Coming from all walks of life, countless different countries, and of course, most of the world’s best mountain resorts, the Rhythm Japan crew help keep Japan’s mountain spirit alive each and every day, both on the slopes and in-store.
From taking the sport to new heights, inspiring others, and being leaders in the workplace, Rhythm Japan has a lot of leading ladies who we feel deserve some love for all they do for the company, the local mountain community, and snowsports as a whole.
So in celebration of this International Women’s Day, we caught up handful of legends who we feel especially uphold Rhythm Japan’s ethos of ‘Keep Crushin’ It’ on International Women’s Day.
Jillian, People Operators Manager
Where are you from?
I’m from a gorgeous little peninsula called Coral, in the UK.
How many snow seasons have you done all up?
Oh my gosh, I’ve done three in Niseko; two in Austria, one in France and one in New Zealand.
Favorite spot to ride?
I’m the equivalent of a ‘passenger princess’, I just go where my friends go. After three seasons here, I don’t know the names of any of the runs, but I’m really in love with Hanazono.
Favorite person to ride with?
My boyfriend, Matt, and then my Sunday morning crew, Tom Gunning and Morgan Dowling.
Why do you like riding with them?
Matt, because he’s an incredible guide. Tom and Morgan, because I have the most fun and laugh with them and they’re great riders.
Origin Story?
My boyfriend, Matt, taught me how to snowboard in my first season here, so I had 1000’s of pounds worth of free lessons, and I’m very grateful.
What made you want to do seasons?
I love the lifestyle of seasons, I like the like small mountain town communities, and I love being out in the snow and in touch with nature. I think that’s what keeps bringing me back.
What do you love most about riding?
I think my favorite thing about snowboarding and living in mountain towns is the community and then being out on the hill. You’re so in touch with nature, you’re just floating down a mountain on a plank of wood. It’s really magical. I feel really grateful to do it.
Do you have any tips for anyone that’s starting off?
Get an instructor. It’s really difficult watching people try to self-teach snowboarding. Get out there. Get some mileage in and do seasons, if you’re young and it’s your first time, get a company that does it all for you.
Aiofe, Rhythm Hirafu
Where are you from?
Ireland.
How many seasons have you done?
I’ve done five seasons. This is my third winter, first in Japan, but have previously done seasons in France.
Favorite spot to ride?
Probably Hanazono because you’ve got the tree runs and the park as well.
Favorite person to go ride with?
Oh, I can’t choose one, but I love going out with my friends who also work in guest services, Marnie and Zali, they’re just great vibes, and they’re always down for a lunch break after about an hour of riding.
Origin Story?
I learned to snowboard in Lapland, Finland, when I was working for Santa Claus, and then I just transferred over to a ski season from there and haven’t looked back since.
What do you love most about snowboarding?
Oh, I think it’s the like adrenaline rush that you get and you just feel so good after it’s like when you go for a run, if you’re feeling down, you just have to push yourself to go up on the mountain, and you’ll just feel better instantly.
Claire, Guest Services, Rhythm Furano
Where are you from?
I’m from South Australia. This is my third season here at Rhythm Japan and I’ve previously done two in Thredbo, Australia.
Favorite spot to ride?
Sapporo Kokusai, I just went there the other day, and it’s amazing.
Origin Story?
I started snowboarding in COVID. There wasn’t really much else to do and one of my friends said, ‘you want to go snowboarding?’ And I said, ‘yeah, let’s go do a season’, and then it was just me in the end that ended up going, but Ihaven’t looked back.
Favourite thing about shredding?
I just really like the feeling of sliding down the mountain and just the like, the bottomless powder, yeah, it’s just a really good feeling – it’s like no other.
Stella, Guest Services Administration, Rhythm Hirafu
Where are you from?
Sydney, Australia.
How many seasons have you done?
This is my first ever season!
Favorite spot to shred?
I loved Miharasi, in Hirafu, but I’ve recently really loved Strawberry Fields in Hanozono.
Your favorite person to go ride with, or a crew to go ride with?
I like riding with different people because it’s my first season. I’ve never seen snow before back in Australia. So I found that going with different people kind of helped me push and learn a lot more. But I’d say my little group is Charlotte, Sammy, Yaz and Rina.
When and how did you start skiing or snowboarding?
I started here at the start of the season, Chris Meadows taught me how to snowboard. I did a lesson with Rhythm, and I’ve been riding ever since.
What do you love the most about snowboarding?
I love the freedom and being able to be out in nature like Sydney, we don’t have snow back home, so it’s cool being in the trees and being in an environment that I don’t have back home.
Any tips advice would you give anyone starting off?
Do it as much as you can and go with different people who push you to do more than what you’d be doing by yourself.
Christie, Ski tech, Rhythm Hirafu
Where are you from?
Australia.
How many snow seasons have you done?
14 in my life, and this is my first one at Niseko. The other ones were in Whistler, Banff, New Zealand and Perisher.
What’s your favorite spot to ride in Niseko?
On a power day, it would be Gate 11.
Favourite shredder to go riding with?
Probably my favorite person at the moment is Jen, just because she’s at a really similar level to me, I feel like we just have the best time. But I ride with a lot of people. I can just rock up at work and see who’s keen.
Origin Story?
I started skiing when I was 19. My best friend is really good at it so she was like, ‘you should try it’. That was eight years ago – now look at me!
What do you love the most about skiing?
The feeling of freedom that you get when you ski is like nothing else.
Do you have any tips for anyone that’s starting off?
The sooner, the better, get right into it!
Jenny and Natalie, Rhythm Wadano
Where are you both from?
Jenny: I’m from Brisbane.
Natalie: I’m from Melbourne!
How many seasons have you done?
Jenny: This is my 10th! Three in Canada, three in Japan, and four at Thredbo.
Natalie: I’ve done five. I did four in Canada, and this is my first in Japan.
Favorite spot to ride?
Jenny: Iwatake!
Natalie: Me too!
When and how did you start skiing or snowboarding?
Jenny: I started in New Zealand seven years ago? I think…
Natalie: I learned to ski when I was a kid in Oz, but very badly. And then I learned to snowboard in Canada, like five years ago.
What do you love most about skiing or snowboarding?
Jenny: Just being out there with friends, getting outside, doing something different, sweet.
Do you have any tips for anyone starting off?
Jenny: Bend your knees, squeeze your glutes and look up.
Natalie: Don’t look at your feet, because you if look at the front of the board and then you’re just gonna fall over the front of it. Really, as Jenny said, literally, just look up.
Holly, Rhythm and Beans Cafe
Where are you from?
England.
How many seasons have you done?
This is my eighth season now, but it’s my first one in Niseko.
I’ve previously done four in Canada, one in Australia, and one in New Zealand!
Favorite spot?
I don’t really particularly have a favorite spot. I just like cruising.
Favourite Shredder To Go Riding With?
I don’t think I have a particular favorite person. I’ll just go with whoever, although sometimes I quite like to just go on my own, listen to my music and vibe in.
Origin Story?
I started skiing when I was three years old, but then I turned to a snowboarder, maybe, like, four years ago. I actually used to work as a skiing instructor, and then it became work a little bit. So I just wanted to separate work and hobbies a bit.
What do you love most about skiing or snowboarding?
I don’t have an answer for that. It’s difficult to describe the feeling.
Tee, Senior Director of Experiences (Rhythm Rides)
Where are you from?
I’m from Jindabyne in Australia.
How many seasons have you done, and how many in Niseko?
I don’t even know how many. I think over 30 winter seasons now across Canada, US, Australia, and 15 here in Niseko now.
What’s your favorite spot to ride?
Definitely the North face or the backbowl, just super steep, deep and beautiful snow.
How did you start snowboarding?
I grew up in Jindabyne, so I grew up skiing. I think I started when I was like three as we did school sports in the snow. And then at some point when I was around 12 or 13, snowboarding was cool, skiing wasn’t. So I started to get into it then, and spent a few years doing both, but settled into snowboarding kind of early, early 20s.
What do you love most about snowboarding?
For me, I think I love the connection with nature–it’s just nature and yourself. When I’m out there and it’s a beautiful day in the powder you really feel everything else sort of melt away.
Any tips for people starting off?
I would definitely say you need to have the right gear. Make sure you’re all decked up and warm, because there’s nothing worse than being cold and wet when you’re outside. So get the right gear and then get a lesson. You can learn techniques in a lesson over a few hours that might take you a good week on your own to figure it out. So don’t try and figure it out on your own, get a professional.
What is one thing almost every interviewee said? Take a lesson! And there’s no better time than now, with Rhythm Rides offering 20% off all lesson, guiding and touring experiences for the month of March!
