"MOCHIYORI SESSION 2025" was held at Kawaba Snow Resort, a "freestyle session" that transcends age and style.

By
Snowboard / Snowboard Media SBN FREERUN
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Beyond age and style
The free-flowing session got everyone excited.

February 2025nd and 2rd, 22.
The "MOCHIYORI SESSION" was held at Kawaba Snow Resort in Gunma Prefecture.
The event is organized by SNOWBOY PRODUCTIONS, based in Washington state, USA.
The representative of this group is Krush Kulesza, the creator of the famous "Holy Bowly."
MOCHIYORI is not just a park event.
From children to adults, from top riders to locals.
Its greatest feature is that it is a snow park that is multi-directional, allowing everyone to enjoy it in their own way.
The items are not linear jumps or jibs, but are designed to be approached from the side, diagonally, and from any angle.
A playground where there is no "right or wrong answer." This is what makes each slide stand out.
That was the kind of space it was.


Snow, wind and heat.
-- Kawaba on the first day --

I arrived at the event on the first day.
The weather was cloudy with occasional light snow falling, and the conditions were not the best.
However, the riders who had gathered there started skiing regardless.
Smiles and cheers.
By about 3 p.m., no one was showing any signs of stopping the board.
Riders invited from Japan and abroad include Yusaku Horii, Gigi Rüf, Toshiki Nishimura, who is back in Japan from Canada for a short while, Masato Toda, Himari Takamori, and other local riders from Numata.

Nishimura Toshiki & Krush The two are excited. Their smiles before the session are impressive.
Nishimura Toshiki, who is using his unique sensibility to adjust the board. His unique angle and touch make the people around him cheer.

They are of different ages and nationalities and each jump into the section from a different location.
"So that's how you use this item?"
Every time I see it, I'm surprised.
A space where people can show each other their skills, inspire each other, and sessions naturally emerge.
Everyone there was a participant.
Both the viewer and the photographer.
Despite the bad weather, there were a lot of photographers.
Each lens captured the "freedom" that existed there.

A unique item set up at the end of the park. Riders had fun trying out different lines.
A shot of three Numata locals. Showing off their teamwork on their home slopes.
There were many female riders at the event. Their attention to detail and smiles were impressive.

"What is MOCHIYORI?"
- Crash's words -

During a break in the session, I asked Krush about the concept of MOCHIYORI.
He told me:
"I wanted to do something different from the Holy Bowly and slopestyle I've done up until now.
Instead of items that can only be accessed from one direction, we designed it so that it can be played with from multiple directions.
We wanted to create a section where we, the "older generation," could have fun together with the younger riders.
"Adults and children can play together without discrimination. I think that's the ideal situation."

"Holy Bowly has always been in Hakuba, but the location close to the city center is also attractive.
We always stay in the same location for about three years and value our relationships with the local community.
They also continue the rule of holding the event once in a different country each year.
"MOCHIYORI" is the name we use when we hold the event in Japan, but we hope to continue doing it in the future."

Masato Toda. Light and supple. He showed off his unique style again today.
The fun part of this session is how to show off a performance that will draw attention at the spot where the gallery gathers.

 

Session heat
- A place where expressions intermingle -

What's interesting about this event is the variety of approaches to a single item.
Where will it spring out from? How will it connect?
These sections truly test the rider's individuality.
Each person shows their own unique style.
All of them will be the “right answer”.
Even with the same item, the scenery can look completely different depending on who is skiing.
Just looking at it was fun.
Bad weather? Doesn't matter.
The riders were in high spirits throughout the event.
By the way, it seems the weather was fine on the second day, but unfortunately I was away from the venue.

A shot of Chinese cabbage in mid-air. The graphics on the board and the angle of the air are a perfect match.
AIRBLASTER rider Hakusai keeps trying no matter how many times he falls. His skating is full of determination and fun.
The crowd erupted as Gigi Ruff appeared. All the cameramen's lenses were pointed at him.
Yusaku Horii deliberately rides close to the rider in front of him. He shares the atmosphere and shows his craftsmanship by enhancing the session.

Sound and Air
- Freestyle performance -

Another attraction of the sessions is the sound.
The music played during the event was a genre-less selection including reggae, rock, and hardcore.
They didn't make any assumptions and just shuffled along to suit the atmosphere.
There were no rules.
Even the music that was played was free.

Takamori Himari also approached the shot in her own style. Her light and nimble movements were memorable.

 

And the culture of MOCHIYORI

A space that knows no boundaries regarding skating, style, age, nationality or genre.
That is the MOCHIYORI SESSION.
There, you can experience the true fun of snowboarding.
It's not a line decided by someone else, but a line that you create yourself.
The fun of skating with someone, not competing with them.

This wasn't just an event taking place here.
A crossroads of cultures.
During these two days, the passion for various forms of expression was concentrated in Kawaba.

Photographer KUWA-chan and Gigi. A moment when smiles naturally spill out as they reunite with old friends.
The driving force behind this event was Krush. Even when he wasn't skating, just standing there he had a strong presence, like a symbol.

Photo & Story: zizo