Thick clouds sat heavy over Niseko in an eerie quiet as the first wave of riders creaked their way, single-file, up the rattling chairlift. By the final pylons—rusted by decades of humid sea mist—the clouds began to evaporate into blue sky, like steam off the surface of an onsen, revealing the stunning Mt. Yotei and beneath it, its man-made reflection: the 2026 Swatch Nines setup.
Mt. Yotei through the Nines Gate
Ethan Stone
Event News
lost voices of the nines
The fundamentals of karaoke: Swatch Nines does Niseko
This was the first Nines in Asia, and for many people on site, the first time in Japan. A cultural shock—the cuisine, the language and the hospitality all a far cry from the familiar rhythm of European mountain towns. And no difference more noticeable, or more curious, than the obsession with karaoke.
After long days on the mountain battling the weather, most nights ended deep in the backroom of Phoenix Bar with a microphone, too much sake and fifty people creating the same chaotic, communal, completely unhinged action that is synonymous with The Nines.
Somewhere between late-night karaoke and early-morning chairlifts, a few fundamentals started to emerge.
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That drum was full of sake, and we made a point of trying to finish it.
Isami Kiyooka
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The man-made mirror image of Mt. Yotei.
Isami Kiyooka
If you miss a note, try again
Frankly, the weather was terrible. As quickly as Mt. Yotei revealed itself on the first morning, it disappeared again into impregnable fog. Visibility would vanish entirely, and persistent wind rendered even the clear moments almost unrideable.
Phones burnt through data refreshing weather models that, for once, all agreed: it wasn’t looking good.
Still, the plan wasn’t going to change.
A narrow weather window appeared at 5am on the second morning. Without any time to worry about jet lag, the whole crew of forty-plus riders were on the gondola by 4:30am to try and catch what could be the only window of the week.
At the top: full blizzard.
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Early risers greeted by the storm.
Remi Fukamachi
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The teasing early morning light of the first 5am session.
Johan Hollmuller
Everyone took refuge in the mountain restaurant, watching as dawn teased through the storm, briefly lighting the course in a false hope. A few riders ventured out. Filmers followed. The semi-sheltered quarterpipe saw some hits, but not what they had travelled to Japan to capture.
In karaoke, however, when you miss a note, you don’t stop—you double down.
The next morning, in what might be described as blind optimism, they tried again, tempted by the promise of golden light and, if the Japanese mountain spirits were merciful, a few moments without wind.
Filmers leaving for the early gondola passed editors finally heading for bed. No one really knew what day it was anymore. It didn’t matter. They were going to try everything they could.
The Swatch Nines 2026 setup appearing through the sea of clouds above Niseko.
Jonas Leitner
It only takes one person to start the party
At some point, someone has to go first. The first person to grab the mic, completely ignoring the hounding wind, was Dylan Deschamps. While the rest of the crew struggled to find inspiration on the QP, Dylan opened up the jump unannounced, soaring over the group of riders hiking up the knuckle.
Dylan proved what was possible, somehow feeling confident enough to triple dip a 1080 off the right-side hit before anyone else had even thought about hitting the jump. After that, things started to get moving.
Local rider, Gen Sasaki, was the first to brave the main takeoff, taking a huge triple backflip all the way to the base station. Sämi Ortlieb, chief course designer, was everywhere—skiing all over the setup, linking features and bringing his brainchild alive. Sämi was sewing seeds of creativity, sprouting sessions and inspiring the Capeesh crew of Kai Mahler, Tormod Frostad, Matej Svancer and Daniel Bacher to unlock new flow lines.
The inspiringly fearless Jay Rawe also followed Dylan’s lead, floating his ever impressive sit ski into a cork 360. Jay then bagged one of the only NBDs of the week, becoming the first ever sit skier to land a flare on a vert wall—first try of course.
Jay Rawe's flare in the QP. Everytime Jay comes to the Nines he puts down NDBs.
Isami Kiyooka
Gen Sasaki braving the wind to show everyone that the main jump works.
Jonas Gasser
The best songs are the ones everyone knows
The setup wasn’t about intimidation, but rather inclusion. A course that invited all the riders in, rather than immediately testing their limits. Features you could session, interpret in multiple ways and approach according to the conditions. A 50-meter challenge rail that you could hop back onto mid-line. A jump with take-offs safe enough to hit in the wind. A skatepark-inspired mini ramp section to jib around when nothing else was possible.
It was…fun, accessible.
And that mattered, especially in a week like this. Because when the conditions don’t allow the biggest tricks, what’s left is how the setup rides—and this one allowed everyone to get involved.
Sämi Ortlieb on the playful top section of the course.
Joshua Stengel
Jesper Tjäder doing Jesper Tjäder things on the volcano tampoline.
Jonas Gasser
It’s not about being the best, it’s about having the most fun
It wasn’t a week full of the heaviest NBDs and pitch-perfect performances. With the conditions we were handed, it couldn’t be.
Instead, creativity and persistence carried the week. Jesper Tjäder put on a clinic on the volcano trampoline—a feature designed by him, for him—teaching the rest of the crew the dark art of flipping on and off a trampoline while clipped into skis.
Madeline Disbrowe sessioned the down rail under the bridge with a group of motivated women, while Avery Krumme and Skye Clarke swerved their way around the rollers and transitions of the lower course.
It wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t need to be.
Even if it’s bad, keep going
The best session of the week came at an unlikely time.
On a morning that started with drizzle and ended in heavy rain, for about two hours it clicked. For the first time in the week there was almost no wind and, just like a dry slope powder day, the snow was running fast enough to session the main jump. Energy was building, riders were feeding off each other, and tricks were going down—despite the intensifying rain, the session finally felt like the Nines.
Riders like Vincent Veile and Max Moffatt were coming back up the lift soaked through but smiling, ready to get as many laps in as possible on the perfect booter. Filmers covered cameras with trash bags, while riders cleared rain from their goggles—the same conditions would’ve cancelled any normal park shoot but no one mentioned the rain, it was the best conditions they had and they were going to make the most of it.
Max Moffatt blunting in the rain.
Jonas Gasser
The crowd makes the party
Off the hill, there was little sign of the challenges we faced on the mountain. Every hotel dinner was an event, with endless plates of sushi and wasabi strong enough to derail conversations mid-sentence.
Japanese hospitality is famous, and we experienced the best of it. A live tuna carving provided sashimi straight off the bone, while a traditional taiko drum show had everyone covered in goosebumps.
The resort staff matched the chaos with calm, warmth and endless hospitality. Without a crowd, karaoke is no more fun than singing in the shower.
Always leave them wanting more
As the week wrapped up, there were mixed emotions. Despite everything, the Swatch Nines crew was still able to produce moments of magic and create unforgettable memories, but many were leaving with unfinished business. The potential of the course was undeniable, but never fully realised.
Like all great performers, Niseko left the Nines hungry for more. Thankfully, this won’t be a one-and-done: after a pit stop at Schilthorn in Switzerland next year, Swatch Nines will return to Niseko again in 2028. Keep the karaoke machine plugged in, because we’ll be back.
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Live tuna carving show.
Johan Hollmuller
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The rattling old chairlift.
Isami Kiyooka
The Swatch Nines 2026 Niseko Recap Edit.
The Nines Youtube