Kazuhiro Kokubo Interview...



When most snowboarders hear the name Kazuhiro Kokubo, they immediately think of the word, style. Be it in the pipe, park or out in the backcountry, no other rider consistenly oozes as much style and finesse as the Japanese dynamo can on each and every trick in the book. Having recently recovered from a car crash on the way back from Mammoth, Kazu kindly found the time to answer the following questions....

 

How are you feeling after your recent car accident and what happened there exactly?

I am so lucky and thank everyone who was protecting me. I had some scratches and was a little sore after, but no problems. I went to hospital three times this winter and that is too many. I still don’t remember what happened.

 

The wreckage probably explains why Kazu has no memory of the accident

You won your second consecutive US Open halfpipe title this year. It’s no secret those incredible alley-oop McTwists of yours played a big part in winning. Is that your favourite pipe trick and what’s the secret to styling them?

All tricks are my favorites. Everyone talks about style, but anyone who rides pipe knows a perfect Mctwist or big frontside alleyoop is technical and scary. If I can’t make a trick look good, I wont do it until I am happy with the way it looks.

 

McTwists have never looked as stylish as this. Kazu in Laax, Switzerland.

As someone who is well known for their smooth style, what would you rather see in a halfpipe, real stylish slow rotations or more technical double corked tricks?

Everyone who does contests, all do same tricks and people who can do 1080 and double cork high and with style should be the top. So many people do all tricks so low and sketchy. It looks so bad. For contests you have to do both style and technical. I like all tricks to be high and look good.

Kazu at the US Open this year.

You dedicated your win to the people of Japan with a prayer for a victory lap. How is life back in Japan now and how is the country recovering?

For people who lost everything it will take long time to start over and be the same way again. I visited the area where tsunami was and after 2 months people are slowly starting to get life back together. There is still a lot of work to do but everyone is working hard and helping each other. I think if you go to Tokyo or Hokkaido or most place foreigners go, you will not see any difference from before.

 

Kazu's victory lap landed him on the cover of Transworld Japan

You threw a lot of support behind JEARS (Japanese Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support), why did you choose to support this organization? Do you support an animal friendly lifestyle in the sense of pursuing a vegan / vegetarian diet perhaps?

I eat healthy, but I eat everything. JEARS was cool because they help many people and animals. It is more than animal rescue group. So many people have animals that are like family and they are such big part of their life. JEARS helps people and animals and takes care of pets for the people who live in shelters or bring them food when they can not go to store because there is no store.

Competing or filming a video part? Which do you gain more satisfaction from these days?

I love both. They are different. I want to do everything on snowboard. I don’t want to be just this guy or that guy. I want to be a rider who can go to big contests and do good and also go to big mountains and back country and put together sick video parts and get good shots for magazine.

How do you manage to divide your time between the two? How much pipe training do you have to do before an event?

I train for pipe during summer and fall. I try to do contests first half of the season and then focus on filming and photos after that. This year I did a lot of big mountain riding between contests. It was good to have a break from a lot of contests.

Did you get to do much filming this year for Standard Films. What can we expect from your part?

We did one trip with Standard crew in Terrace B.C. and it was so much fun. Most of this year I filmed for the Burton and Stonp movies. I want my parts to show who I am to everyone. It will have everything in it. I think Burton movie will be my best part so far. Stonp movie is our new film we shot around the world with friends and Stonp crew.

Kazu's remixed part from Standard Films 2010 release "The Storming".

For a rider who has emerged from Hokkaido we don’t seem to see a lot of photos or footage of you riding Japanese powder. Is this because the majority of the snowboarding industry is based in the USA?

We did two filming and photo trips in Hokkaido this year for Stonp movie. There are a lot of pictures, but I think most in Japanese magazines. This winter I shot with a lot of American shooters all over the world. I try to have photos with different people so many magazines around the world will be able to see them.

Ever considered filming a Standard part strictly in Japan?

I don’t know. I like to ride new places with different people. We filmed a lot in Japan for the Stonp movie this year and I have filmed so much since I was young in Japan. Maybe when I am old and living back in Japan full time again I will do it, when I am not working in the garden. But now I want to ride so many different places while I am still young.

Kazu's part from Japanese production Seven Samurai

 

How do you find the language barrier being a Japanese rider based mainly in English speaking regions of Canada and the USA?

After I moved to California last year it was easier. So many friends I had for so long are better friends now because speaking to each other is easier. It makes every trip even better and more fun than it was before. Everywhere you go there is always someone who speaks English.

You’ve recently joined the Armourdillo team and have your own signature line of belts and wallets out now. This didn’t have anything to do with the media controversy over your dress style from the Olympics?

Armourdillo allowed me to be myself. Like Stonp, we are not bound to anything. Complete freedom to be who we are and not change because somebody tells you too. I worked with Armourdillo to design a collection that shows my style and will appeal to a lot of people. They even help me design my new logo that we will use on all signature product for all sponsors. It is cool that I can work with a lot of different people outside of snowboarding. I have learned a lot.

 

Kazu in at the Armourdillo office checking out his signature line of belts and wallets.

How big an honour is it to see your name associated with a product available around the world?

It is really cool. Oakley is launching my signature goggles and sunglasses internationally and also Armourdillo products will be available everywhere. Also Monster Energy is working on plans to launch around the world and has a lot of promotions and ideas that I will be a part of. It has always been my goal to be a global snowboarder. Not just a Japanese rider. I am thankful for all the opportunities.

Can we expect to see you back down in New Zealand for the Burton Open this year? Any plans to come to Australia at all?

We are finishing my schedule for this next season coming up and I will definitely be in New Zealand very soon. Right now I am not planning to go to Australia but I would like to come and hang out. I want to ride a kangaroo.

Kazu competing in the 2009 NZ Open

Wanna win Kazu's collection of accessories from Armourdillo pictured above? Well head over here to enter.