  We present new, near-infrared (1.1--2.4 $\mu m$) high-contrast imaging of the
bright debris disk surrounding HIP 79977 with the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme
Adaptive Optics system (SCExAO) coupled with the CHARIS integral field
spectrograph. SCExAO/CHARIS resolves the disk down to smaller angular
separations of (0.11"; $r \sim 14$ au) and at a higher significance than
previously achieved at the same wavelengths. The disk exhibits a marginally
significant east-west brightness asymmetry in $H$ band that requires
confirmation. Geometrical modeling suggests a nearly edge-on disk viewed at a
position angle of $\sim$ 114.6$^{o}$ east of north. The disk is best-fit by
scattered-light models assuming strongly forward-scattering grains ($g$ $\sim$
0.5--0.65) confined to a torus with a peak density at $r_{0}$ $\sim$ 53--75 au.
We find that a shallow outer density power law of $\alpha_{out}=$-1-- -3 and
flare index of $\beta = 1$ are preferred. Other disk parameters (e.g.~inner
density power law and vertical scale height) are more poorly constrained. The
disk has a slightly blue intrinsic color and its profile is broadly consistent
with predictions from birth ring models applied to other debris disks. While
HIP 79977's disk appears to be more strongly forward-scattering than most
resolved disks surrounding 5--30 Myr-old stars, this difference may be due to
observational biases favoring forward-scattering models for inclined disks vs.
lower inclination, ostensibly neutral-scattering disks like HR 4796A's. Deeper,
higher signal-to-noise SCExAO/CHARIS data can better constrain the disk's dust
composition.
