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Last Updated: August 20, 2026

Japan Snowboard Demo Days: Where Brands Test New Gear (2026–27 Models)

Free test-ride events at Honshu ski resorts. See which brands ran demo days last season, what to bring, and how it works.

What Is a Demo Day?

A demo day (called shijokai in Japanese) is a free event where snowboard brands let you test next season's boards on real snow. Brands set up a tent at the ski resort. You show your photo ID, borrow a board for about 30 minutes, ride it, and swap it for another one.

The events below took place in the 25/26 season (January to March 2026) and featured 2026–27 models. Brands tend to return to the same resorts every year, so this list is a good way to plan ahead. Always check the brand's official page for this season's dates before you go.

How It Works

It is free. You only need a lift ticket for the resort.
Bring your own boots and bindings. Most brands mount your bindings on the test board. Standard 4x4 disc bindings work at almost every event. For Burton boards with The Channel, you need compatible hardware — Burton staff can help at their own events.
Bring photo ID. Brands hold your ID as a deposit while you ride.
Keep each ride short. The common rule is 2–3 lift runs or about 30 minutes per board, then return and swap.
Some events need reservations. Brand-run events usually accept walk-ins. Shop-run events (Alpen, Xebio, Victoria) often need advance booking on their websites.

The Big Multi-Brand Events

If you want to try many brands in one day, these are the events to know:

SBJ on Snow Festival at Oze Iwakura (Feb 27 – Mar 1, 2026). Japan's largest industry demo event, with around 80 brands in one place. Advance sign-up, open to everyone.
SBJ on Snow Festival at Meiho (Mar 13–15, 2026). The same festival's second venue, for the Chubu region.
New Model Mega Demo at Kandatsu (Mar 27–29, 2026). A large joint demo run by two big gear retailers over three days at the end of the season.
AM JAM at Ishiuchi Maruyama (Mar 14–15, 2026). A snowboard festival that combines contests, sessions, and brand demos.

Demo Days by Resort (25/26 Season)

Based on public event listings and brand pages. Dates are last season's actuals.

`Kawaba`

The busiest demo resort near Tokyo last season.

Dec 6–7: Burton First Chair members' demo (25-26 models)
Jan 12: Deus Ex Machina Demo Slide
Feb 7–8: Salomon Snowboards Bright Tour
Feb 7–8: Lib Tech, GNU
Mar 7–8: Victoria new model demo (reservation)
Mar 28–29: November
Apr 1–5: B's East spring mega demo

`Tangram`

Feb 7–8: Burton Winter 2027 demo
Feb 14–15: Ogasaka Snowboards

`Nozawa Onsen`

Jan 25: Moss Snowboards
Feb 14–15: Burton Winter 2027 demo (First Chair members)
Feb 21–22: Salomon Snowboards Bright Tour
Mar 7–8: Armada demo tour (skis, not snowboards)
Apr 10–12: the resort's own new model ski and snowboard demo

`Tsugaike`

Feb 7–8: Deus Ex Machina Demo Slide
Mar 20–22: Alpen Group snowboard demo and order event (members, reservation)

`Goryu`

Mar 14–15: Burton Winter 2027 demo, held on the Burton Mystery Series banked slalom weekend

`Myoko Suginohara`

Feb 1: November

`Seki Onsen`

Jan 31 – Feb 1: Burton Winter 2027 demo (Burton Store Tokyo Kanda)

`Palcall Tsumagoi`

Jan 10–11: Sims Snowboards 2026–27 new model test ride

`Oze Iwakura`

Feb 27 – Mar 1: SBJ on Snow Festival — about 80 brands

`Marunuma`

Mar 28–29: Victoria new model demo (reservation)

`Kandatsu`

Mar 27–29: New Model Mega Demo (joint retailer event)

`Ishiuchi Maruyama`

Mar 14–15: AM JAM 2026 — festival with brand demos

`Iwappara`

Mar 21–22: Torqrex

`Maiko`

Mar 20–21: November

`Hakuba 47`

Mar 28–29: Super Sports Xebio ski and snowboard demo (reservation)

`Nekoma Mountain`

Feb 6–8: Nekoma Mountain Fest 2026 (resort event with brand demos)
Mar 7–8: Murasaki Sports AIRMIX demo
Mar 28–30: Alpen Group snowboard demo and order event

`Geto Kogen`

A long demo season thanks to deep snow into April.

Dec 20–21: Cardiff Snowcraft
Jan 31 – Feb 1: Armada Snowboards demo tour
Feb 14–15: Salomon Snowboards Bright Tour
Feb 22: Burton Store Sendai demo
Apr 3–5: Snowboarding Summit 2026 (multi-brand)

`Miyagi Zao Eboshi`

Feb 1: Moss Snowboards

`Tateyama Sanroku`

Jan 31 – Feb 1: Gokuraku Banked Slalom demo (with the banked slalom event)

`Takasu Snow Park`

Feb 14–15: Salomon Snowboards Bright Tour
Mar 7–8: Tokai pro shop joint demo
Mar 14–15: APORITO demo and order event

`Meiho`

Mar 13–15: SBJ on Snow Festival

Planning Notes

Demo events cluster in February and March. The season ends with spring demos in late March and early April at resorts with deep snow.
Brand-run demos (Burton, Salomon, Ogasaka, Moss, November) are the simplest: free, walk-in, bring boots and bindings.
Retailer-run demos (Alpen, Xebio, Victoria, APORITO) need reservations and sometimes membership, but they gather many brands at once.
Sources: brand and resort official pages linked above, plus public event listings.

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About Tak

Tak — Founder & Editor.

I'm a Tokyo-based snowboarder and father of two, with over 20 years on Japan's slopes. Resorts I have personally visited are marked "Visited" and include my first-hand notes. The other resorts are summarized from public ski-area data and local reviews. I add my own notes over time. How we select →

What Is a Demo Day?

How It Works

It is free. You only need a lift ticket for the resort.

Bring your own boots and bindings. Most brands mount your bindings on the test board. Standard 4x4 disc bindings work at almost every event. For Burton boards with The Channel, you need compatible hardware — Burton staff can help at their own events.

Bring photo ID. Brands hold your ID as a deposit while you ride.

Keep each ride short. The common rule is 2–3 lift runs or about 30 minutes per board, then return and swap.

Some events need reservations. Brand-run events usually accept walk-ins. Shop-run events (Alpen, Xebio, Victoria) often need advance booking on their websites.

The Big Multi-Brand Events

If you want to try many brands in one day, these are the events to know:

SBJ on Snow Festival at Oze Iwakura (Feb 27 – Mar 1, 2026). Japan's largest industry demo event, with around 80 brands in one place. Advance sign-up, open to everyone.

SBJ on Snow Festival at Meiho (Mar 13–15, 2026). The same festival's second venue, for the Chubu region.

New Model Mega Demo at Kandatsu (Mar 27–29, 2026). A large joint demo run by two big gear retailers over three days at the end of the season.

AM JAM at Ishiuchi Maruyama (Mar 14–15, 2026). A snowboard festival that combines contests, sessions, and brand demos.

Kawaba

The busiest demo resort near Tokyo last season.

Dec 6–7: Burton First Chair members' demo (25-26 models)

Jan 12: Deus Ex Machina Demo Slide

Feb 7–8: Salomon Snowboards Bright Tour

Feb 7–8: Lib Tech, GNU

Mar 7–8: Victoria new model demo (reservation)

Mar 28–29: November

Apr 1–5: B's East spring mega demo

Planning Notes

Demo events cluster in February and March. The season ends with spring demos in late March and early April at resorts with deep snow.

Brand-run demos (Burton, Salomon, Ogasaka, Moss, November) are the simplest: free, walk-in, bring boots and bindings.

Retailer-run demos (Alpen, Xebio, Victoria, APORITO) need reservations and sometimes membership, but they gather many brands at once.

Sources: brand and resort official pages linked above, plus public event listings.