Is it just me noticing this or are 18-28 year olds always snowborders in Japan?

16 comments

1. I’ve noticed in the US, 18-28 year olds almost always snowboard. Where are “other places”?

2. All my boys (4) are snowboarders.

3. In Vancouver it’s close to 100% snowboarders. Not just japan.

4. Yea, it looks cooler than ski and that’s all they care about at that age.
   Performance wise ski is far superior. Yes, it’s my opinion. And yes, I talk without knowing.

5. I hate being with boarders, I want to go down the slope but I gotta wait for them buckles

6. Snowboarding is “cool”. A lot of snowboarders suck, but it is the “cool” way to 滑る. More about appearances.

   Doesn’t look very cool sliding down a steep face on your heel side edge pushing all the snow down with you though… but what do I know?

   (also in response to)

   >I noticed you don’t really see many boarders in Japan unless you go to the wide and more gentle resorts

7. Don’t know about other people, but I started boarding because it looked cool, and stayed with it because it was more fun than skiing.

8. Snowboarding is generally better suited for younger people since learning it involves so much falling down and getting up which isn’t conducive for older folks. Once you hit a certain age people tend to switch over from snowboarding to skiing since skiing is a lot easier.

   I’ve been boarding for three seasons now and tried skiing for the first time last week. I found it laughably easy, which makes me happy to know that once I’m too old to board I can always switch to skiing and still enjoy the slopes in a safer and easier way.

9. never met a snowboarder in my life and im 28 so idk

10. Yeah and most of them are god awful too (like why did you even bother to come if your not gonna try improve bad), at least in the Hiroshima, Okayama western Japan area. I see at least five people get a concussion a week because they can’t ride straight and go toe forward while continuously breaking down a hill, not wearing a helmet.

11. What’s more interesting is the migration. A lot of people will learn skiing in their primary years, but then transition to snowboarding. The reverse doesn’t happen at all.

    I imagine it can be broken down into a few things.

    1. Ease of Entry – Snowboarding is boots and board. The less is more approach. The boots are also similar to winter boots and easier to walk in. A lot of comfort points there.
    2. Cool Factor – The ski bubble produced a lot of skiers that are now reaching retirement age. Things that old people do isn’t cool. As a skier, I’m surrounded by old people. The hardcore skier is typically older.
    3. Style – Snowboarding clothes have more designs similar to regular fashion. Baggy pants and oversized sweatshirts can be seen all over in regular street fashion. A lot of the fashion is similar.
    4. Starting Point – A lot of people learn skiing as a kid but only touch snowboarding after their education. This means everyone is at the same starting point and is MUCH more fun to do with friends as everyone is learning together.

12. I’m 31 and I went snowboarding and fell 30 times.. I get why old folk don’t lol

13. It’s the worst and they all just sit on their ass in the middle of the slopes

14. Can I just rant about how annoying people are who go snowboarding/skiing with their friends and don’t take lessons first? Invariably they are an absolute danger and have zero mountain awareness. Mostly they just sit on the snow in the way of everyone near the bottom lift (because they can’t actually get on a lift and so have to climb up the piste.

    Does not happen in Europe. If you can’t ski/board safely and you’re not in ski school you’re getting your lift pass taken away.

15. Small country with easy and quick access to some decent areas. Makes sense

16. Here in Hokkaido I see skiers of all ages and boarders of all ages. Maybe because both are pretty accessible up here.