Years before surfers stormed Waco, Texas, for the Swatch Nines, snowboarders and freeskiers were gathering for an event with the same name and the same spirit of progression — a days-long, invite-only session featuring the most innovative athletes in the world. On Thursday, organizers announced the 2026 Swatch Nines Snow will go to Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU resort in Hokkaido for the first time.
“It’s not just a change of scenery, it’s a whole new playground that is sure to spark fresh ideas, bold moves, and next-level creativity,” event organizers said in a press release. The past three years, the Nines were held at Schilthorn Piz Gloria, part of the Jungfrau ski region in Switzerland.
Freeskiing and snowboarding saw some impressive world firsts in its three-year run at the Swiss resort. Snowboarder Valentino Guseli set a new world record for the highest air ever on a snowboard in 2024. He reached 37.73 feet launching off of the “The Perfect Hip,” a massive hip built specifically for the event. The 2026 event will have its own specially built feature in Japan, as well.
“Swatch Pro Team athlete and halfpipe sensation Kaishu Hirano, will be among those contributing to the course design and later showcasing his insane skills on it,” the event shared in the press release, teasing the new course design.
Organizers didn’t go into much more in terms of details beyond Hirano’s input on the course design and the move to Japan. The event will run from April 6 to April 11, 2026.
