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Japanese Snowsurfing:

 

A Personal Perspective by Björn alias Swissy

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Let me share with you what I've discovered about Japanese snow surfing—something truly special that has transformed how I see snowboarding.

So, what's the magic of snow surfing compared to regular snowboarding? It’s all about the flow. It’s about casually gliding down the mountain, effortlessly reading the terrain, and creating smooth, stylish lines with passion. You'll notice a more forward stance, often referred to as freeride stance, posi-posi, or simply a forward stance, which really enhances that surf-like feeling.

After nine incredible seasons in Niseko and more than three decades of teaching snowboarding (and having ridden since my teens!), I believe I've developed a deep appreciation for this snow surfing style. While I haven’t had formal snow surfing lessons from the Japanese masters themselves, I've spent countless hours observing, absorbing their style, reading magazines, studying manuals, and watching inspiring videos. Plus, having grown up carving on hard boots with a forward stance back in Switzerland, I feel like I naturally developed a Swiss-flavored version of snow surfing.

For me, snow surfing is about finding those pure, clean lines. It's about understanding how your board’s shape interacts with the mountain’s natural features—flowing effortlessly down banks, gracefully dropping into natural halfpipes, cruising through gullies, and weaving playfully through the trees. Every bump becomes an opportunity, either as a ramp to launch off or a bank to turn.

Snow surfing isn’t just about alternating heel-side and toe-side turns to reach the bottom—it's a creative journey where you express your unique style and harmonize with nature. The Japanese riders have this beautifully precise and elegant approach, something that resonates deeply with my Swiss roots as well.

So next time you're out there, think about embracing this relaxed, playful way of riding. Let’s make the whole mountain our playground and share the joy of snow surfing together!

See you on the slopes,

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Insights from the Taro Tamai Interview (Mister Gentemstick)

Unified Board Culture: All board sports—snowboarding, surfing, skateboarding—share common design principles and cultural heritage, creating an interconnected board universe.

Early Inspirations: Taro Tamai’s snowboard journey ignited from a 1970s film. By the 1980s, he was customizing boards specifically tuned for Japan’s distinctive snow conditions, setting a template for innovation.

Tech Deep-Dive: Board Construction: Taro highlights that snowboard construction parallels ski building: featuring wood cores, fiberglass laminates, and steel edges. He critiques historical snowboard design stagnation, labeling certain periods as a "dark age."

Conceptual Board Design Philosophy: Rejecting mainstream trends, Taro crafts "concept boards," inspired directly by natural forms and specific riding conditions, ensuring each design emphasizes originality and purpose.

Tailored Riding Experiences: Gentemstick, Taro’s brand, rejects generic designs, advocating for specialized boards that enhance unique snow conditions and experiences—epitomizing "snowsurfing."

Sustainability in Materials: Taro favors materials like wood and bamboo, prized for ecological sustainability and dynamic performance characteristics, underpinning Gentemstick’s eco-conscious ethos.

Gentemstick’s Cross-Board Collaborations: Collaboration with surfboard shapers has birthed new snowboard designs, merging surfboard fluidity with snowboard responsiveness, reflecting an authentic cross-sport synergy.

The Evolution of Snowboard Design: Taro envisions a future freed from rigid design conventions, where snowboard development aligns directly with the core essence of riding—fluidity, creativity, and natural harmony.

Original Interview Link

Homepage of Taro Tamai

Exploring "Bottom Turn": Snow Surfing’s Global Surge

International Expansion of Snowsurfing: Originating from Japanese styles, snowsurfing’s global influence is expanding significantly across Europe and North America, driven by innovative board designs and philosophies.

Riding Techniques in Action: At Mt. Bachelor’s "Devils Backbone," Gentemstick rider Kenichi Miyashita masterfully demonstrates bottom-turn techniques crucial for fluid transitions. Osamu Om Okada’s distinctively low stance and rhythmic turns exemplify a snowsurfer’s creative approach.

The Art of Snow Surfing: Taro Tamai emphasizes aesthetic beauty in riding—valuing balanced, high-quality turns and nuanced snow sprays, inspired by natural observations like fish swimming through water, thus promoting efficient use of board surfaces.

3D Terrain Navigation: Tamai advocates a "three-dimensional" riding approach, prioritizing creative, smooth terrain engagement rather than linear trajectories, underscoring a philosophy where journey surpasses destination.

Gentemstick’s Origins and Influence: Launched in 1998 with the iconic zero-camber TT model, Gentemstick’s designs prioritize flowing turns suited for Hokkaido’s legendary powder, influencing international riders like Alex Yoder who embrace exploration over aerial maneuvers.

Design Innovations from Surfboard Shaping: Chris Christenson applies surfboard aesthetics and craftsmanship to snowboard design, notably in boards like Mountain Surfer and Storm Chaser, which blend float and versatility for various snow conditions.

Historic Context and Riding Evolution: Christenson critiques late-90s snowboard monotony, promoting varied designs analogous to surfboard diversity tailored to wave conditions. Gray Thompson echoes this shift, describing snowboarding’s renewed focus on surf-inspired fluidity.

Sustainability and Creative Expression: Nicholas Wolken’s Korua Shapes champions wide, surf-inspired boards for expressive carving, reflecting an artistic interpretation of terrain and promoting sustainable practices within snowboard manufacturing.

Detailed Source Link

Timeline of Japanese Snowboard History

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1980s: Foundation Years

  • 1982: Snowboarding arrives in Japan; Moss establishes as the pioneering local brand.

  • 1985: Taro Tamai joins Moss, innovating boards that reflect his snowsurfing vision.

 

1990s: Rapid Growth

  • 1990: Snowboarding gains widespread acceptance at ski resorts.

  • 1992: Japan’s inaugural National Snowboarding Championships in Niigata raise sport visibility.

  • 1995: Launch of Snowboarder Japan, the nation’s first dedicated snowboard magazine.

  • 1998: Snowboarding’s Olympic debut at Nagano dramatically elevates the sport’s profile.

 

2000s: Snowsurfing Emergence

  • 2000: Growth of local brands like Gentemstick emphasizes unique design.

  • 2003: Taro Tamai actively promotes "snowsurfing" philosophy, blending snowboarding with surfing’s essence.

  • 2004: Increased popularity of freeride and backcountry in regions like Hokkaido.

 

2010s: Global Influence

  • 2010: International acknowledgment of Japanese snowsurfing grows, driven by Gentemstick’s craftsmanship.

  • 2011: Post-tsunami recovery invigorates interest in local mountain sports.

  • 2015: Renewed emphasis on aesthetic-driven riding philosophies further differentiates Japanese snowboarding.

 

2020s: Sustainable Innovation

  • 2020: Continued growth with sustainable and surf-inspired board designs.

  • 2021: Domestic snowboarding flourishes amidst travel restrictions.

  • 2022: Japanese riders internationally showcase snowsurfing techniques, solidifying global influence.

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