Snowboarding is fairly popular in Japan and there’s no doubt that anime and manga are deeply ingrained in the psyche of many people across the nation. So we suppose this ita-board, or “painfully nerdy snowboard” event isn’t too much of a surprise considering the constant appearance of ita-sha (painful cars), ita-suit (painful suit), and even ita-heli (painful helicopters). What did surprise us is the national association dedicated to nerdy snowboards and the annual event that hosts them.
The Ita-ita Gerende Jyaku, or “Painful Board Ski Slope Jack,” is now in its fourth season. The event is organized by the JIBA (Japanese Ita Board Association) and sees nearly 100 participants every year. The Hakuba47 Winter Sports Park in Nagano Prefecture hosts the event and welcomes these nerdtastic boards along with their owners, who travel from all across Japan. Have a look at the poster advertising this year’s event, held on January 11 to 13:
With an advertisement like that, complete with a snowboarder moe girl with knee-high cat tights, it’s sure to be a painfully nerdy day. Scheduled activities over the three day period included a cosplay event, photo session, and a night party. Participants were eager to post photos of the gathering on Twitter, proving that the event most definitely lived up to everyone’s expectations:
▼ A close-up of the Kantai Collection board above. 
▼ We’re hoping the ship doubles as a stomp pad…
It’s unclear if all of the participants ride the snowboards on display, but some of them definitely do…and they’re actually quite good.
If you’re still left wanting more nerd boards, take a look at the video below from 2012, the second year of the event. And if you have your own anime or manga-inspired snowboard or skis, let us know about it!
Source: Hachima Kikou, Nikita Sokuhou, Itaita Anime Life
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