91st All Japan Championships, Dec. 21-25, 2022 in Osaka

[Karen-W]

Kinoshita/Tamura - their costumes look like "Intro to Bondage" outfits - and this is a cover of "Like a Virgin"... I mean, I guess if you're gonna go with a bunch of Madonna covers (we've now got "Like a Prayer"), then your costumes should be just as timid. Is this Lea Michele singing? Their TES is already equal to the first team and they still have half their elements to go. Ohhhhhh, now we're moving to "Vogue"... They're no DiscoBrits, that's for sure. Say what you will about Lilah, but at least FearGib are not snail-skating across the ice through their programs.

 

[alj5]

Kinoshita/Tamura - their costumes look like "Intro to Bondage" outfits - and this is a cover of "Like a Virgin"... I mean, I guess if you're gonna go with a bunch of Madonna covers (we've now got "Like a Prayer"), then your costumes should be just as timid. Is this Lea Michele singing?

It's all from Glee. Lea was also singing On My Own for the last couple.

 

[Karen-W]

Takahashi/Judd are from WISA and have saved us from more Glee music. They're no great shakes as far as American ice dance teams go, so I can understand why they're competing in Japan instead. No idea if the 3 point lead they had from the RD is going to hold up or not.

 

[alj5]

I quite liked Takahashi & Judd.

 

[Karen-W]

I'm never going to be a fan of that FD from KoKo. That's all I got.

 

[Karen-W]

KanaDai - ooooo... Dai just averted disaster on that first lift and managed to get his foot up after wobbling a bit at first. Oh my god... A fall as he exits out of that last lift. Hasn't everyone been saying that the program construction is just playing with fire to end on a lift for him?! They're still going to win by a massive amount because of their RD lead and they were already ahead on TES before that last element.

 

[Dobre]

Oh, oy. They were right there. Can't say how many times I've seen a team get right to the end, think too far ahead, and miss that last element. It's not a costly point-earning one though. If they can hold their levels on the other elements.

 

[Karen-W]

Ha - I just noticed they got of the plexiglass divider between the coaches and the athletes that they had at NHK!

 

[Dobre]

Congratulations! We'll see them at Worlds (I assume). Still learning, but I think he is so brave to be doing this.

 

[Karen-W]

Congratulations! We'll see them at Worlds (I assume). Still learning, but I think he is so brave to be doing this.

Oh, I'm sure they'll be sent to Worlds again, especially since it's a home Worlds for Japan. And probably at WTT as well.

 

[Dobre]

And I hope at 4CCs. The FD needs as much confidence as they can gather.

(Although, might I recommend some altitude training for any and all of the dance teams first).

 

[Braulio]

Free Dance 2022 Japan Nationals(1)

Free Dance 2022 Japan Nationals(1)

ok.ru

 

[Sylvia]

English version of the results page is published: https://www.jsfresults.com/National/2022-2023/fs_e/nationals/index.htm

Pairs - Final Results

PL Competitor Club SP FS Points
1. Haruna MURAKAMI / Sumitada MORIGUCHI Kinoshita Academy 1 1 162.07
Withdrawn
- Riku MIURA / Ryuichi KIHARA KINOSHITA GROUP - - -

Pairs - Free Skating Results

PL.	Competitor	Club	TSS	TES	PCS	CO	PR	SK	Deduction	StN.
1	Haruna MURAKAMI Sumitada MORIGUCHI	Kinoshita Academy Kinoshita Academy	107.86	55.26	52.60	6.60	6.55	6.55	0.00	#1

FS protocol: https://www.jsfresults.com/National/2022-2023/fs_e/nationals/data0305.pdf

ETA that JSF tweeted this photo of the lone medalists: https://twitter.com/skatingjapan/status/1606915202016251904

Murakami & Moriguchi SP 2022 Japan Ntls

Murakami & Moriguchi SP 2022 Japan Ntls

ok.ru

Another copy of Murakami/Moriguchi's SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRvbJX5IEnc

Murakami/Moriguchi's FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm-bf9fM9vM

Double Duty: Sumitada Moriguchi was 5th in the Senior Men's FS and 7th overall (improved from 13th last year), while Harumi Murakami finished 17th in the Senior Women's event (invited after placing 8th at Junior Nationals in November).

 

[Sylvia]

Men - Final Results - JSF tweeted this photo of the medalists: https://twitter.com/skatingjapan/status/1607001821310255104

PL	Competitor	Club	SP	FS	Points
1.	Shoma UNO	Toyota Motor Corporation	1	1	291.73
2.	Koshiro SHIMADA	KINOSHITA GROUP	2	6	252.56
3.	Kazuki TOMONO	UENOSHIBA SKATE CLUB	4	4	250.84
4.	Shun SATO	Meiji Univ	5	3	249.64
5.	Sota YAMAMOTO		3	7	245.41
6.	Kao MIURA	OrienntalBioMeguroNU.HS	13	2	242.55
7.	Sumitada MORIGUCHI	Kinoshita Academy	10	5	241.63
8.	Yuma KAGIYAMA	OrientalBio Cyukyo Univ.	6	8	237.83
9.	Tatsuya TSUBOI	Sysmex	11	9	221.17
10.	Nozomu YOSHIOKA	Hosei	7	11	220.43
11.	Shunsuke NAKAMURA	Kinoshita Academy	8	10	218.08
12.	Sena MIYAKE	KANSAI UNIV SKATING CLUB	9	12	216.10
13.	Taichiro YAMAKUMA	Meiji Univ	12	15	206.25
14.	Kosho OSHIMA	Meiji Univ	16	13	202.44
15.	Haruya SASAKI	KYOTO UNIV.F.S.C	19	14	199.95
16.	Shingo NISHIYAMA	Waseda Univ	17	16	197.81
17.	Tudoi SUTO	MF Figure Skating Academy	22	17	190.38
18.	Haru KAKIUCHI	Hyogo Nishinomiya F.S.C.	21	18	187.97
19.	Takeru Amine KATAISE	KANSAI UNIV SKATING CLUB	14	21	185.40
20.	Kazuki KUSHIDA		24	19	181.81
21.	Lucastsuyoshi HONDA	Kinoshita Academy	20	20	180.87
22.	Kazuki HASEGAWA	Science Univ of Tokyo	18	22	179.61
23.	Seigo TAUCHI	Meito Figure Skating Club	15	24	173.60
24.	Mitsuki SUMOTO	KANSAI UNIV SKATING CLUB	23	23	172.40
Final not reached
25.	Yuto KISHINA	KANSAI UNIV SKATING CLUB	25	-	-
26.	Rio NAKATA	MF Figure Skating Academy	26	-	-
27.	Takumi SUGIYAMA		27	-	-
28.	Shogo HIKOSAKA	RITSUMEI UNIV. F	28	-	-
29.	Syun KOBAYASHI	DOSHISHA F.SKATING CLUB	29	-	-
30.	Haruki MISHIMA	Hyogo Nishinomiya F.S.C.	30	-	-

Women - Final Results - JSF tweeted this photo of the medalists: https://twitter.com/skatingjapan/status/1606636672653086721

PL	Competitor	Club	SP	FS	Points
1.	Kaori SAKAMOTO	Sysmex	1	1	233.05
2.	Mai MIHARA	Sysmex	2	2	219.93
3.	Mao SHIMADA	Kinoshita Academy	4	5	202.79
4.	Ami NAKAI	MF Figure Skating Academy	8	4	201.49
5.	Mone CHIBA		3	7	200.12
6.	Hana YOSHIDA	Kinoshita Academy	14	3	197.21
7.	Yuna AOKI	Nihon Univ	10	6	191.89
8.	Ikura KUSHIDA	Kinoshita Academy	9	10	190.58
9.	Mana KAWABE	Chukyo Senior High School	6	11	190.44
10.	Ayumi SHIBAYAMA	Kinoshita Academy	7	12	189.09
11.	Rika KIHIRA	Toyota Motor Corporation	11	8	188.62
12.	Rinka WATANABE	Hosei	18	9	183.99
13.	Rino MATSUIKE	Chukyo Senior High School	20	13	179.85
14.	Rion SUMIYOSHI	OrientalBio Meiji Univ.	17	14	178.03
15.	Saki MIYAKE		5	16	175.38
16.	Mako YAMASHITA		22	15	172.96
17.	Haruna MURAKAMI	Kinoshita Academy	15	19	163.76
18.	Hina TAKENO		19	17	163.39
19.	Yuhana YOKOI	Howa Minato	12	20	161.87
20.	Miyabi OBA	TOKAI TOKYO FH	13	21	159.94
21.	Yo TAKAGI	MF Figure Skating Academy	16	22	158.86
22.	Maria EGAWA	Meiji Univ	23	18	158.39
23.	Akari MATSUBARA	Meiji Univ	24	23	152.22
24.	Niina TAKENO		21	24	152.14
Final not reached
25.	Ibuki SATOH	Meiji Univ	25	-	-
26.	Marin HONDA	JAL	26	-	-
27.	Yurina OKUNO	Komaba Gakuen Hich School	27	-	-
28.	Chikako SAIGUSA	Nihon Univ	28	-	-
29.	Shiika YOSHIOKA		29	-	-

Ice Dance - Final Results - JSF tweeted this photo of the medalists: https://twitter.com/skatingjapan/status/1606551171011055616

PL	Competitor	Club	RD	FD	Points
1	Kana MURAMOTO Daisuke TAKAHASHI	Kansai univ.Kaisers Fsc Kansai univ.Kaisers Fsc	1	1	186.61
2	Misato KOMATSUBARA Takeru KOMATSUBARA [Tim KOLETO]		2	2	175.10
3	TAKAHASHI Nicole Shiloh JUDD	DreamFigure Skating Club USA	3	4	130.26
4	Akari KINOSHITA Takahiko TAMURA	Keio University Keio University	4	3	128.69
5	Saiko KIKUCHI Yosimitu IKEDA	Hosei SEIBU HIGASHIFUSHIMI	6	5	103.78
6	Haruno YAJIMA Tsutomu MATSUI	SEIBU HIGASHIFUSHIMI Meiji Univ	5	6	96.44

 

[Sylvia]

I've posted the link to JSF's ISU Championships selection criteria document in the JPN news thread in GSD where there's discussion about the Worlds/4CC/Junior Worlds assignments: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...eason-news-updates.109761/page-6#post-6359144

@Tak originally posted this in the Men's FS thread:

Selection to Senior, Junior Worlds and 4CC will be quite interesting. JSF must be scratching their collective heads right now.
Only secure tickets are
Women: Kaori Sakamoto and Mai Mihara
Men: Shoma Uno
Ice Dance: KanaDai
Pairs: RikuRyu
Jr Women: Mao Shimada
Jr Men: Nozomu Yoshioka
For Women, Will Mone Chiba or Hana Yoshida be considered for Senior assignments? What will Rinka get?
For Men, Sota (GPF Silver) or Shun Sato (GPF 4th) be considered for 4CC?

I think Ami Nakai (3rd at Junior Nationals) should have the inside track for the 2nd Junior Worlds spot based on her strong FS with two 3A.

Link to the Junior Nationals results (Nov. 25-27, 2022): https://www.jsfresults.com/National/2022-2023/fs_e/national_jr/index.htm

 

[Hedwig]

Does anyone know when it will be announced?

 

[Gris]

Does anyone know when it will be announced?

It has been announced.

Worlds: Uno, Yamamoto, Tomono; Sakamoto, Mihara, Watanabe; Miura / Kihara; Muramoto / Takahashi

4CC: Shimada, Sato, Miura; Watanabe, Yoshida, Chiba; Miura / Kihara; Muramoto / Takahashi, Komatsubara / Koleto

Junior Worlds: Yoshioka, Miura; Shimada, Nakai; Murakami / Moriguchi; Kida / Morita

 

[Hedwig]

That does sound sensible all around

 

[miffy]

So they can do badly at Nationals and still get sent? I know they’ve done it before for people who miss the podium but make top 5 or 6, but 12th seems a bit of a stretch? I might be being really unfair here and I do understand that some of the skaters are not age eligible.

I’m really sad for Shimada as well, I know his Skate America result is probably the reason for this but it’s such a shame.

At least Mai made it this time

 

[Enchanted]

So they can do badly at Nationals and still get sent? I know they’ve done it before for people who miss the podium but make top 5 or 6, but 12th seems a bit of a stretch? I might be being really unfair here and I do understand that some of the skaters are not age eligible.

I’m really sad for Shimada as well, I know his Skate America result is probably the reason for this but it’s such a shame.

At least Mai made it this time

Nationals is just one competition. For example, Watanabe made name for herself on the GP. She even won Skate Canada and was fourth at the GPF. It would be a stupid strategy not to send her. The international competitions should always weigh more in the selection process than domestic ones.

 

[Hedwig]

Indont know if they should count more but they should count as well. I am certainly glad that Rinka is going and I think she deserve it with her spectacular GP season.

I loved Mone here a lot and am glad she got 4cc. Sending her to Worlds as first big senior competition with only having competed Junior before would have been very risky. I think this strategy makes a lot of sense all around for the women.
For men I am less sure but it is not outrageous by any means.

 

[Tak]

Shoma commented that He is not all together happy about the selection. It is understandable since his rink mate with Silver was not only chosen for Worlds, but appointed as only #2 Substitute.
Worlds Subs are:
#1 Shun Sato
#2 Koshiro Shimada
Another surprise for me was Kao Miura going to Junior Worlds, with Yoshioka. I thought Nakamura would be selected.

For Women, as this season started, either Mr. Ito head of Figure Skating in JSF or Mr Yosuke Takeuchi (I still remember his hilarious Free to Tarzan) in charge of the strategy, said that for the next Olympics, new set of skaters need to come up for Women. The interview mentioned Mone Chiba and Hana Yoshida as possible candidates.
4CC is a perfect competition for Senior Newbies (International B Events do not count), best of luck to Rinka, Mone and Hana. Please be height acclimatized, before competing at Colorado Springs.
IMHO, Rinka has done enough to justify her selection. 12th, sure, but who above her has bona fide senior international resume better than her? Spectacular Juniors rightfully stole the limelight here, but sad fact is many established seniors underperformed, perhaps including Rinka.
I am still trying to find who the substitutes are for Sr and Jr Worlds and 4CC, for Women.
Best of luck to the selected representatives!

 

[tony]

I am still trying to find who the substitutes are for Sr and Jr Worlds and 4CC, for Women.
Best of luck to the selected representatives!

Hi Tak, thanks for all of the information this weekend. This post by @Sylvia has your answers:

Japanese figure skating 2022-23 season news & updates

I got my men’s world team!! Merry Christmas to me! :cheer2:

www.fsuniverse.net

 

[Tak]

Thank you @tony
Much appreciated.

 

[kwanfan1818]

For Women, as this season started, either Mr. Ito head of Figure Skating in JSF or Mr Yosuke Takeuchi (I still remember his hilarious Free to Tarzan) in charge of the strategy, said that for the next Olympics, new set of skaters need to come up for Women. The interview mentioned Mone Chiba and Hana Yoshida as possible candidates.

I wonder if this weighed on Sakamoto this season. If I were Mihara, I wouldn't have been doing a happy dance hearing this, either.

4CC is a perfect competition for Senior Newbies

I agree. They took a pretty big risk sending Wakabe to the Olympics as her first senior championship, when she placed 11th at her only Jr. Worlds, and only had one medal, 2021 NHK, in junior or senior competition at the time. I hope the Japanese Fed doesn't start churning through their skaters without much foresight.

 

[jlai]

I am fine with the men but am also wondering about watanabe. I think if you finish outside top ten that should count against you. Also her short has been up and down this season if you look at her scores. If you talk about inexperience some other feds have sent skaters with little experience at the biggest stage and they came out just fine.

 

[livetoskate]

Free Dance 2022 Japan Nationals(1)

Free Dance 2022 Japan Nationals(1)

ok.ru

Do you have Venmo or Paypal? Please let me know so I can contribute something. Thank you.

 

[Sylvia]

Just found more Nationals videos (26 so far) on this account - watch while you can! https://www.youtube.com/@FSFS9999/videos

All Japan Medalists on Ice (post-Nationals exhibition) performers included the top 6 finishers in Senior singles:

Shoma Uno
Koshiro Shimada
Kazuki Tomono
Shun Sato
Sota Yamamoto
Kao Miura
Nozomu Yoshioka J1
Takeru Amine Kataise J2
Haruya Sasaki J3
Sena Takahashi (Novice A Boys champion)

Kaori Sakamoto
Mai Mihara
Mao Shimada
Ami Nakai
Mone Chiba
Hana Yoshida
Rinka Watanabe (GPF; selected for Worlds)
Rena Uezono (Novice A Girls champion)

Miura/Kihara (glad they were able to performe for the home audience)
Murakami/Moriguchi

Muramoto/Takahashi
Komatsubara/Koleto

 

[Sylvia]

Getty Images - Day 1 (Rhythm Dance, Women SP)

Getty Images - Day 2 (Men SP, 1 pair)

IDC's Rhythm Dance photos by Harumi A.: https://photos2.ice-dance.com/2022-23/22JN/RD/

IDC's JN galleries: https://photos2.ice-dance.com/2022-23/22JN/

Getty Images - Day 3 (Free Dance, Women FS, medal ceremonies)

Getty Images - Day 4 (Men FS & medal ceremony)

Murakami/Moriguchi & their gold medal: https://twitter.com/skatingjapan/status/1606915202016251904

Articles in English with photos:

Uno Shoma and Sakamoto Kaori to lead Japan at 2023 World Championships: https://olympics.com/en/news/world-figure-skating-champs-2023-japan-announcement

Figure skating: Shoma Uno wins 5th national title, earns place at worlds

Shoma Uno falls on a quad flip but has an otherwise clean free skate en route to his fifth career national figure skating title and first in three years.

english.kyodonews.net

Shoma Uno dominates field to win national title

Uno punched his ticket to the world championships with his fifth national title.

www.japantimes.co.jp

Shoma Uno Claims Fifth National Title By a Large Margin at Japan Championships | SportsLook

After early hiccups, Shoma Uno regained his form and completed the rest of his free skate without incident. He earned his first national title since 2019.

featured.japan-forward.com

Figure skating: Kaori Sakamoto powers past field in women's SP at nationals

Defending champion Kaori Sakamoto dazzles on the ice to win the women's short program at Japan's national figure skating championships.

english.kyodonews.net

Kaori Sakamoto wins second consecutive national title

The reigning world champion topped both the short and free programs, making up for a disappointing fifth at the Grand Prix Final earlier this month.

www.japantimes.co.jp

Kaori Sakamoto Captures Third National Title at Japan Championships | SportsLook

The 22-year-old world champion, who won her previous national titles in 2018 and 2021, lands six clean triples and triumphs by more than 13 points.

featured.japan-forward.com

ETA: https://twitter.com/fskating_Life/status/1607015886220820480
The 91st All Japan Figure Skating Championships Rookie of the Year Awards have been announced [12/25/22]. (Titles omitted)
● Male Haruya Sasaki [S15/J3]
● Female Mao Shimada [S3/J1]

Nationals photo galleries (by MAINICHI PHOTOGRAPHY):

写真｜Fun!フィギュア | 毎日新聞

フィギュアスケートの写真特集一覧です

mainichi.jp

 

[Jarrett]

Very disappointed Rion SUMIYOSHI's season is over. Probably my favorite free program of the season. Edited Looks like she got assigned to the World University Winter Games in Jan so there is that.