In the winter of the 23rd season, travel restrictions due to the corona crisis are being lifted. People come from all over the world to enjoy Japanese snow, culture and skiing. The big news of this season is that international riders from FACTION, which has some of the top freestyle skiers, came to Yuzawa, Niigata Prefecture, and Minakami, Gunma Prefecture.
Alex Hall (second from the right in the top image), who boasts the world's top class ability in slopestyle big air, visited this place.
He is also a Beijing Olympic Slopestyle gold medalist and a 2022 X Games Big Air gold medalist. And 2023 X Games Big Air gold medalist Mac Forehand (second from the left in the top picture) held on January 30th local time.
These are the three members of Anti Ollira, who boast a deep-rooted popularity for their original skiing style (top image, first left).
Last year's X Games champion, this year's X Games champion, and Anti, who leads the unique FACTION team. The FACTION team, which gathers the world's leading riders, came to Japan with the most gorgeous members.
They stayed here to shoot a video work produced by FACTION. Among them is Koga Hoshino (top picture on the far right). I was able to talk to them about the content of this shooting and Koga Hoshino, who is working together.
Editorial Department (hereafter: ed.)
Welcome to Japan. How many times have you been to Japan? What is your impression?
Alex Hall (below: Alex)
It's my first time to come to Japan. The food in Japan is really good and the people are very kind, so I'm having a really fun trip.
Mac Forehand (below: Mac)
I also came to Japan for the first time. I've been wanting to come here for a long time, and finally I was able to. I've been eating Japanese food that I've never had before. At first, I was a little afraid to put it in my mouth, but now I enjoy it.
Anti Ollira (hereafter referred to as Anti)
This is my second visit to Japan. The first time was five years ago when I skied powder in Hokkaido. It's fun to be able to come to a different place this time and see a different side of Japan. Also, it's been dark lately in Finland, so it feels great to see the sunshine for the first time in a while.
Hen - How is the snow and snow quality in Japan?
Mac ー It's interesting in Japan because the way snow falls is completely different when you go over valleys and mountains. When we go from the Minakami area where we are staying to the Yuzawa area, it snows heavily. In America, it doesn't care about valleys and mountains, it rains heavily wherever it falls, so the way it descends is different.
Alex ー I want to skate powder as soon as possible. I don't know when I'll be able to ski in powder, but since I got powder skis this time, I can go anytime, so I'm looking forward to it.
Anti ー It was quite warm until yesterday, so it doesn't feel like powder, but it's snowing now, so I'm looking forward to it.
Hen - This time you are in Japan for shooting, what kind of shooting is being done? Also what is the concept?
Alex ー This shoot in Japan is mainly on the street. I don't think normal productions come to Japan just for the street, so it's really crazy. However, it will be a sharp work that much.
I'm focusing on the anti-street main, but it's still snowing, and when it comes to Japan, it's powder. So, I have to slip the powder properly (lol)
Alex ー Yeah, it's true. Many of my friends have come to Japan, and when they asked me, "What are you doing?" (laughs)
Mac ー Compared to other countries, Japan has many closed ski resorts and ruins, and it becomes a stage for street performances, so it's very symbolic. There is no such place abroad, so it is very impressive.
Hen - Please tell us what kind of spots you have been able to shoot in Japan so far.
Mac ー The last time I took a picture was the ledge of a staircase in an abandoned school. There was a lot of snow, so the stairs were covered with snow and it was safe. After that, I made a lip at a closed ski resort and took a picture.
Hen - Did you leave a good cut? Also, how do Japanese streets differ from overseas streets?
Anti - I have only one shot left so far (laughs) Japanese streets are not just railings, but you can take pictures that take advantage of the topography and buildings, so I would like to leave a shot that is unique to Japan.
Mac ー In America, most of the street spots are in the city, and there are many places where you can get yelled at easily, but Japan is in a quiet place, so there is less pressure. So I can focus on the tricks.
Edit - Koga is participating from Japan, did you know him? How did you feel after doing this session together?
Mac – I saw his edits from a few years ago on "New Schoolers" last year. It was there that he found out about Koga and was very shocked. He did tricks in a section that I would have been intimidated by, so I realized that he was really dangerous.
Alex ー He's become a pretty famous skier overseas, and his popularity matched his riding style. When I met him in person, he was very friendly and guided me to various spots.
Anti - That's right... I remember seeing his first edit three years ago and thinking that his style of skating was very good. I liked him very much from the beginning because he approached street items that I often see and made use of his style, and I had never seen him before.
Hen-Is there anything you think Koga needs in order to make a leap forward in the future?
Mac - I don't think it will change much. I think it is to keep skating every day, keep shooting, and keep doing it. Please attack with the same style as before.
Anit - That's right. Stay with him and keep doing.
Hen - Koga, what kind of experience did you get from this shooting trip?
Koga Hoshino (hereinafter referred to as Koga) In a nutshell, he's crazy in a good way. I don't want to get hurt, so I carefully check my approach, but they just check their speed and try right away. It's like, "Well, I should have turned the video now." I feel that I can grow even more by receiving good stimulation from them.
Hen-Is there anything that left an impression on you during this trip?
Koga ー You shot the jump section with Anti on the first day, using a disused building.
It was an approach that I thought I could only enter as a regular entry, but Anti made a switch 5 hand drug, and the style was cool, and it left a very strong impression. Mac makes tough with a spinning system, and Alex makes a rail-to-rail section with a lot of gaps between rails. I will.
Hen - Up until now, you've been shooting street scenes with your friends in Japan.
Koga - Very lively. I am confident that what I have done so far is not wrong. Rather, I'm used to Japanese sections and snow, so I'm making items with them while suggesting, "Isn't it better to do this here?"
Hen - Koga Thank you very much. I have another question for the three of you. You've only been in Japan for a few days, but what are you looking forward to?
Alex ー I want to skate powder and eat lots of delicious food. Also, I want to go back to the conveyor belt sushi restaurant I went to the day before yesterday (laughs).
Mac - Well... I want to eat more delicious food too (laughs)
Anti-powder, powder, powder... (laughs) I also want to go to the hot springs every day. Finland is famous for saunas, but there are also many hot springs. It's similar to Japanese culture.
Hen - What kind of shoots are you planning to do in other countries in the future?
Mac ー I'm scheduled to shoot parks in Utah, Wyoming, and the Rockies.
Anti ー There is also a park shooting planned for April or so, though I haven't decided where yet. This video will include a lot of park edits, so be sure to check it out.
Hen - Is there anything you want the viewers to feel or see in this work?
Alex ー In my opinion, the difference between the FACTION team and other productions is that we are able to enjoy skating as a team, and that fun is well expressed in the collective footage. So, I hope you can feel one of the charms of skiing, the fun of skiing together.
Mac ー We all have different riding styles, so we look at items from different perspectives even on the same Japanese streets. I hope you can see the difference.
Anti ー What I feel is the same as those two. FACTION is a world of skiers with style and individuality. For this shoot, I was in Finland, Alex and Mac in America, and Koga in Japan. We all come from different cultures and backgrounds, but I hope that through skiing, you can feel the sense of unity and differences in style that come with being a team.
While enjoying Japanese food and culture, they visit 3 to 4 sections every day, and the video of them doing hard shooting is scheduled to be launched from FACTION in November. Look forward to it from now on.
Interviewed and written by Daigo Onozuka