This Year There Were No Holds Barred…
Bigger, better and harder than ever before, The Rhythm Rail Jam was back, and undeniably, in its biggest form to date. 4,000 punters, 50 of Japan’s mountain resort’s best riders, some of the region’s best food trucks and entertainers – it was MASSIVE.
The Hirafu Invasion
It wasn’t just the scale of riding that helped elevate this year’s event to new heights. After successfully hosting two Rhythm Rail Jam’s at Sunsports Land, this year’s event saw us taking things to a whole new level, moving to THE Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu Freeride Park—a central Hirafu location that offered greater accessibility and the perfect stage for an epic night of competition and entertainment.
The Vibe
Electric. There’s a reason that the Rail Jam stands up as one of the most important and anticipated events of the Niseko winter calendar– its all-inclusive community atmosphere. Which, thanks to an incredible assortment of local food stalls, a Rhythm & Beans pop-up bar, and live performances—including mesmerizing fire dancers and even ninja performances– yet again helped the Rhythm Rail Jam make its mark as the highlight event of the season for all in attendance.
The Shredders
A custom built park located in central Grand Hirafu? This year’s setup called for the gnarliest freestyle riding Niseko’s groomers has ever seen–and that’s exactly what 2025’s competitors served up.
From local snowboarder Manw Monzen and Rhythm ambassador Sasha Caddy dominating the Groms division, to local legend Miyu Oishi step-up from her place as third in the 2024 Jam and clinching first place in Women’s Ski and Snowboard, and Line Skis shredder Tatsu Yamagishi stealing the show with a flawless ‘Super Illusive’ to take out first place in the Men’s Snowboard, it was a night of powerhouse performances all-round.
The Future
Seriously, we weren’t lying when we told you it was going to be bigger and better than ever before.
Which begs the question… with the Jam only getting more large-scale each and every year, what do we have in store for next year’s event?
Probably a park setup on the moon – at this stage, it seems the sky’s the limit!
The Winners
Who stood out as Niseko’s best rail riders? Check out our full list of winners below!
Division | Winner |
Men’s Snowboard 1st Place | Tim Herbert |
Men’s Snowboard 2nd Place | Kanato Iwai |
Men’s Snowboard 3rd Place | Mark Mcclement |
Men’s Ski 1st Place | Tatsuya Yamagishi |
Men’s Ski 2nd Place | Jackson Wells |
Men’s Ski 3rd Place | Reagan Wallis |
Women’s Mixed Discipline 1st Place | Miyu Oishi |
Women’s Mixed Discipline 2nd Place | Himari Takamori |
Women’s Mixed Discipline 3rd Place | Shiori Takahashi |
Groms 1st Place | Monzen Manw |
Groms 2nd Place | Liku Sugimoto |
Groms 3rd Place | Sasha Cady |
Not on the podium, but they earnt a place in our hearts
Division | Winner |
‘Rhythm Spirit’ Award – Groms | Souta Shibazaki |
‘Tough As Nails Award’- Groms | Noah Blake |
‘Style Master’ Award – Groms | Dai Monzen |
‘Rhythm Spirit Award’- Adult | Kai Mahler |
‘Tough As Nails’ Award – Adult | Sota Umehara |
‘Style Master’ Award – Adult | Conrad Yamamoto |
‘Best Crash’ Award – Adult | Airi Sasaka |
The Sponsors: We Couldn’t Have Done It Without You
We’d like to give a MASSIVE thank you to all of our sponsors who helped bring the 2025 Rhythm Rail Jam to life!
The Rail Jam got you all hyped up to go hit the park? There’s no better time than now with Rhythm Rides offering 20% off lessons for those who want some additional tips! Honestly, why not bust out a few spring park laps in bluebird conditions? A little birdy even told us that a few of the event’s features may still be up for you all to shred…
