What is Buttering and Guratori? (And why everyone’s obsessed)

If you’ve ever watched someone glide past on a gentle run, board flexed like a spring, spinning and pressing with that effortless “how are they doing that?” style… you’ve seen buttering. And if you’ve fallen down the rabbit hole of impossibly smooth, dance-like ground tricks—especially from Japanese riders—you’ve stepped into the world of Guratori.

These aren’t just tricks. They’re a style of riding that’s all about flow, control, and creativity—often with less speed and less risk than big jumps, but with a ton of personality.

Let’s break it down.

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So… what is buttering?

Buttering is essentially a nose or tail press—lifting either the nose or the tail of your snowboard off the snow while keeping the other end grounded. Think of it like balancing on one end of the board while you slide, pivot, and play with movement.

It’s usually done on:

• Flat sections
• Gentle slopes
• Rollers and side hits
• Cat tracks (yes, even those boring bits can become fun)
  
  

What makes buttering so popular is how accessible it is. Beginners can start with simple presses and balance drills, while advanced riders can layer in:

• 180s / 360s and beyond
• Switch-ups (changing press direction mid-trick)
• Reverts
• Bonks
• Flips (when things get spicy)
  
  

It’s style-first snowboarding. Less “how high can I go?” and more “how clean can I make this look?”

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Where did buttering come from?

Buttering as a named concept traces back to the United States in the early 1990s, where riders started experimenting with nose blunts and presses on snow in a way that looked smooth and controlled rather than aggressive.

The motion was famously compared to a muffin-spreading, buttery smooth movement—and that’s where the name stuck.

Riders like Chris Roach and Mike Ranquet are often credited as early pioneers of this style, with figures like Travis Parker and JP Walker pushing it further—adding more rotations, creativity, and technical progression that helped turn presses into a legit trick category rather than just messing about.

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What is Guratori?

Now here’s where it gets really interesting.

Guratori is a Japanese term, shortened from “Ground Trick.” It refers to a very specific style of snowboarding that focuses on:

• ground-based tricks
• presses
• spins
• butters
• flowy linking combos
• and ultra-controlled body movement

In simple terms: Guratori is buttering evolved into its own discipline.

Japanese riders took the foundation of butters and presses and turned it into something that looks almost choreographed. It’s not uncommon to watch a Guratori clip and think it resembles:

• dance
• martial arts
• or even breakdancing on snow
  
  

That’s because it’s about repetition, refinement, and timing—doing the same movement again and again until it becomes butter smooth.

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Why is Guratori so captivating?

Because it’s creative, technical, and endlessly re-watchable.

Unlike “one big trick” riding, Guratori is often about stringing together multiple tricks without breaking rhythm. The goal isn’t just landing—it’s making it look effortless.

The best Guratori riders have:

• incredible board control
• strong edge awareness
• serious balance and core strength
• and a unique personal style you can spot instantly

And that’s the magic: it’s not just what you do—it’s how you do it.

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The best part: the possibilities are butterly endless

This is why buttering and Guratori have exploded in popularity: there’s no fixed limit.

Once you’ve learned the fundamentals, you can start mixing and matching:

• nose press → 180 → tail press → revert
• butter → spin → switch-up → butter out
• flatground combo → side hit → press → land clean

And every rider’s combos start to look different. Your stance, your timing, your comfort spinning one way, your favourite presses—over time it becomes your signature.

Master the basics, then build your own language.

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Want to start? Focus on these fundamentals

If you’re new to buttering/Guratori, the fastest progress usually comes from nailing the boring (but important) stuff:

• Athletic stance (soft knees, weight centred, relaxed upper body)
• Edge control (being able to ride flat-base without catching)
• Press balance (small presses first—don’t force huge flex)
• Head + shoulders lead spins (don’t try to spin only with your feet)
• Practice both sides (nose/tail, regular/switch)

Start slow. Smooth beats wild every time.

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Final thoughts

Buttering is the gateway: a fun, stylish way to add flavour to everyday riding.
Guratori is the fully developed art form: technical ground tricks turned into pure expression.

Whether you’re a beginner learning your first nose press, or you’re chasing those seamless Japanese-style combos, this style is a reminder of what snowboarding is really about:

Creativity, flow, and making the mountain your playground.

Ready to get started?

Grab one of our snowboard training ground trick mats from our shop and create your very own setup at home. It’s the perfect way to practise presses, spins and butter-style combos anytime—build confidence, sharpen control, and take that smooth ground-trick flow straight to the slopes.