JAPAN GRABS - Hakuba Blog 2013 / 2014
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ALMO Film
https://www.facebook.com/AlmoFilmAt the end of my last day at Norikura, I got a call from Nick, the owner of the Hakuba Powder Lodge, asking me if I was interested in showing around some French pro snowboarders, who were “pretty good”.
Awesome report! Thanks for posting.
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ALMO Film
https://www.facebook.com/AlmoFilmAt the end of my last day at Norikura, I got a call from Nick, the owner of the Hakuba Powder Lodge, asking me if I was interested in showing around some French pro snowboarders, who were “pretty good”. After coaxing a somewhat intelligible pronunciation of their names out of him, I was impressed.
The three riders were:
Mathieu Crepel (Quiksilver, Gnu, Sosh, Blue Tomato, Moskova)
Morgan Le Faucheur (Salomon, Bonfire, Nixon, Smith, DVS)
Sylvain Bourbousson (Billabong, Salomon, Nixon, Da Kine)
You might recognize Bourbousson from being an Absinthe Films regular for many years and Crepel from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, when he sported this awesome, ‘faux ‘stache”
The first thing I asked Mathieu was if he really rode an actual park pickle in the Olympic halfpipe, or if it was a cambered board with alternate graphics. He was surprised by the question, but yes, he said, it was a regular park pickle.
Anyways, with my random irrelevant board tech questions out of the way, over the course of 4 days, I had a chance to hang out with the crew, and help them get their jobs done.That first night I met them, they were a little stressed. Their plan to get a rental car had hit a snafu and since it was the New Year’s holiday, they couldn’t get it straightened out until the 6th of January. They were here in Japan to film for their production company called ALMO Film and couldn’t afford to be wasting days. Riding resorts is all good and fun, but for them to get some stoke-inducing footage, they really needed to be mobile to go find spots with serious gnar.
This is where I came in. I had hurt my knee a couple days before, and it had been getting worse so I figured I wasn’t going to be missing anything if I took them around. It was fun using my rusty French, and their banter was friggin’ hilarious. You can tell they’ve been together a long time and just really gel.
So, the first day, we got up early and headed to a well-known area famous for roadside hits. It was interesting to see the level these guys are at. At first I would point out drops that were bigger than what I could do, but they would just shake their heads and say, “too small”. Then, I started pointing out video game-sized drops and they would get excited and we’d stop the car and go check it out.
After checking out a number of spots, they settled on a big gap to wallride off a covered road.
if you look closely, you can see Morgan in the air, and Jerome on the right, at the base of the wall, getting the shot.We started preparing the in run and kicker, but after 10 minutes we noticed a Japanese guy who had stopped his car and was watching us. I went up to talk to him, expecting to have a ‘situation’, but he just wanted to know when they’d be doing the jumps. We told him to come back in an hour and a half, and he went off happily to tell his friends.
So, after shaping for two hours, the boys played rock-paper-scissors to see who would drop in first. Crepel lost and so, won the honours.
The filmer, the photographer and I all got ready, and after the “trois, deux, un!” countdown, Mathieu flew through the air and hit the wall with a huge scraping noise, like a crane knocking down a wall. That’s when I looked closely at the wall and saw that it wasn’t smooth at all - it was made of roughly cut rocks! After each jump, they would take out a pen knife and dig out bits of stone from their bases, and smoothen out the gouges.
Sylvain landed his first jump but nearly went off the other side of the road!I really want to show you guys the better shots I got, but unfortunately I can’t. It wouldn’t be fair to their photographer but I’ll show you what I can without giving much away. Speaking of which, the photographer was Jerome Tanon. Check out all of his covers!:
http://www.jerometanon.com/covers.html
and a short interview here:
http://fstopgear.com/staffpro/jerome-tanonand some more shots from the day:
Morgan, on the right, stomps it and surveys the scene
After the wall ride, Bourbousson jumped off the top of that tunnel and ..... splash!
Crepel stomps the drop and rides it out on next year’s Rider’s Choice
Round 2 for Bourbousson off the top of the tunnel
Looking down at the crew from the top of the tunnel.It was funny to see Ralph Backstrom putting this pic up a week later
http://instagram.com/p/jB7j4nuOrc/
Awesome! 
Thanks for sharing!
Nice one!!!!!
The shot from the top of the tunnel really puts it into perspective!!!!! 
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Day 2 with the ALMO Film crew!
Today was bluebird and we hit the backcountry straight off. We had some competition so we couldn’t do a warmup lap and had to get into it straight away.
We got some good runs and Evan, the filmer, was gracious enough to film my line - what a stoke out! I was pumped and rode the line faster than I had ever done.
this shot was from Bourbousson’s phone though. Thanks buddy!
We all got a run, then got some hilarious footage of the boys crossing the river. You don’t have long to wait to see it as their Japan webisode should drop the first week of February. ALMO is releasing 8 webisodes this year, and also a documentary. I wonder if I will have a cameo.
After getting out of the backcountry, we went back to the same area as yesterday…but that will be a different post. Maybe later on as I’ve got loads of updates coming this week regarding the ultimate freeride park, Happo Banks, which opens next Saturday!
In the meantime, here are some photos from the backcountry.
the boys getting ready to drop in
Mathieu Crepel giving a class on nice turns
Sylvain Bourbousson wins the highest spray award…everytime
Almo Chief, Morgan Le Faucheur shows how goofy footers do it
Some random dude spraying it, not saying it
Bourbousson dropping in to a sweet line
He disappeared after this and I stopped shooting…but then he reappeared and did the nastiest slash on the windlip on the right and sent the spray sky high. Everybody went, “woah!”
Andy on the phone with the filmer and photographer, “what? you missed the shot?”
Totally didn’t have an angle on Crepel’s line - but check out that pow explosion from a slash (he’s in a natural halfpipe just out of sight.
Wicked!!!!!
Just Wicked!!!!!
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(I know that photo is way too big for the forum but it’s such a sick shot - it’s even better huge!)
Happo Banks Opening Festival
Alright guys, here it is: details about the Happo Banks Opening Festival coming up this saturday!
If you’re in town, make sure you come on by - it’s going to be great fun.
There’s loads and loads of pros coming and after their initial short opening session, you’ll be able to join in!
There will be Rider Clinics (details below), live dj’s, GENTEMSTICK demos!, a Patagonia booth, a jam session for the pros, a mini kids park, an exhibition at the neighbouring Indian Summer Cafe and giveaways.
The park is free for anyone with a Happo One lift ticket.
Rider Clinics
From 11am to 12, five pro riders will take groups of four through the park teaching them the ins and outs of banks/bowl riding.
Cost is 2000 yen per person. Sign up is from 10:30am at the main tent and it’s on a first come first served basis. Only 20 spots. I’d say Japanese speaking ability is recommended, but who knows? These pros might have spent time abroad so communication could still be possible.
The pro “teachers” are:
五明 淳 (GENTEMSTICK)
西田 洋介 (T.J BRAND)
松浦 将 (OUTFLOW)
橋本 貴興 (K2)
鬼頭 春菜 (GENTEMSTICK)
The schedule is as follows:
9:45am Opening Ceremony & pro rider session
10:00 - 15:30 Park is open to all
15:30 Closing Ceremony and giveaways
16:00 End of the event
Confirmed Rider List: (I know you can’t read the names, but just look at the sponsors. I have no doubt these guys are going to get mind-blowingly gnarly on the features!)
- SNOWBOARDERS -
丸山 隼人（GENTEMSTICK, patagonia）
宮下 建一（GENTEMSTICK, patagonia）
畔田 正志（GENTEMSTICK, Permanent Union）
五明 淳（GENTEMSTICK）
遊佐 雅典（GENTEMSTICK）
大江 信行（GENTEMSTICK）
辰己 博実（GENTEMSTICK,patagonia）
鈴村 新（GENTEMSTICK）
鬼頭 春菜（GENTEMSTICK, patagonia）
Alex Yoder（JONES,patagonia）
田口 勝朗（Green Clothing）
西山 勇（OUTFLOW）
松浦 将（OUTFLOW）
南浦 高志（VOLTAGE design, Green Clothing）
小松 吾郎（replant）
西田 洋介（T.J BRAND, AFD）
松本 麻依子（T.J BRAND）
今野 昇（CAPITA）
渋谷 謙（VOLTAGE design, Blue blood）
北江 正輝（SIGNAL）
小林 優太（SLASH）
三宅 恭太（SIGNAL）
山崎 恵太（REPLANT）
橋本 貴興（K2, HOLDEN）
渡辺 尚幸（GREEN LAB.）
原 大輝（ROME SDS）
and more
- SKIERS -
大池 琢磨 (patagonia)
原田 響人 (4FRNTSKI, NORRONA)
and more
Oh, and I’ll be there too, so say hi if you can recognize me.
and the link to follow Happo Banks updates is here
looks so much fun!
There’s been an update to the rider’s list for the Opening Festival at Happo Banks this Saturday!
The legend, Taro Tamai is coming! He’s the founder of Gentemstick snowboards to say the least.
His profile can be seen here
Here’s the updated list:
- SNOWBOARDERS -
玉井 太郎（GENTEMSTICK,patagonia）
丸山 隼人（GENTEMSTICK, patagonia）
畔田 正志（GENTEMSTICK, Permanent union
五明 淳（MAKE YUKIITA,GENTEMSTICK）
宮下 建一（GENTEMSTICK, patagonia）
辰己 博実（GENTEMSTICK,patagonia）
遊佐 雅典（ZEKE,GENTEMSTICK）
大江 信行（GENTEMSTICK）
鈴村 新（GENTEMSTICK）
鬼頭 春菜（GENTEMSTICK, patagonia）
玉井 天満（GENTEM Titti）
Alex Yoder（JONES,patagonia）
田口 勝朗（Green clothing）
田畑 将彦（Green clothing,THE OTHER ONE ）
杉本 光広（replant,Green clothing）
西山 勇（Outflow,Green clothing）
松浦 将（Outflow）
南浦 高志（VOLTAGE design, Green clothing）
溝口 靖史（MOSS SNOWSTICK）
小松 吾郎（replant）
西田 洋介（T.J BRAND, AFD）
勝山 尚徳（T.J BRAND）
松本 麻依子（T.J BRAND）
今野 昇（CAPITA）
渋谷 謙（Blue blood）
北江 正輝（SIGNAL）
小林 優太（SLASH）
三宅 恭太（SIGNAL）
山崎 恵太（REPLANT）
橋本 貴興（K2, HOLDEN）
渡辺 尚幸（GREEN LAB.）
中山 二郎（GREEN LAB.）
伊藤 高（GREEN LAB.）
美谷島 豪（GREEN LAB.）
小西 隆文（ROME SDS）
原 大輝（ROME SDS）
- SKIERS -
大池 琢磨 （patagonia）
原田 響人（4FRNTSKI,NORRONA）
深沢 大輔（black crows）
and more
Niseko Legend!!!!!
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Happo Banks, the interview!
Last Sunday, I had a chance to sit down with legendary bowl designer/Gentemstick pro/Patagonia ambassador Hayato “Bubbles” Maruyama and Hideyuki Hoshino, the cat driver who brings it all to life. As we enjoyed coffees at the Indian Summer Cafe, we discussed the park and what it entails.
Hayato “Bubbles” Maruyama : bowl designer extraordinaire
BW: How long does it take to build the Happo Banks from scratch?
Hoshino-san: This year we were given 7 days.
BW: you “were given”?
Bubbles: Well, we asked for 10 days but the ski resort only gave us 7. Last year we had to make it in 5!
BW: How much shaping do you have to do daily?
Hoshino-san: about 9 hours. On a day when it’s snowing, we want to be finished by 8am, so we’ll start around 10pm and work through the night. It really depends on how much snow has fallen. Some days we’ll be shaping up to 12 hours! It’s quite a lot of work as every night we have to rebuild the bowls as they get worn down. Like a regular park we need to add new snow and reshape the transitions. It’s quite a lot of snow we’re moving.
Hideyuki Hoshino, master shaper
BW: where do you find your inspiration? Skateboard bowls? Surfing?
Bubbles: I get it from both, really. But I guess the most comes from actual snowboarding - from the mountains, the backcountry and even from resort runs. From skateboarding, it’s less about the bowls themselves than the transitions, or more like thinking along the lines of, “to be able to do this trick, I need this transition”. Also, the flow between the banks is very important.
BW: So it’s more freeride than freestyle?
Bubbles: ...Yes. It’s definitely freeriding, where you can bring in the freestyle aspect to play around with.
BW: Ok, how about things not connected to snow/skate/surf? Do you get any inspiration from other stuff?
Bubbles: (laughs) Actually yes - roads.
BW: roads?
Bubbles: Yes, roads can have nice banks on them. As I’m driving along I’ll be like, “this would be cool to ride”. Places like New Zealand have loads of good banked roads. Anyways, I’m always looking at the terrain around me and riding it in my head.
BW: What equipment do you need to ride at Happo Banks? Do you need a powder board?
Bubbles: No, you don’t. You can have fun on anything. If you can ride your snowboard, you’ll be able to ride the park. If you can go at the speed you want on that particular board and have fun with your friends, then it’s fine. There are guys on longer boards who want to jump and so take that approach. On smaller boards you can make more precise movements, and hit the same bank twice with two sharper turns. I think it’s less about specific types of boards and more about riding a board that you like. You’ll have the most fun that way.
Hoshino-san: We actually use different boards in the park and it’s really cool how different boards will let you approach the park in new ways.
Bubbles: Basically, you just need a board that lets you turn and stop. The rest is up to you, to have fun finding your lines.
BW: Is there any special etiquette that you’d like the park users to follow?
Bubbles:We want all riders to be able to enjoy the park so from a safety standpoint we ask everybody to respect the right-of-way and to be aware of everybody around them. If everyone is aware of where the other riders are it will naturally lead to a safer park.
BW: How about skier families with no clue who park themselves in the worst spot?
Bubbles: (laughs) yes, there’s that sometimes but in that case you just have to ask them to move nicely.
Hoshino-san: Etiquette is everybody watching each other and having fun. Going up to people and being negative is not what this is about. It’s better to educate people and keep a positive vibe.
BW: do you have any words of wisdom for beginners or people who have no experience riding a banked park?
Bubbles: One way to get better is to follow a friend or someone who rips to see what they do. This is a park where you can do that as everyone can ride any of the features as mellow or as rad as they want. That’s a positive of this type of park and it’s a great way to improve your riding.
BW: Will there be any new changes to last year’s Happo Banks park design?
Bubbles:While it won’t be a complete re-design, there are some new developments for this year.Since it’s the third year for Happo Banks, there is a natural evolution to the features in the park.
BW: What events do you have planned for this season?
Bubbles: Starting with the opening festival, we’ll end the first half of the season with a Banked Slalom race. We’re still in the planning stages though. A regular banked slalom race is usually set in a location conducive to banked turns like a gulley. We don’t have that so it will be more man-made, with some obstacles/features with a freestyle flair.
BW: Can anyone enter?
Bubbles: Of course. We’re discussing right now how to make it more inclusive for all levels of riders.
Bubbles:Then in the second half we’ll have the second year of our ladies camp called Lady, Shreddy, Go!! It’s a one-day event for the girls. Guys will still be allowed to ride the park, but we ask them to keep in mind that it’s for the ladies and to give them priority.
We’re also in the planning stages of a Surf & Snow event. In the past, I did a Quiksilver event in New Zealand which had a boardercross race on the first day and a surf contest the next. In our case, it would be a banked race followed by a surf contest on the coast the next morning.
Finally, we’ll have the Closing Festival at the end of the season.
BW: If you could, would you open the park all season, from start to finish? (Currently it runs from Feb.1st to April 6th)
Hoshino-san: If we could, we’d love to. However, it takes a massive amount of snow to build and early season we just don’t have that snow. It takes way more snow than a traditional park. I used to be a park and halfpipe builder and the amount of snow is totally different.
BW: Ok, any shoutouts or last words
Hoshino-san: For me, thanking my wife is the important thing. Also, 15 years ago, my friend(s) who helped me become a cat driver, I need to thank them too.
Bubbles: I want to thank all the people who have been there with me, from the day I started snowboarding to the bowl scene to making parks, I want to thank everybody connected because they all made it happen. And also, from now on, not only people in the scene, but everyone who comes to the park,I’d like to say, please value the park and take care of it.
In case you missed it, here’s the promo video:
“Skier Families with no clue”!!!!!
Hahhaaa!!!!!
Awesome interview Marc. Loving what your bringing to this blog
Yep!!!!! 
Thanks K2! 
edit: and Mizu!!!!!
I’m most stoked about how the photos turned out. Just got a new camera and wasn’t sure how they’d turn out…but that will be in next week’s post(s). Oh, and I’ll have a report on the Opening Festival on Saturday. Sunday calls for heavy rain though 