Last April, we wrapped up park contest season at Woodward Park City with the Uninvited Invitational. The riding was heavy—and honestly we've come to expect that from Jess' brainchild event—but when we heard the first stop of the 2026 Uninvited circuit was landing in Japan, we were mostly curious how it would translate. Torment affiliate, Taylor Boyd, happened to be holed up next to Nekoma Mountain in the Japanese sidecountry for a couple weeks, so we gave him a ring and sent him through. He came back with a stack of photos that felt both surprising and familiar.
There’s clearly something in the water up in north Japan, because groms are frontboarding (better than most) stair sets without hesitation, DFDs are getting worked, and an overall energy makes you forget you’re technically watching a qualifier at all. And the more we looked at the photos, the more we realized that’s the whole point. Even 6,000 miles from where the series really kicks off, the Uninvited still feels like the Uninvited. Same opportunities, same atmosphere, just a different backdrop.
Photography by: Taylor Boyd
1st: Hinano Sakamoto
2nd: Himari Takamori
3rd: Shizuku Hanada
YETI Rookie: Midori Oshima
The North Face Best Trick: Yurika Takizawa
