World's Top Athletes Gather at Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU: Swatch Nines Snow 2026 Rider Lineup Announced

Tokyu Land Corporation (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Hiroaki Hoshino; hereinafter 'Tokyu Land') and Tokyu Resorts & Stay Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Shinya Tange; hereinafter 'Tokyu Resorts & Stay') are pleased to announce the full lineup of participating riders for 'Swatch Nines Snow 2026' (hereinafter 'the Event'), one of the world's premier action sports events, which will be held for the first time in Asia at the all-season international mountain resort 'Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU,' owned and operated by the two companies.

The Event is co-organized by The Nines AG (Headquarters: Zug, Switzerland; CEO: Nico Zacek; hereinafter 'Nines'), Machino Mirai Inc. (Headquarters: Sapporo, Hokkaido; President: Ken Sugai; hereinafter 'Machino Mirai'), and The Small Things Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Etsushi Tagami; hereinafter 'The Small Things'). It will take place over six days from April 6 (Mon) to April 11 (Sat), 2026. Previously held in international snow resorts around the world, this event will feature over 50 invited riders, including medalists from the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The final day, April 11 (Sat), will be a 'Public Day,' allowing any guest at Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU to watch the event.

Top Domestic Athletes Gather As the first Asian edition of Swatch Nines Snow, the lineup is more focused on the Asian region than ever before. Many Milano Olympic representatives, including Japanese athletes, are confirmed to participate.

From men's snowboarding, a total of 8 Japanese riders are scheduled to participate, including Ayumu Hirano, a three-time Olympic halfpipe medalist and icon of Japanese snowboarding; Ryusei Yamada, a Milano Olympic halfpipe bronze medalist; and Taiga Hasegawa, a slopestyle silver medalist.

From women's snowboarding, a total of 6 Japanese riders are scheduled to participate, including Kokomo Murase, a Milano Olympic Big Air gold medalist, and Mari Fukada, a slopestyle gold medalist.

Furthermore, representing the local Niseko area, two skiers are scheduled to participate: Gen Sasaki, a former Japanese national team member in ski slopestyle and big air, and Tenran Katsuno, who placed 5th at the FIS Freeride World Championships held in February 2026.

*Please note that participating riders may change due to natural disasters or other unavoidable circumstances.

Regarding the course setup, there will be some changes due to logistics; instead of a skatepark section, an iconic section centered around 'Mini Mt. Yotei' will be featured.

About the Public Day To bring the unique world of Swatch Nines Snow to a new Japanese audience, a Public Day will be held on April 11 (Sat). General guests can watch the event in person, experiencing the evolution of snow sports in real-time. Viewing is free for anyone with a Grand Hirafu lift pass.

Schedule: 11:00–12:30 Warm-up 13:30–15:00 Public Session (with DJ/MC)

About Swatch Nines Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU Swatch Nines is a 'friendly outsider' in the competitive sports world. It attracts top athletes, filmmakers, and photographers from around the globe with its unique format and venue settings, celebrating human talent and creativity while inheriting the wild spirit of action sports. It is a next-generation entertainment event focused on 'showing off' creativity rather than 'competing' for rankings. It continues to evolve with cultural changes and currently operates across four pillars: Snow, Surf, Skate, and Bike.

Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU is an international mountain resort located in Kutchan Town, Hokkaido, which declared itself a 'Ski Town' in 1972. For over 40 years, Tokyu Land and Tokyu Resorts & Stay have contributed to the promotion of snow culture and the enhancement of Niseko's international brand value.

This event is a special place where the histories of Swatch Nines and Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU merge. With Mt. Yotei in the background, athletes and Olympians from around the world will perform world-class tricks, which will be broadcast online to the world. It is truly art drawn on snow, transcending the boundaries of sports.