3 Days of Competition, Culture, and Community at Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain
For the first time, The Uninvited, snowboarding’s leading rider-driven platform, will bring its celebrated event to Japan. The Uninvited Japan Open, presented by YETI, will take place February 6–8, 2026 at Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain, showcasing the riders, culture, and community shaping the future of snowboarding.
The three-day gathering opens with an elite street-style competition offering a ¥1.5 million prize purse, followed by Community Ride Day, an inclusive on-snow experience open to riders of all ability levels.
“Each year we’re blown away by the talent coming out of Japan,” says Jess Kimura, founder of The Uninvited. “With so many rising riders, this felt like the perfect time to bring the energy of The Uninvited here.”
Expect new names, next-generation talent, and an action-packed weekend that blends progression, creativity, and connection.
● Friday, Feb 6: Course inspection & practice
● Saturday, Feb 7: Competition & awards ceremony
● Sunday, Feb 8: Community Ride Day (open registration link here)
More information will be available on the website.
A cornerstone of every Uninvited event, Community Ride Day reflects the organization’s commitment to accessibility, mentorship, and meaningful community engagement within snowboarding. Open to riders of all levels, the day invites participants to ride alongside professional athletes, share experiences, and build lasting connections.
For the Japan Open, The Uninvited is partnering with Tomoyo Oishi, a respected figure in Japan’s snowboarding community known for her distinctive style and dedication to progression and inclusion. Tomoyo has led successful grassroots initiatives such as G-Event, welcoming more than 70 participants focused on skill development and community building.
Community Ride Day builds on The Uninvited’s history of impactful partnerships, including Beyond The Boundaries (USA) and Sunday Laps at Absolut Park (Austria), reinforcing its global commitment to inclusive progression within the sport.
The Uninvited Japan Open is presented by YETI with support from The North Face, Union Binding Co., CAPiTA Super Corp., Sun Bum, Slush Magazine, and Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain
Founded in 2017 by powerhouse snowboarder Jess Kimura, The Uninvited began as a self-produced, award-winning film trilogy that exposed, and pushed back against, the gender gap in action sports. Kimura recognized a wealth of untapped talent and built a stage where it could finally be seen, helping launch the careers of countless girls, women, and non-binary riders.
That same drive now fuels The Uninvited Invitational, a competition series where these athletes aren’t a side note—they are the headline. By offering the resources and visibility they deserve, the Invitational creates space for riders to surpass expectations and shape snowboarding’s future. It’s a showcase for top-level street progression and a catalyst for the next generation.
The Uninvited is a global platform for underrepresented riders, combining elite competition with authentic storytelling and community-driven impact. Born from grit, vision, and a desire to see the next generation thrive, it has risen to become one of the most influential cultural movements in action sports.
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