Report from the "Ishii Sports Custom Fair" early bird sales event for new ski models, held from June 14th (Fri) to June 16th (Sun) in Tokyo! Tomorrow is the last day!

Ishii Sports' Custom Fair is Japan's largest early bird sales event, showcasing a wide selection of new ski models for the 2024-2025 season. This popular user event is taking place in six locations across the country: Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo, Nagano, Niigata, and Osaka. We'll report on the Tokyo venue (June 14th-16th @ Sunshine City Ikebukuro)

What is Custom Fair?

Ishii Sports holds its annual Custom Fair, an early bird sales event held from late May to June, and it's a fun event for avid skiers, where they can check out a ton of new gear all at once. There are over 20,000 items on display! New models for the 2024-2025 season from many ski manufacturers are unveiled to users, and if you find an item you like, you can immediately reserve it! You can purchase it at a special price only available at an early bird sales event. There are also plenty of events to enjoy, such as talk shows by top athletes and trial sessions

You can get a feel for the atmosphere at the venue by watching this video ▼

This is what the first day of the Tokyo venue was like on June 14th (Friday)! @ Ikebukuro Sunshine City

Admission on the first day is..

The Tokyo event lasted for three days. The first day, Friday, started slowly, from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM, but by 4:00 PM when the STEEP editorial team arrived, there was a huge line at the reception! Check-in was easy, just show your Yodobashi card or add your smartphone to the Ishii Sports official LINE account as a friend . The process was very smooth, but the line never got shorter, with visitors arriving one after another. It's a weekday, right? It's still 4:00 PM, right? We started our tour of the venue with growing anticipation.

This is the layout of the Tokyo venue. You can see that it is divided into two main sections: hard gear and accessories. Take a closer look at the brand logos plotted on the layout. You can see that almost all of the major brands are exhibiting, including skis and boots, clothing, ski poles, goggles and helmets, and gloves. It's rare to have the opportunity to see so many items from so many brands all at once and efficiently on one floor

Here are 10 great things about the Custom Fair

1. An overwhelming number of brands and attractive items on display

There are at least 90 brands exhibiting at the Tokyo venue, just counting the logos on the guide map. This means that if you include smaller accessory brands, the number will likely exceed 100. Ishii Sports describes it as having "approximately 20,000 products," and the selection is certainly convincing. With so much information to see, it's overwhelming, but being able to compare and consider a variety of products across brands is invaluable. Let's take a quick look at the exhibiting brands' booths

2. It's a rare opportunity to actually see, touch, and try on the clothes!

While there are test ride events during the ski season, there are few opportunities to actually try on boots, wear different types and colors of gear, or try on helmets and goggles. When it comes to deciding to buy something, human nature is such that people want to feel it for themselves. Being able to touch and try out products to their heart's content at the event allows you to make a satisfying purchase

What was particularly noticeable at the Tokyo venue was that each brand's boot corner was spacious, with plenty of chairs, creating an environment where customers could try on boots in a relaxed atmosphere. The boot corners of brands offering boots equipped with the BOA® Fit System were particularly popular. It was clear that many users wanted to actually try on the boots to see how they held on and felt

3. Limited-time, first-come, first-served, early sale models, and venue-only services!

There are many items that can only be purchased at the Custom Fair. Clothing in particular tends to be in short supply due to limited colors and sizes, but if you come to the venue you may be able to find the item you want, or you may be able to get it by pre-ordering early. Another attractive feature is the early sale limited model, and the ability to customize the size of pants for clothing

4. Support from manufacturer staff and advice for riders!　

Manufacturer staff are on hand at each brand's booth, so you can easily listen to detailed product explanations. You can also learn about details that you won't find in catalogs or online information, as well as development anecdotes. At the Tokyo venue, famous and popular riders, some of whom are known as "that athlete!", were giving gear advice to users at the booths of their respective brands. This gave off a very premium vibe. By the way, on the first day, I discovered..

At the ATOMIC booth that day were two of Japan's world-renowned freeskiers, Kodama Tsuyoshi and Onozuka Ayana

I can't believe it! I got to put on my boots like this with Takeshi Kodama, who has skied all over the globe, kneeling on the ground! Ayana Onozuka was also there to talk to the visitors about ATOMIC skis

It is an incredible blessing for fans to be able to actually interact with professional riders and athletes that they are interested in and admire through the media and social media

Legendary freeskier Yamaki Masahiro, also known as Yamakicks, was on hand to attend to the OGASAKA booth. The signature model to be released in the 2024-2025 season is still in production, so the unveiling of the actual model has been postponed, but this is a chance to hear valuable stories from Yamakicks himself about the model's development and riding feel

Attending the K2 LINE booth was rider and marketing manager Shuichi Ichihashi, who shared some key points to consider when choosing gear from a rider's perspective

5. There is also a concierge service provided by Ishii Sports staff!

Ishii Sports' concierge service, run by pro shop staff, will guide you through all aspects of choosing ski gear across brands. If you're interested in an item but don't know how to choose, or you're a little worried about making a purchase on your own because gear isn't cheap, they'll kindly and carefully support you with accurate advice. What a relief! It's free to use, but you need to make a reservation in advance

6. Get information about ski resorts + take part in a fun raffle!

The Custom Fair is not only attended by brands, but also by resorts and travel agencies. At the booths of each ski resort, pamphlets are handed out and fun raffles are held, creating a lively atmosphere. When a "big win!" is announced, the sound of bells rings out loudly. Just that alone creates a festive atmosphere

Tables are filled with a variety of luxurious prizes, including novelty goods from ski resorts, local specialties, discount coupons for facilities, etc. Many ski resorts also offer the chance to win lift tickets by answering a questionnaire

7. A wide variety of talk shows and events will be held, covering current topics

Another attraction of the Custom Fair is that during the event, guest skiers and manufacturers from a variety of categories, including basic, alpine, and freeride, will be invited to participate in live talk shows and tuning seminars

The photo above shows a talk show titled "The Secret of Fit and Its Power" about the BOA® Fit System, held in the morning of the second day. With guests Takeshi Kodama and Kazushi Nakamura, it was a fun time deepening our understanding of boots equipped with the BOA® Fit System

This time we have the popular alpine racer, Seigo Kato. He reports to the many fans gathered about his activities this season, including the remarkable achievement of becoming the first Japanese to advance to the GS final at the 2023-2024 World Cup. Seigo Kato is also featured in the STEEP book "SKI BOOK," so be sure to check it out

The Tokyo venue will be packed with interesting events over the three days. There will also be plenty of showtimes you won't want to miss on the final day, Sunday, June 15th. Be sure to check the official website

8. Get a free copy of "Sieger," which is packed with information on new items for the 2024-2025 season!

Another great benefit is that visitors to the venue will receive a free copy of "Sieger," the seasonal new model information magazine published by Ishii Sports every year in conjunction with this custom fair

This "Sieger" is packed with gear information in a wide range of genres, including basic, alpine, and freeride, and also includes test ride reports on new ski models and interesting articles by athletes, making it a very comprehensive publication. Just by picking up this full-color 99-page catalog, you can see the trends for the 2024-2025 season

9. Check out the trends and best-selling items in Ishii Sports' "BEST BUY" for the 2024-2025 season

Linked to the previously introduced "Seiger," the venue will display Ishii Sports' recommended items that have won the "BEST BUY" award, carefully selected by Ishii Sports' discerning staff

At Seiger you can only see things on paper, but at the venue you can actually touch the actual thing, which is great

10. You can buy the book "SKI BOOK by STEEP" created by STEEP at the venue!

The final of the 10 great things about the Custom Fair in Tokyo, and I'm a little biased, is that you can buy the book "SKI BOOK by STEEP" created by STEEP on the spot. This book, which covers freeriding, basics, and alpine skiing across a wide range of genres with the theme of "improving your skills," is a good match for the equally genre-free Custom Fair. STEEP also set up a booth at the venue to introduce it to users

As you can see, the athletes who shared their "secrets to getting better" in the "SKI BOOK" stopped by the STEEP booth. The impressive lineup included Kufune Anada, a major player in the world of basic skiing, Shogo Kato, an alpine racer who has performed extremely well in the World Cup, and Tenran Katsuno, a promising freeskier from Japan who has qualified to compete in the FWT

We also featured in a gourmet column ! Unfortunately, eating and drinking are strictly prohibited inside the venue. "SKI BOOK" was also introduced at each manufacturer's booth and has been met with great reviews. We hope you will pick up a copy at the venue.

Upcoming Custom Fairs

prefectures	Venue	schedule
Aomori Prefecture	Ishii Sports Morioka Store	August 9th (Friday) - August 18th (Sunday)
Akita Prefecture	Ishii Sports Akita Store	July 26th (Friday) - August 4th (Sunday)
Tochigi Prefecture	Ishii Sports Yodobashi Utsunomiya Store	8/2 (Fri) - 8/11 (Sun)
Niigata Prefecture (Niigata venue)	Niigata City Industrial Promotion Center	June 28th (Fri) - June 30th (Sun)
Toyama Prefecture	Ishii Sports Toyama Store	July 19th (Fri) - July 28th (Sun)
Nagano Prefecture (Matsumoto and Nagano venues)	Swiss Village St. Moritz	June 21st (Friday) - June 23rd (Sunday)
Yamanashi Prefecture	Ishii Sports Yodobashi Kofu Store	August 16th (Friday) - August 25th (Sunday)
Osaka Prefecture (Osaka venue)	Ishii Sports Links Umeda Store	July 5th (Fri) - July 14th (Sun)

■Information

Ishii Sports　

Official website: https://www.ici-sports.com/wintersports/Official
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