Damn Am Japan 2023 Practice Photos
Posted
on
on Saturday, June 10, 2023
by Matt Shail
Damn Am Japan 2023 Practice Photos by Matt Shail
Trains, abandoned skateparks, and 12 year olds doing kickflip front boards, oh my!
Photos by Matt Shail
Photos by Matt Shail
Chris Blake
Cheers to another year of skateboarding in Japan with our friends! We brought Chris Blake and Kelly Hart along for the ride this time to join our judges panel.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Derick Glancy
Damn Am crew catching up at the train station while waiting to board the bullet train to Murakami City
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
DJ Wade
DJ Wade was there!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Murakami Skatepark
Alright, there's our train. Let's head out!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Murakami Skatepark
First thing we did was setup registration. These kids were ready to go!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Murakami Skatepark
Japan is the only stop with a Women's division and they showed up
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Hideki Ishii
We hooked up with our local homie Hideki to get the clips this time around. He killed it!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Toshi Iida
Toshi helping out Sam with translating. Thanks Toshi for always coming through.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Murakami Skatepark
There were these super rad vans all over the parking lot. People had the backs popped open and were grilling out and sleeping in them. I want one.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Frank Branca
We heard there was an abandoned skatepark and decided to go check it out before practice started.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Matt Shail
I saw these flowers and thought they were pretty so here they are
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Paul Zitzer
We had to stop by Jurassic Park real quick so that Zitzer could ride down the slide.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Matt Shail
More flowers
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Marse Farmer
SPoT team rider Marse Farmer came along on the trip to assist in every way possible.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Paul Zitzer
SPoT Life behind the scenes filming with your host Paul Zitzer and our guest Chris Blake
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Chris Blake
Paul had to help Chris up after he flew down a slide into a puddle for the SPoT Life Day 1 intro. Peep it on our YouTube channel
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Murakami Skatepark
There it is in all its glory. The first level of THPS 1
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Murakami Skatepark
Wait a minute.. I thought there was supposed to be a skatepark in here.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Marse Farmer
Oh wait there it is. Just had to climb up a few things.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Matt Shail
First thing I stumbled upon in this abandoned skatepark was an Alien metal band.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Marse Farmer
The bowl was still in tact...well until Marse did this nosegrind through the corner.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Marse Farmer
You can see the jet lag in his eyes. I was feelin' it too.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Marse Farmer
We found all this crazy shit in here. Including a rail that could be raised up and down. Marse back crooked this thing through a layer of rust.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Paul Zitzer
Paul Z astonished that we found an entire VERT RAMP in a warehouse!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Paul Zitzer
Paul with a front rock and no pads. My first ever vert photo.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Murakami Skatepark
Ski jump training outside for the local Japanese olympians
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Ginpei Saito
Dropping by the campers before heading inside for practice. What up Ginpei!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Rio Sawada
First trick I saw going down was Rio throwing a fakie tre down the set. This is tied with my favorite photo of the weekend. Read through the rest of my blog posts to find out which one is the other.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Yumeka Oda
Yumeka Oda was one of the best skaters out there. She rips!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Taiga Nagai
I am not sure how many photos I have of Taiga doing a back 180 nosegrind, but I am not complaining.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Taiga Nagai
Taiga came back 5 seconds later and did bigspin blunt shuv. I'll have whatever he is drinkin'
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Yuu Kurisu
Back heel from Kurisu Yu
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Bones Wheels
Shout out to all those sponsors!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Ginpei Saito
Ginpei owns the pressure flip. If you have done one in the last five years you owe him money.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Toa Sasaki
Toa Sasaki hopping in on practice and prepping himself for the Skater XL Best Trick with a cab back noseblunt. Every try. Insane
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Toshi Iida
Toshi was feeling sick all weekend, but still came out to support. Hope you're feeling better dude!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Ren Matsujawa
Ren Matsujawa has front smiths dialed on the a-frame rail
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Murakami Skatepark
What is this a skateboard competition full of kids or somethin'!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Ria Tanno
Ria Tanno blitzed this handrail and all I caught was her front lip.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Rino Hoshino
Rino backed up Ria with a kickflip frontboard. Rino is 12 years old
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Yumeka Oda
We got a session going. Yumeka front blunt
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Ren Matsujawa
Over to the other side of the set with Ren for this nosegrind.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Niko Sugimoto
2022 Damn Am Japan winner Niko Sugimoto bringing the heat to practice with a kickflip front board.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Yuno Takahashi
Bump to ledge crook from newcomer Yuno Takahashi
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Yumeka Oda
I wish I had the steeze that 16 year old Yumeka Oda has. Back tail down the center piece with ease.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Murakami Skatepark
Break ya neck!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Miyuu Ito
Miyuu learned kickflip front blunts since the last time we saw her. Look at that catch!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Toki Kakitani
Toki Kakitani brings the attention over to the bump to bump with this kickflip shifty.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Toki Kakitani
Toki front nosegrind into the bank.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Toki Kakitani
Followed by a frontside flip down the set. Toki was owning every inch of the park.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Kai Suematsu
Kai Suematsu could nollie flip this thing in his sleep. Luckily I was awake to capture it
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Taiga Nagai
Like I said earlier, I can never have too many photos of Taiga Nagai doing back 180 nosegrinds.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Luca Hirata
Look at the catch on this back heel from Luca Hirata. Sheesh!!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Ichika Konishi
Ichika has crazy steeze. He looks under the hubba before hitting it.
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail
Toshi Iida
Brought our friend Toshi a board from home. See you all at Qualifiers!
Date:
June 14, 2023
Photographer: Matt Shail