Japanese figure skating 2023-24 season news & updates

[Wyliefan]

Looks like Rika Kihira is training again! https://twitter.com/rikaloops/status/1781001587143459104?t=KWES0G-_8RUyNlr6C3rOzg&s=19

 

[japanice]

The 2025 Grand Prix Final will be held in Nagoya (Dec. 4-7) at the brand new IG Arena.

 

[japanice]

Misato Komatsubara has announced her retirement from competition. She will continue as a pro skater in shows with partner Tim Koleto.

 

[Sylvia]

Link to read Misato Komatsubara’s Instagram post (English version): https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Dqf1euKHH/

ETA that her screenshot (2nd slide) mentions she has been skating injured all season and that “Upon reflecting on this season’s trials and triumphs, and turning my Olympic dream into reality, I’ve come to the realization that I have accomplished the goals I set for myself as an athlete.”

... As for my future plans, I will participate in ice shows as a professional skater with Tim, so please contact me. At the same time, I will study and find ways to help skaters glow with great health physically and mentally, regardless of nationality. My management company will continue to handle my affairs, so please contact me or them if needed.

The feeling of the wind on my cheeks when I first skated still makes me smile years afterwards.
It has truly been a happy competitive career.
Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

Misato

 

[Frau Muller]

Misato Komatsubara has announced her retirement from competition. She will continue as a pro skater in shows with partner Tim Koleto.

I’m assuming that Tim will also retire from eligible events. They’re married, after all.

 

[On My Own]

I kind of liked them, tbh.

 

[aemeraldrainc]

Kind of a weird announcement.
Does that mean Tim K might be looking for another partner?

 

[skatingguy]

Kind of a weird announcement.
Does that mean Tim K might be looking for another partner?

Doesn't seem like it - I think they are retiring, and moving to show skating.

 

[SkateSand]

I think it's weird. Why doesn't Tim say "we" are retiring? Instead, he just talks about Misato retiring, as did she.

 

[jlai]

It does read like she is retiring and not he. They may still be in shows together though which is even stranger if he is staying on and getting a new partner

 

[Wyliefan]

Has anyone ever competed with one partner while doing the occasional show with a different partner?

 

[kwanfan1818]

I thought that Duhamel/Radford had a few show commitments after he teamed up with Vanessa James.

Savchenko certainly wanted to do at least a few shows in Japan with Szolkowy after his now-wife dropped the bombshell that she was going to team with Massot. I can't remember if she was still skating shows with Massot when she teamed with TJ Nyman. She never backed down from a messy situation.

 

[Frau Muller]

Alexa Knierim…continued with Fraser, married to Knierim ? Tamara Moskvina…continued with Mishin, married to Moskvin?

 

[paskatefan]

I will miss them on the competitive ice, but wish them all the best as show skaters. I always liked this team.

 

[Karen-W]

The JSF announced their 2024-25 Strengthened Skaters (aka National Team/Envelope Funding) today -

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フィギュアスケート：令和6年度強化指定選手一覧 | 公益財団法人 日本スケート連盟 - Japan Skating Federation

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www.skatingjapan.or.jp

Special Reinforcement Group -
Men - Shoma Uno, Yuma Kagiyama, Kao Miura, Sota Yamamoto, Shun Sato, Rio Nakata
Women - Kaori Sakamoto, Mone Chiba, Mao Shimada, Rena Uezono, Rinka Watanabe, Hana Yoshida
Pairs - Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara

Group A -
Men - Kazuki Tomono, Tatsuya Tsuboi, Nozomu Yoshioka, Shunsuke Nakamura, Tsudoi Suto
Women - Mai Mihara, Mako Yamashita, Rion Sumiyoshi, Ikura Kushida
Synchro - Jingu Ice Messengers

Group B -
Men - Sena Miyake, Koshiro Shimada, Takeru Amine Kataise, Haru Kakiuchi, Taiga Nishino, Seigo Tauchi, Daiya Ebihara, Sena Takahashi
Women - Yuna Aoki, Maria Egawa, Wakaba Higuchi, Yo Takagi, Ayumi Shibayama, Haruna Murakami, Riria Kono, Kinayu Yokoi
Pairs - Yuna Nagaoka/Sumitada Moriguchi, Sae Shimizu/Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda
Ice Dance - Azusa Tanaka/Shingo Nishiyama, Utana Yoshida/Masaya Morita, Sara Kishimoto/Atsuhiko Tamura

 

[Sylvia]

Link to the Figure Skating PDF (April 24, 2024): https://www.skatingjapan.or.jp/common/img/info/2024-25_FS_20240424.pdf
*The enhanced player page [skater/team bios] will be released in early July.

I've added 2023-24 placements at Junior/Senior Nationals, GPF/JGPF, 4CC & Junior/Senior Worlds below (@Karen-W Ikura Kushida in A got autocorrected to Imuran ):

Special Reinforcement Group -
Men - Shoma Uno GPF2/S1/W4, Yuma Kagiyama GPF3/S2/4CC1/W2, Kao Miura GPF5/S4/W8, Sota Yamamoto S3/4CC4, Shun Sato S5/4CC2, Rio Nakata J2/JGPF1/S17/JW2
Women - Kaori Sakamoto GPF1/S1/W1, Mone Chiba S2/4CC1/W7, Mao Shimada J1/JGPF1/S3/JW1, Rena Uezono J3/JGPF3/S4/JW3, Rinka Watanabe S6/4CC3, Hana Yoshida GPF3/S7/W8
Pairs - Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara S-wd/4CC2/W2

Group A -
Men - Kazuki Tomono S6, Tatsuya Tsuboi S7, Nozomu Yoshioka S8, Shunsuke Nakamura J1/S14/JW4, Tsudoi Suto J3
Women - Mai Mihara S5/4CC7, Mako Yamashita S8, Rion Sumiyoshi GPF6/S10, Ikura Kushida J2/S25/JW5
Synchro - Jingu Ice Messengers

Group B -
Men - Sena Miyake S9, Koshiro Shimada S11, Takeru Amine Kataise S12, Haru Kakiuchi J4/S18/JW17, Taiga Nishino J5/S30, Seigo Tauchi J6/S21, Daiya Ebihara J7/S19, Sena Takahashi J8/S20
Women - Yuna Aoki S9, Maria Egawa S11, Wakaba Higuchi S12, Yo Takagi J4/S23, Ayumi Shibayama J5/S15, Haruna Murakami J6/S19, Riria Kono J7, Kinayu Yokoi J8
Pairs - Yuna Nagaoka/Sumitada Moriguchi S1, Sae Shimizu/Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda J1/JW14
Ice Dance - Azusa Tanaka/Shingo Nishiyama S2/4CC11, Utana Yoshida/Masaya Morita S3/4CC10, Sara Kishimoto/Atsuhiko Tamura J1/JW12

Nationals results are weighted more heavily - for example, not listed is Ami Nakai JGPF5/J10 (not invited to Senior Nationals).

This list will be updated by JSF after the Grand Prix & JGP assignments are known.

 

[Karen-W]

Jingu Ice Messengers finished 10th at Synchro Worlds which is probably what got them into Group A rather than Group B.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Good for them: they were a fun team to watch.

 

[clairecloutier]

Interview with Bruno Marcotte about Miura/Kihara's challenges this season:

Bruno Marcotte: "It's going to be important for Miura/Kihara to push the envelope" - A divine sport

Coach Bruno Marcotte talks about his students Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara, the 2023 World champions from Japan

adivinesport.com

 

[Sylvia]

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Three-time world champion Sakamoto Kaori named Japan's Skater of the Year
The first woman to win three consecutive figure skating world championships in 56 years was awarded by the Japan Skating Federation for her achievements during the 2023-24 season.
By Shintaro Kano (April 24, 2024): https://olympics.com/en/news/figure-skating-japan-awards-2024-sakamoto-kaori

 

[Sylvia]

March 9:

Koshiro SHIMADA (Senior Men)

SP: Can’t Take My Eyes Off you by Shawn Mendes
Choreo by: Shae-Lynn Bourne

Thanks to @Wyliefan for posting this Oricon News 6-min. video from the PIW Yokohama show : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmKD9tmz0bk

Koshiro Shimada skated a show version of his new SP that he debuted at "Waseda on Ice" last month (he is keeping his 2023-24 FS music) and Wakaba debuted her SP to Dune: Part Two" OST by by Hans Zimmer (Incl: Herald of the Change, Worm Ride, Worm Army etc.): https://twitter.com/wakahfans/status/1784099305395286056
ETA that "Herald of the Change" "Worm Ride" "Harvester Attack" are listed in this PIW show photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/C6QfUM0O0Y6/

 

[japanice]

[ICE TIME] Exclusive: Legend Brian Boitano Raves About Working with Kinoshita Group Skaters at Recent Camp | SportsLook

Brian Boitano explained the joy of the experience:

featured.japan-forward.com

 

[denise3lz]

[ICE TIME] Exclusive: Legend Brian Boitano Raves About Working with Kinoshita Group Skaters at Recent Camp | SportsLook

Brian Boitano explained the joy of the experience:

featured.japan-forward.com

"There was a little girl named Ruri Okono, who was 12,"

Riria KONO ?

 

[Sylvia]

Riria KONO ?

Yes, must be - Riria was the Novice A silver medalist behind her Kinoshita Academy teammate, Sumika KANAZAWA (Oct. 2023 results): https://www.jsfresults.com/National/2023-2024/fs_e/national_nv/data0290.htm

Cross-posting from the Programs & Choreographers thread:

Wakaba Higuchi (JPN)
FS: "Nature Boy" by AURORA ('mainly this song")
And some song from "Alien: Covenant" soundtrack
Choreographer: Shae-Lynn Bourne
https://twitter.com/wakahfans/status/1784799131988586891

Jeff Buttle choreographed Wakaba's SP.

Several other videos from the 4/27 PIW Yokohama show (Shoma Uno, Shizuka Arakawa's "Gales of Song - Uta Yo" by ShiroNeko, choreo. by Kana Muramoto acc. to Shizuka's post, Sota Yamamoto, Kana Muramoto/Daisuke Takahashi, Keiji Tanaka) are posted here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...obably-doi-the-ice.111623/page-2#post-6590878

 

[Sylvia]

Wakaba Higuchi's fan account on X posted more program details earlier today.
"Short Program music's analyzing the details": https://twitter.com/wakahfans/status/1786260311563194859
・Herald of the Change
・Worm Ride
・I See You in My Dreams
・Harvester Attack
・Worm Army
(All from "DUNE" and "DUNE2" OST)
"Free Skating music's analyzing the details": https://twitter.com/wakahfans/status/1786256707318120645
・Nature Boy (Alien: Covenant Theme)
・Running Up That Hill (Stranger Things Theme)

Article about what music Shoma Uno, Yuma Kagiyama, Kao Miura, Shun Sato, Nobunari Oda & Marin Honda performed at the Prince Ice World May 3rd show in Yokohama: https://4years.asahi.com/article/15255015

Uno skated the short program (SP) ``Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra'' for the 2016-17 season, captivating with her jumps and steps.
Kagiyama skated to the opera song `Werther'' in the morning performance, showing beautiful skating. In the afternoon performance, he will perform his new program `The Sound of Silence''. This is a new piece prepared to be used for both SP and exhibition. Miura also excited the audience with his powerful steps in his new program "Nemesis."
Marin Honda, who retired from active duty and graduated from Meiji University this spring, happily danced to the music of "SloMo."

In order of appearance:
Shun Sato “Rise” [new SP music? looking for more info...]
Kao Miura “Nemesis” [by Benjamin Clementine; not yet confirmed as his new SP music - refer to post #329 below]
Nobunari Oda “Momotaro”
Yuma Kagiyama “Werther” (Morning Performance [2023-24 EX program]) / “The Sound of Silence” (Afternoon Performance)
Shoma Uno “Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra” [old EX]

Re-posting here from Yuma's fan thread:
A clip: https://twitter.com/MsNATARY/status/1786335052709949484
SP music as identified by fans on X: "The Sound of Silence" by Garou (and in the second half) "Sound of Silence" by Miloš & Twelve Ensemble: https://twitter.com/barubarubaruko/status/1786318898188697939 & https://twitter.com/barubarubaruko/status/1786321347892965746
The choreographer is not mentioned (waiting to see if this info is confirmed before posting in the Programs & Choreographers thread).

 

[On My Own]

SP music as identified by fans on X: "The Sound of Silence" by Garou (and in the second half) "Sound of Silence" by Miloš & Twelve Ensemble: https://twitter.com/barubarubaruko/status/1786318898188697939 & https://twitter.com/barubarubaruko/status/1786321347892965746
The choreographer is not mentioned (waiting to see if this info is confirmed before posting in the Programs & Choreographers thread).

Lori Nichol?

 

[Sylvia]

Lori Nichol?

Most likely.

"yuma's new program to sound of silence! apparently the choreography is by lori and they're debating making it a sp just working on finding more details now!" https://twitter.com/kagiyamaloops/status/1786336085485707483

ETA a fan's photo taken at the end of the May 3rd afternoon PIW show:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1786354721961463814

 

[On My Own]

Most likely.

"yuma's new program to sound of silence! apparently the choreography is by lori and they're debating making it a sp just working on finding more details now!" https://twitter.com/kagiyamaloops/status/1786336085485707483

She goes through phases and she's used Karadaglić's guitar recently. Easy to guess.

The song choice is comical, which suits him. Karadaglić's subtlety is beyond him. I'm sure he'll get 47 PCS. Good for him.

 

[Sylvia]

Marin Honda, who retired from active duty and graduated from Meiji University this spring, happily danced to the music of "SloMo."

Here's a 2-min. clip: https://twitter.com/midorimoonlight/status/1786350108948185350
Kana Muramoto choreographed, accordng to a reply in the thread.

Cute clip of Ryuichi Kihara helping Mao Shimada to tie her tie properly during the Japan Skating Federation awards ceremony in Tokyo on April 24: https://twitter.com/midorimoonlight/status/1783132505131856051

ETA from the JPN shows thread (thanks @YukiNieve!):

Yuma Kagiyama skated a new program, The Sound of Silence (choreographed by Lori Nicole).
He told a fan that he has not decided if he will make this program as SP.

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(He does a reverse spin).

Kao Miura skated a new exhibition program, Nemesis (choreographed by Kenji Miyamoto)
He told a fan that this is a new exhibition program but it can be made as SP.

ETA #2 - Kao Miura's PIW performance: https://twitter.com/skatingarchive/status/1786545870579589216

 

[YukiNieve]

Kaori Sakamoto left Japan for North America today to have her SP choreographed by Rohene Ward.

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Kaori's long program will be choreographed by Marie-France Dubreuil.

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ETA
Kaori will visit Canada first to work with Marie-France, and then to the US to work with Rohene.
Music for SP is almost set but music for FS will be decided after talking with Marie-France.
Because she thinks that her performance at Montreal Worlds was not perfect, she does not feel burn-out but well-motivated for the next season. She wants to include two lutzs and flips each for free program and continues to practice quads (but they are not competition ready yet and she sounds she is not certain what to do about them).

坂本花織「もう今は次に向かって」　来季振り付けのため北米へ | 毎日新聞

フィギュアスケート女子で世界女王の坂本花織選手（シスメックス）が6日、東京都内で報道陣の取材に応じ、女子では56年ぶりとなる世界選手権3連覇を果たした今季について「勝ち続ける難しさを感じた」と振り返った。「もう今は次に向かってどうしようかって考えている」といい、取材後、来季の振り付けのために北米へ

mainichi.jp