING LEGEND”
By Bill Kawahara
Early Winter 2002
On April 6, 2002, Nobi Kano was inducted into The Legends, a very elite group of individuals, all who have been honored for their lifelong commitment and inspirational leadership in promoting the love and teaching of skiing. The Professional Ski Instructors Association (PSIA) defines a “legend” as anyone who has contributed to the sport of skiing and snow sport activities for many years, and one who has shared their enthusiasm and love of skiing with others. Nobi truly qualifies in all categories of being a “legend”.
Nobi was born in the Kent valley on September 19, 1914, and was sent to Japan for his early education. While in Japan he became interested in winter sports. He fashioned his first pair of ice skates by attaching a flat, sharp carpenter’s tool to his getas, an elevated, flat wooden board worn on the feet secured by thongs, similar to the rubber flip-flops of today. When he returned to the United States in the early 1930’s his interest in skiing became an obsession. He became acquainted with Ed Link, a young, accomplished skier. Ed gave lessons to a few Japanese Americans (JA) who were also interested in skiing, and this group formed the nucleus of the first Rokka Ski Club. By 1938, Nobi was a Class A racer. At that time racing was rather restricted, and in order to enter a race a competitor had to have a recognized ski club as a sponsor. Ed Link helped Nobi get the sponsorships so he could enter these races.
When World War II was declared, Nobi wanted to join the 10th Mountain Division as many of his skiing buddies were already in the group. The 10th Mountain Division was comprised of soldiers, who were expert skiers, and trained to do combat in the mountains of Europe. In order to be considered for this elite military organization, a soldier had to have three recommendations, and Nobi is proud to say that his came from the Pacific Northwest Ski Association (PNSA), National Ski Association (NSA), and the National Ski Patrol (NSP). In 1942 he joined the illustrious 10th Mountain Division, and after basic training was sent to Camp Hale in Colorado. Nobi’s assignment was to teach the officers and nurses to ski. He was the only Japanese American ski instructor in the division.
After WWII ended, and as many of the JAs returned to the Seattle area from their incarceration, Nobi promoted skiing as a winter activity that people should try. Nobi gave informal instructions to beginners as they tested their abilities on the snow. To become a more proficient instructor he studied with the PNSIA and passed the examination for Certified Ski Instructor in 1951, becoming the 73rd instructor in the Pacific Northwest division. He was the first Japanese American awarded this certification in the country. In 1950 he was instrumental in restarting the Rokka Ski Club, and about the same time the Rokka Ski School became a reality. Nobi arranged with his old friend, Webb Moffett, for Rokka Ski School to operate at the Snoqualmie Summit Ski Area, and later negotiated to build a small ski hut for the Rokka instructors.
In 1963 Crystal Mountain announced there would be lots available for organizations to build a lodge or ski chalet, and Nobi was asked whether the Rokka Ski Club would be interested in building a lodge. Today the Rokka Lodge, which sleeps twenty-two, stands as evidence of a real community effort. Nobi’s old friend, Ed Link, then General Manager of Crystal Mt., made arrangements for Rokka to open a Ski School at that site.
About 1985 there was an influx of Japanese businesses to the Seattle area, and Nobi realized the need for providing ski instructions in Japanese for interested family members. Now Rokka Ski School is the only bi-lingual ski school in the US providing ski and snow boarding classes in both Japanese and English.
In addition to his commitment to Rokka Ski Club and School, Nobi started a free instructional program for housewives, as well as the Candy Cane Ski School for pre-schoolers. Many of the students at Candy Cane were children of ski instructors, and the teachers of the tiny tots were often times the older children of the instructors.
Over the years Nobi has attended four World Interski Conventions where instructors from all over the world meet to discuss the most effective ways of teaching people how to ski. He has been involved with skiing for more than seventy years, and over fifty years with the PSIA. At 88 years old, Nobi is still a smooth and beautiful skier. He has been an inspiration and role model for all of us who have tried to follow in his footsteps. We will always be thankful for all he has done to promote the love of skiing in our community, and feel he is truly a skiing legend.