Favorite Japanese Nationals Ladies Champion

[TheIronLady]

Who is your favorite Japanese national ladies champion, and what is your favorite performance by them?

Kumiko Sato won '67, '68
http://blog-imgs-18.fc2.com/o/p/e/openaxel/inadaetsuko3.jpg

Emi Watanabe won '73, '74, '75, '76, '77, '78, '79, '80
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzNDUiHkai8

Midori Ito won '85, '86, '87, '88, '89, '90, '91, '92, '96
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT-dHwXPZc0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyu8GYBRIjE

Yuka Sato won '93, '94
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaVpADchwOY

Hanae Yokoya won '95
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gy-Nzjuxx4

Fumie Suguri won '97, '01, '02, '03, '06
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEUd-LSfR-U

Shizuka Arakawa won '98, '99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3o8u_XKQlU

Miki Ando won '04, '05, '11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE0xftARUog

Mao Asada '07, '08, '09, '10, '12, '13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1GfZW03lM4

[lulu]

Midori Ito. :cheer:

Amongst the national champions list above, my second choice would be Shizuka Arakawa aka Voidy Swan. :shizuka1: After Midori and Shizuka, it gets a bit tougher for me to pick a favorite, but probably Mao. :)

[Fozzie Bear]

I noticed a gap in 2000. Upon some googling, I found 2000 Japanese National Champion Chisato Shiina (http://www.eiskunstlauf-ecke.de/archiv/photodir/photos/ladies/shiina_chisato_jpn_jwm00_sp_b_tino_eberl.jpg) and Chisato Shiina (http://www.eiskunstlauf-ecke.de/archiv/photodir/photos/ladies/shiina_chisato_jpn_jwm00_sp_a_tino_eberl.jpg). :) Some Kwan-esque arms there. Anyone remember anything about her?

I voted for Fumie. I know it's easy to pick on the old lady nowadays, but she's still my favorite Japanese lady.

[Vash01]

Midori forever.

My second (distant) choice: Mao

[aidan]

That's crazy that Shizuka wasn't even able to win her own National Championship for the 7 years preceding her Olympic Gold Medal.

[Vagabond]

Why is Chisato Shiina not on this list? :wuzrobbed :drama:

She totally gets my vote! She could even land a triple salchow sometimes!

:kickass:

[DaiKozOda]

Midori for sure.
I still watch some of her performances from time to time and she has always been one of my fav skaters ever.

[Amy03]

No doubt, Mao Asada!

[TheIronLady]

As I watch these videos of ladies spanning from 1980-2008, I marvel at what a brilliant tradition of skating the Japanese ladies have created.

[snoopyskater]

Is Kumiko Sato related to Yuka Sato?

[TheIronLady]

Is Kumiko Sato related to Yuka Sato?

She is of course Yuka's mother. She is most known today for coaching Mao Asada, among others, with her husband, the famous coach Nobuo Sato (Yuka's father). She was a pretty successful skater in her day. She finished 8th in the 1968 Olympics won by Peggy Fleming. She was Kumiko Ōkawa then.

[Akira Andrea]

Delete

[snoopyskater]

She is of course Yuka's mother. She is most known today for coaching Mao Asada, among others, with her husband, the famous coach Nobuo Sato (Yuka's father). She was a pretty successful skater in her day. She finished 8th in the 1968 Olympics won by Peggy Fleming. She was Kumiko Ōkawa then.

Thank you for replying. :)

[orientalplane]

Midori, my favourite skater of all time. :)

[blue_idealist]

I noticed a gap in 2000. Upon some googling, I found 2000 Japanese National Champion Chisato Shiina (http://www.eiskunstlauf-ecke.de/archiv/photodir/photos/ladies/shiina_chisato_jpn_jwm00_sp_b_tino_eberl.jpg) and Chisato Shiina (http://www.eiskunstlauf-ecke.de/archiv/photodir/photos/ladies/shiina_chisato_jpn_jwm00_sp_a_tino_eberl.jpg). :) Some Kwan-esque arms there. Anyone remember anything about her?

I voted for Fumie. I know it's easy to pick on the old lady nowadays, but she's still my favorite Japanese lady.

I'm guessing that Shiina woman won that year since Shizuka and Fumie weren't there for some reason?