Hakuba STOMP! Fest 2026, a new riding culture festival bringing together the energy of action sports and street culture, made its debut on September 19–20, 2026, across the Hakuba Valley and Hakuba Happo area in Hakuba Village, Nagano. Breaking down the barriers between disciplines including MTB, BMX, skateboarding, and STRIDER, the event brought together 130 riders from across Japan and approximately 350 spectators. Supported by 19 sponsors and partner companies, Hakuba STOMP! Fest created a new space for local and national riding cultures to connect, interact, and share their passion against the backdrop of Hakuba’s spectacular natural surroundings.
“Riding is Not Only About Winning” — The Festival Philosophy Behind Hakuba STOMP! Fest
At the heart of Hakuba STOMP! Fest is a simple message: “Riding is about more than winning.”
Unlike conventional competitions, the event brought together riders from different disciplines—including MTB, BMX, skateboarding, and STRIDER—in Hakuba. Rather than separating participants by gender, age, experience, or riding level, everyone—from children and first-time competitors to experienced professional athletes—shared the same field, competing while expressing their own style, creativity, and individuality.
By bringing together riders from different disciplines and at different levels, the event was designed to reflect the roots of street riding culture: watching and learning from one another, while respecting each person’s unique style and individuality. The riders were not simply competing for the win. Throughout the event, there was a clear sense of mutual respect, with riders recognizing, appreciating, and celebrating what made each other unique.
Riders from different generations, disciplines, and communities gathered in Hakuba, including World Cup champions, experienced local riders, young beginners, and competitors taking part in their first-ever event. By inspiring one another and challenging themselves, they shared the unique appeal that can only come from riding.
Here’s a look at the various events and activities held throughout the festival.
Nine Different Competitions Across Hakuba
The venue hosted nine different competition and showcase categories, each offering riders a chance to express their individuality through different approaches to cycling and skateboarding.
BMX/MTB Bunny Hop Contest: Pushing the limits of height with bunny hops
BMX/MTB Slope Style Jump Contest: Big air and a series of powerful, stylish aerial tricks
BMX/MTB Dual Pump Track Speed Contest: A thrilling speed battle through a pump track, racing without pedaling and generating speed through pushes
BMX Street Contest: Street riding through a specially built course inspired by sections and structures found in the urban environment
Street Skateboard Contest: A skateboarding contest focused on deck control and individual style
Surf Skate Jam Session: A jam session showcasing the unique feeling of flow and carving inspired by riding waves
STRIDER Speed Contest: The next generation of young riders racing at full speed on balance bikes
BMX Flatland Contest: A contest featuring precise balance and advanced tricks while mastering BMX on flat ground
High Ollie Contest: A heated battle to see who can reach the greatest height with a skateboard ollie
Star-Studded Guest Lineup Meets Local Community
The event welcomed an impressive lineup of guest riders from across Japan’s urban and action sports scenes.
The lineup included Red Bull trial athlete Tomomi Nishikubo, alongside Yu Katagiri, Ryo Katagiri, Carin Honmura and Koh Yoshida from BMX Flatland, Daisuke Shiraishi, Hideyuki Kudo, Sanshiro Shimizu, Rick Maruyama, Jay Johnson from BMX Street, Kazuki Shimizu and Hajime Imoto from MTB Downhill, Pumptrack top athlete Tetsuya Furuno, and Katsuya Nakazawa and Taisei Hamamura from Skateboard Street. World-class sessions from the top riders inspired bold challenges from kids and amateur riders throughout the venue, keeping the energy at an all-time high from start to finish.
The After-Party Keeps the Energy Going Into the Night
The excitement of the daytime competitions carried straight into the evening after-party. Freshly baked pizza and drinks were served throughout the night, while riders and guests connected over good music coming from the DJ booth.
Alongside highlight footage from the day’s competitions, a video featuring Red Bull athlete Tomomi Nishikubo was screened. Nishikubo also delivered an impressive live MTB trick session in front of the DJ booth. A raffle featuring premium prizes from the event’s sponsors added to the excitement, bringing riders, fans, locals, and visiting guests together to enjoy the night in Hakuba.
Day 2: Community Rides Exploring Hakuba’s Natural Beauty
On the second day, the Community Ride took full advantage of Hakuba Village’s rich natural surroundings and extensive range of outdoor activities, attracting a total of 70 riders.
For MTB, participants took on a full-scale downhill course at Iwatake, rode around the crystal-clear waters of Lake Aoki, and experienced a grass slalom across a wide open lawn. For BMX, riders explored the streets and local parks before joining a flatland jam session. For skateboarding, the program included the local True Players Jam at the True Players skatepark in Hakuba. Meanwhile, STRIDER riders took part in a skill-up lesson, learning and having fun with advice from professional riders.
Organizer Hakuba Hospitality Group expressed gratitude to all participants, saying that “Hakuba STOMP! Fest 2027 is set to be much bigger and more innovative to the action sport scene”.
Event Summary
- Event Name: Hakuba STOMP! Fest 2026
- Location: Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture
- Attendance & Key Statistics:
- Participating Riders: 130 riders
- Spectators: ~350 attendees
- Day 2 Community Ride Participants: 70 riders
- Supporting Companies (19 Partners): SPICY HAKUBA, ELEMENT, STRIDER, RHYTHM JAPAN, JYKK JAPAN, OAKLEY, IRC TIRE, Coca-Cola, INOAC, DC SHOES, VOLCOM, GIANT, quest., KABA, ENJOY HAKUBA!, Happo-one, YOW, HAKUBA IWATAKE MOUNTAIN RESORT, LOOSE RIDERS JP, NORCO.