Japanese figure skating 2018-19 season news & updates

[Sylvia]

Mie Hamada was one of the guest coaches again at USFS' jump camp earlier this month and brought a group of skaters (including Kihira, Shiraiwa and Ayaka Hosoda) -- link to the jump camp thread with a couple of photo links: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...akers-wagner-nagasu-zhou.105610/#post-5588292

ETA:

Prince Ice World shows in early May:
Marin Honda with Shoma Uno and Kazuki Tomono: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxGzaIXnJXX/
Kazuki with Marin & Shoma: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxGvvJinhdb/

Kazuki Tomono celebrated his 21st birthday in Los Angeles and his birthday cake was Angels/baseball-themed (choreographer Phillip Mills is in his 2nd photo): https://www.instagram.com/p/BxgW5upnVz1/

Kaori Sakamoto currently is at the Wurth arena in Egna/Neumarkt, Italy (per Benoit Richaud's IG).

 

[Sylvia]

Rika Kihira article in English (May 5): https://english.kyodonews.net/news/...ar-kihira-eyes-repeat-of-stunning-season.html

Rika Kihira's FS is being choreographed again by Tom Dickson and here's a one-minute clip with 4S (anyone recognize the music?) from Colorado Springs: https://twitter.com/rika_kihira/status/1130137437517242369

 

[jenny12]

Rika Kihira's FS is being choreographed again by Tom Dickson and here's a one-minute clip with 4S (anyone recognize the music?) from Colorado Springs: https://twitter.com/rika_kihira/status/1130137437517242369

I think she is using part of this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5bEIbuWIwNk

 

[Sylvia]

As for Midori participating in the International Adult Competition, as far as I know it's the third time - 2011, 2013 and 2018. 2011 IAC was the first ISU competition in 15 years since she put a period to her competitive career in 1996. And it was the 10th year since her last competition which was 2001 Pro-Am competition. The 5-page article which I linked to "2011" earlier in this post has good photos and reports from training/event written by a writer who also participated in the 2011 IAC. Happy to see her enjoy skating itself and share the joy with us fans.

Midori Ito is entered again in the ISU's International Adult Competition in Oberstdorf, Germany and she is scheduled to compete on Saturday, May 25, 2019 - competition thread with info links here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...etition-may-19-25-2019-oberstdorf-ger.105574/

 

[Sylvia]

Marin Honda's new La La Land FS (choreo. by Lori Nichol) as performed in exhibition at Prince Ice World in Yokohama earlier this month: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIHNfIqnZn0

Many more PIW videos are uploaded at this same account: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOJeAQiIf0b6IVag_WZYalQ/videos

 

[coppertop1]

I really would love Marin to breakthrough and make the World Team but the field is so deep

 

[Sylvia]

Takahiko Kozuka Academy's website: https://kozuka-academy.com/
"Guest coaches" include Aki Sawada, Mariko Kihara, Aya Kawai and listed under "Kozuka Academy Friends" is Keiichiro Sasahara: https://kozuka-academy.com/?page_id=4

I glimpsed Narumi Takahashi wearing the blue instructor's jacket in their latest Instagram stories: https://www.instagram.com/kozukaacademy/

 

[Tinami Amori]

Rika Kihira's FS is being choreographed again by Tom Dickson and here's a one-minute clip with 4S (anyone recognize the music?) from Colorado Springs: https://twitter.com/rika_kihira/status/1130137437517242369

I think she is using part of this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5bEIbuWIwNk

On one of the Russian sites someone ran Rika's video through some music identifier and confirmed the same music piece, at least they said that's what it is.

Rika looks strong, and it is terrific that she is going for more difficulty, that's how it should be.

 

[rosewood]

Marin's Lalaland program reminded me of the time when Mao was giving up skating after the Worlds which followed her mom's death. At the time Lori gave Mao Marry Poppins (EX) and I Got Rhythm (SP) so that they will give Mao cheerful atmosphere every day when she skates these programs. Wish Marin enjoys herself when she skates Lalaland and it will lead her to an up-swing wave.

Rika's new FS suits her. I love to see someone who challenges to push the boundary of this sport. I'm excited to see her do a successful 4S as the first Japanese lady to nail it in the senior field under IJS. One thing I'm concerned about including 4S & 3A in one program is to pop those edge jumps due to the timing issue when she's not on. She said 4S is more consistent than 4T at this point so it can't help, but if possible I wish she'll get any toe-jump as a quad in the future.

 

[rosewood]

Inspired by @Sylvia's post about Kozuka Academy, I'm posting videos of reenactment drama of Kozuka Blades.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x757uuw?playlist=x63jzg
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x759bzk?playlist=x63jzg

Kozuka is from Nagoya (Aichi prefecture). In a sense it is a city of Toyota. There are lots of wonderful factories there. Yamaichi-hagane who worked with Kozuka is one of them.

BTW, recently I found Tsubame city (Niigata prefectre) has a project to produce their own skating blade brand. Tsubame city is well known as a city who produce high quality knives in Japan. Here is an info page (in Japanese).
http://www.city.tsubame.niigata.jp/industrial/016001099.html

In the end of the Kozuka Blades drama it was mentioned Kozuka is working with a shoes company to create a skating boots brand. It sounds intrigue, too.

 

[LoopCombo]

I really would love Marin to breakthrough and make the World Team but the field is so deep

Me too! I just love her !

 

[Sylvia]

Tweeted by Jack Gallagher: https://twitter.com/sportsjapan/status/1131079606037929985
Translation:
"A test skate to determine the next season's Junior Grand Prix participants will be held by the Japan Skating Federation at Chukyo University in Aichi prefecture on June 15."

We can start a new season JPN news thread around then, maybe?

 

[denise3lz]

Ayaka Hosoda Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/raripy.skating/

 

[Sylvia]

Claire C. just posted in the Programs/Choreographers thread... I wasn't aware of Satoko Miyahara's blog (in Japanese) before today: https://ameblo.jp/satoko-miyahara/

She wrote about her new programs in her latest entry (Google translated with a few corrections):

The short is an Egyptian-style song that combines three songs of Yalla, Tabla & Percussion Solo, Egyptian Disco (Buddha Bar Edit) / DJ Disse. Although it is a song contrary to my own image until now, I chose the music because I thought, "What changed slightly as a new challenge." The choreographer is Mr. Benoit Richaud. It's a difficult program with lots of moves that I had not had before, but I want to skate.

And, free is Theme of Schindler's List, Prelude in C sharp minor, Hatikva (Interlude). This was choreographed by Ms. Lori Nichol. It is a program that expresses sadness, suffering, and humanity, and I hope that we can deliver something that will last for us. This song is an arrangement of John Bayless. When I was invited to John's piano recital, I listened to this song on a live piano and thought, "I want to skate!" When I decided the song, I was worried that it might be dark to act, but I felt that I really wanted to skate. In fact, I think that I was able to create a deep program by choreographing.

Satoko includes a photo with John Bayless and his message to her (eta: she used Bayless' The Puccini Album - Arias For Piano in her Olympic season free skate to Madame Butterfly).

 

[Marco]

Who will hit a better spiral to the Schindler's List music, Satoko or Jason?!

 

[Dobre]

Who will hit a better spiral to the Schindler's List music, Satoko or Jason?!

Jason. (And Satoko has a lovely spiral, but . . . Jason). Both will most likely have better positions than Evdokimova & Bazin.

 

[Sylvia]

Jack Gallagher spoke to Benoit Richaud about his first time choreographing programs for Satoko Miyahara (SP) and Yuna Shiraiwa (FS) in his latest article: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports...ichauds-growing-influence-japan/#.XOgtr5jYrnE
Excerpts:

“Working with Satoko was an amazing experience,” Richaud said Friday from France. “I always admired her because I could she see was one of the skaters who are really committed to their choreography and their style. It was a huge pleasure to have the opportunity to do choreography for her.”
Richaud then described the work he created for Miyahara.
“The new short program is an Oriental program, the story of Cleopatra with a hip-hop part,” commented Richaud. “I wanted to explore something different and I sent her a few ideas and was kind of surprised, because she answered and said she would like to skate to that piece of music. I was not expecting her to choose that music.
...
“I think the new short program will help her. It will give her a new fresh start and it will give her a new kind of style,” Benoit said. “I think people will really appreciate it. It’s not going to be an easy program for her. Everyone knows Satoko is a really hard worker. We were skating 10 hours a day sometimes (while working on the program).”

“Working with Yuna was an interesting experience,” Richaud noted. “I didn’t know the skater and she reminded me a little bit of Kaori Sakamoto. I also saw her first at junior worlds like Kaori. I didn’t expect her to skate this way and have such a big quality of skating.”
...
“I hope my new free skate will help her to get more results. I did my maximum to really make her look like I think she needs to look like now as a senior skater, because I think her jumps are very strong,” Richaud stated. “I think she has everything to be on the top level internationally. I gave her a program that I think can show all of her qualities and is different from what she did before.”

 

[Tinami Amori]

Who will hit a better spiral to the Schindler's List music, Satoko or Jason?!

Jason. (And Satoko has a lovely spiral, but . . . Jason). Both will most likely have better positions than Evdokimova & Bazin.

My vote is for Satoko..

 

[rosewood]

Glimpse from ice dance national camp (for scout & try out)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW9Hv1UX5eg

Couldn't see Chris or Kana anywhere in the vid.

 

[clairecloutier]

Glimpse from ice dance national camp (for scout & try out)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW9Hv1UX5eg

Couldn't see Chris or Kana anywhere in the vid.

I've been thinking lately how much I miss Kana/Chris. Such a shame that they split (and have not repartnered with anyone else). Even as there's so much talent in the ice dance world, true star quality like Kana's doesn't come along that often, IMO.

 

[Wyliefan]

I think Satoko's style is perfection, and I know I'm not alone in that, but if she has to revamp it to go after PCS, then that's what she has to do. It's maddening that the judges don't recognize what she's already been doing. But it sounds like she and Richaud have thought it through, worked hard, and know what they're doing. I really hope it works out well for her.

 

[kittyjake5]

Jeff and Stephane at Kansai Univ. with Team Japan.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByCOPma...uCtt4nizR6-3YuITjTzDU1z_X-5-bbLMt1W_OvoFdXhxw

 

[ostile17]

Jeff and Stephane at Kansai Univ. with Team Japan.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByCOPma...uCtt4nizR6-3YuITjTzDU1z_X-5-bbLMt1W_OvoFdXhxw

I'd say Team Kansai more than Team Japan.

Anyway, here's a similar one from Ayaka Hosoda's Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByCtDuTJ2uN

 

[kittyjake5]

I'd say Team Kansai more than




Anyway, here's a similar one from Ayaka Hosoda's Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByCtDuTJ2uN

LOL it is all one big family. I wonder if Dai is getting choreography from Jeff?

 

[ostile17]

LOL it is all one big family. I wonder if Dai is getting choreography from Jeff?

Right, me too. So curious now!

 

[clairecloutier]

Shoma Uno has left his longtime coach Mihoko Higuchi. apparently he will be trying out with several new coaches, possibly some in Japan, but also some abroad. unexpected news!

https://mobile.twitter.com/figureskatingm1/status/1135471454647013376

https://mobile.twitter.com/yawning_shoma/status/1135490883799912448

 

[starrynight]

It would be a huge change for Shoma to leave Japan.

From what I understand, he's quite settled in Japan and isn't much of a fan of travelling. I don't think he has much English at all either. But I guess all of that can be dealt with if it's a question of him pursuing the coaching he wants to reach his goals.

However, I think that someone like Yuzuru Hanyu certainly benefits from the increased privacy that training in Canada offers. I could only imagine it would be like living in a goldfish bowl if Hanyu lived and trained in Japan full time.

 

[Spun Silver]

Hasn't he done some work with Tom Z in Colorado Springs recently or am I dreaming that?

 

[Sylvia]

The only U.S.-based coach Shoma Uno has worked with in the past few summers (that I know of) has been Alex Ouriashev in the Chicago area.

 

[Spun Silver]

The only U.S.-based coach Shoma Uno has worked with in the past few summers (that I know of) has been Alex Ouriashev in the Chicago area.

Thanks for correcting my dream.