With boarding in Japan basically a rite of passage now, it’s cool to see Finlay Woods and the TNF squad find some novelty beyond waist-deep pow slashes and obligatory Tokyo tail-enders. The trip still hits all the Hokkaido must-haves, from deep backcountry lines to perfect terrain tucked in every corner, but this time they paired it with a new angle: an original soundtrack built entirely from sounds they recorded along the way.
As The North Face puts it, “Each train station announcement and temple bell enhances the rhythm of snowboarding and emphasizes the cultural soundscape of this country.” It felt like a reach at first, but after watching Mateo Massitti float a front seven to a soundscape that plays like nursing a lone pint in a half-lit bar somewhere in the side country, the whole idea landed. In the end, it was just as fun hearing the crew explore Japan as it was watching them ride it.
Featuring: Austin Smith, Mateo Massitti, Aya Sato, and Kazuhige Fujita
Directed by: Finlay Woods
Photography by: Finlay Woods and Alex Pashley
