Japanese figure skating 2025-26 season news & updates

[PRlady]

Yesterday I saw Aoki’s name newly posted to some competition and now I can remember what it is! I so love watching her. I wonder if both she and Rino should consider ice dance.

 

[Karen-W]

Yesterday I saw Aoki’s name newly posted to some competition and now I can remember what it is! I so love watching her. I wonder if both she and Rino should consider ice dance.

Aoki was given the NHK host TBD spot.

 

[PRlady]

Aoki was given the NHK host TBD spot.

That was it! Thanks.

 

[kwanette]

Yesterday I saw Aoki’s name newly posted to some competition and now I can remember what it is! I so love watching her. I wonder if both she and Rino should consider ice dance.

I have partner for Yuna..

 

[PRlady]

I have partner for Yuna..

Who?

 

[kwanette]

Who?

https://www.reddit.com/r/FigureSkat...una_aoki_kazuki_tomono_fantaisieimpromptu_ex/ My favorite boy..

 

[kwanette]

https://x.com/moozuru/status/1968849867670794731

Yuna Aoki Tokyo Regionals

 

[YukiNieve]

An interesting article about Yuma Kagiyama's FS music Turandot.

「グラミー賞アーティストが…前代未聞」鍵山優真の新フリー『トゥーランドット』はなぜ特別なのか？ 振付師が明かす「ユマの中にある情熱」（田村明子）

9月14日に終了したロンバルディア杯で、鍵山優真は今季の新フリー「トゥーランドット」を披露した。怪我でジャンプの難易度を落としていたとはいえ、音楽と一体となった流れるような滑りは圧巻で、演技構成点は全選手のトップ。総合285.91でイリア・マ

number.bunshun.jp

Nicole:
"After working together for several years, I sensed there was still passion buried deep inside Yuma. He needed music to unleash it. Yuma possesses an incredibly sensitive musical sense, and has continued to grow as an athlete, an artist, and a human being."

Christopher Tin (a two-time Grammy Award winner who created the ending part of Turandot and edit it further for Yuma to make it suitable for the FS):

- Nicole gave him detailed instructions on what kind of melody was needed at each specific moment when creating the choreography.

"Adapting the music to the program's requirements was a major challenge. Lori carefully explained to me when Yuma would jump, where he would pause to catch his breath, and even about the rules of competitive skating. It was far more complex than any of my previous collaborations for films or video games."

"The music is still in development. We plan to record the vocals with the two lead actors in a few weeks, and they will be added to the final version."

--

So there will be vocals in Yuma's FS music!

 

[YukiNieve]

Ikura Kushida ＆Koshiro Shimada RD (Chris Reed Trophy, Sept. 23, 2025)

【フィギュア】　クリス・リード杯　櫛田育良/島田高志郎組　＊映像のみ

【フィギュア】　2025第４回クリス・リード杯　シニア・リズムダンス　櫛田育良/島田高志郎組＊権利の都合上、楽曲はカットしております＊大会側の許可を得て演技映像を掲載しております2025年５月結成！愛称「いくこう」！櫛田育良/島田高志郎が実戦デビュー！場所：長野県軽井沢　「風越公園アイスアリーナ」♪Got The...

www.youtube.com

- No music due to copy rights, but there are other behind the scene clips and interviews (in Japanese). You need to set VPN as Japan to view this.

 

[haribobo]

Score updates from Regionals/Intls

SENIOR MEN Regional Scores
Sota Yamamoto 246
Shun Sato 244
Nozomu Yoshioka 236
Kao Miura 219
Sena Miyake 217

Upcoming at Kinki Regionals - Tomono (236 Kinoshita), Tsuboi (231 Kinoshita), Shunsuke (203 Kinoshita), Haru Kakiuchi (203 Kinoshita)

Assumed Bye- Yuma Kagiyama (285 Lombardia)

Top Junior Scores from JGP
Rio Nakata 246
Taiga Nishino 233
Sena Takahashi 225
Shun Uemura 212
Ryoto Mori 206
Daiya Ebihara 201

Current Top 5 Intl Scores, Senior- Yuma 285, Sato 254, Tomono 236, Sota 233, Kao 233


SENIOR WOMEN Regionals

Rion Sumiyoshi 200
Rino Matsuike 194
Ami Nakai 192
Mako Yamashita 190
Yuna Aoki 181
Mana Kawabe 181
Rinka Watanabe 173
Kinayu Yokoi 171
Miyabi Oba 164
Maria Egawa 158

Assumed Bye- Mone Chiba (216 Kinoshita), Kaori Sakamoto (203 Kinoshita), Wakaba Higuchi (159 Kinoshita),

Upcoming at Kinki Regionals- Hana (180 Kinoshita), Mai Mihara (no score yet)... Saki Miyake (196 Kinoshita) is upcoming at ChuShiKyu Regionals.

Top Scores from JGP
Mayuko Oka 199
Mao Shimada 199
Mei Okada 190
Haruna Murakami 186
Sumika Kanazawa 185
Kaoruko Wada 180

Current Top 5 Intl Scores, Senior
Mone 216, Rion 209, Ami 206, Kaori 203, Saki 196

 

[Karen-W]

Whoa! Shingo Nishiyama and Rika Kihira have decided to form an ice dance partnership! They're training at IAM.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Wyliefan]

Really nice to see Rika back in any capacity.

 

[YukiNieve]

Cross-posting for someone who might be interested:

You can find many videos of Japanese Regionals that have been taking place now here: https://www.instagram.com/skateinjapan/

Chubu Regional
Sota Yamamoto (Sr Men 1st)
SP: https://www.instagram.com/p/DO_kjqrglItvJYQJQc3M8QABNz2G-ZC17hooT40/
FS: https://www.instagram.com/p/DO_yA6_gtCLbtnbgH1qvg7AvIVfu379bDbd3HE0/

Rino Matsuike (Sr Women 1st)
SP: https://www.instagram.com/p/DO_mB7pAlJ5zw_U37_bHP2OJGdm4GzUr_6jK9I0/
FS: https://www.instagram.com/p/DO_zLR0gp0MTxMBWna39SmcFGqEuvqfj2PilNA0/

Tokyo Regional
Shun Sato (Sr Men 1st)
SP: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPBRR1Rgk45anyBd05aKRqqBR1aVQphFRFxHHg0/
FS: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPBYc3tgl0AUaNsKtqhAIiwDCOLUJCtBJcUBY00/

Nozomu Yoshioka (Sr Men 2nd)
SP: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPBQ19TAoOFNq-1Asvhhq1BkOYpYDpdaVmjpnk0/
FS: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPBYMuSAosLMQb3fbStzh17X5PAMXizN6-xQ7o0/

Kao Miura (Sr Men 3rd)
SP: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPBRAnoArV9p44OqN_sakw2MYOVYCCwqjzBwzY0/
FS: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPBYDvKggzDL_jbbDtoC-Z8s8ksGDKp5_umR440/

Rion Sumiyoshi (Sr Women 1st)
SP: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPBTfYSggxmKsLXPLpAPko0yuBL1ycHyWMEBck0/
FS: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPBaB5FAlIf3QqE1yuleir5mXcBGZEU2YktHek0/

Ami Nakai (Sr Women 2nd)
SP:https://www.instagram.com/p/DPBTPdRAs4kVMH_JY3XD-ACwHxUapHuXYCedEM0/
FS: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPBZ22cglZpVu1OXWzNKCqn-K-I4YX6d59ofKs0/

Yuna Aoki (Sr Women 3rd)
SP: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPBTCWTgiqDpaI-Ep77-i86q-vSHR4zuoKnu600/
FS https://www.instagram.com/p/DPBZfkEAjm1WrrEgmxNGUo1C5vO9aYXzI6PLg80/

 

[haribobo]

Score updates from Regionals/Intls

SENIOR MEN Regional Scores
Sota Yamamoto 246
Shun Sato 244
Kazuki Tomono 237
Nozomu Yoshioka 236
Kao Miura 219
Sena Miyake 217

Assumed Bye- Yuma Kagiyama (285 Lombardia), Tatsuya Tsuboi (231 Kinoshita)

Haru Kakiuchi somehow only scored 82.15 total points at Kinki Regionals so I am wondering if his NHK assignment may be in jeopardy?

SENIOR WOMEN Regionals

Rion Sumiyoshi 200
Saki Miyake 198
Rino Matsuike 194
Ami Nakai 192
Mako Yamashita 190
Mai Mihara 187
Yuna Aoki 181
Mana Kawabe 181
Rinka Watanabe 173
Kinayu Yokoi 171
Miyabi Oba 164
Hana Yoshida 167
Maria Egawa 158

Assumed Bye- Mone Chiba (216 Kinoshita), Kaori Sakamoto (203 Kinoshita), Wakaba Higuchi (159 Kinoshita),

 

[YukiNieve]

Daisuke Takahashi, who skated to La Strada at the Vancouver Olympics, helped Ami Nakai, the winner of 2025 Grand Prix de France, refine her short program to the same music for this season.

17歳・中井亜美「100点です！」3A決めSP今季世界最高　五輪へニューヒロイン候補 - スポニチ Sponichi Annex スポーツ

女子SPが行われ、GPデビュー戦の17歳・中井亜美（TOKIOインカラミ）が自己ベストを9・00点も大幅更新する今季世界最高78・00点で首位発進した。来年…

www.sponichi.co.jp

 

[Dobre]

Shun. He competed in this event the way you need to. Focused on his job & didn't let the rest of the world interfere.

 

[kwanette]

According to a few posts on Twitter X, Kao Miura is going back to The Umbrellas of Cherbourg for his FS, 3rd FS of the season.

 

[skatingguy]

https://www.reddit.com/r/FigureSkating/comments/1oiacuh/kihiranishiyama_princess_mononoke_free_dance

 

[YukiNieve]

Rika Kihira / Shingo Nishiyama RD at 2025 Western Sectional.
This RD came second after Ikura Kushida / Koshiro Shimada.
Then told they only had time to practice this program for about one month .

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

Ikura Kushida / Koshiro Shimada RD (1st at 2025 Western Sectional)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

 

[miffy]

Wow, how lovely to see Koshiro Shimada in ice dance I’ve liked him since he was in juniors. They look like a good match, I look forward to seeing them more.

 

[YukiNieve]

Rio Nakata landed 4S, 4T, 4T-3T, 3A+1Eu+3S, 3A, 3F+2A, 3Lo(q), earned TES 91.34 for FS and won the 2025 National Junior Championships.

Judge detail scores (for junior men):
SP: https://www.jsfresults.com/National...OR--01QUAL000100--_JudgesDetailsperSkater.pdf
FS: https://www.jsfresults.com/National...OR--01FNL-000100--_JudgesDetailsperSkater.pdf

 

[YukiNieve]

Rio Nakata landed 4S, 4T, 4T-3T, 3A+1Eu+3S, 3A, 3F+2A, 3Lo(q), earned TES 91.34 for FS and won the 2025 National Junior Championships.

And Rio's stress fracture in his left foot, which he incurred in late July, has not completely healed.
It is still painful, though he says it has improved significantly.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/f15ba9add6ee2c3bbba155000e155b2f30aabafe

 

[Karen-W]

Do we have the official Olympic selection document/criteria from the JSF anywhere?

 

[skatingguy]

Do we have the official Olympic selection document/criteria from the JSF anywhere?

This is from user YuBluByMe on GoldenSkate.

Women

The Current Olympic Selection Pool

A.

1. National champion will be selected.

• TBD

B.

1. Second and third at Nationals
2. Top two GPF competitors
3. Top three SB

• TBD
• Nakai, Sakamoto
• Sakamoto (227.18), Nakai (227.08), Chiba (217.23)

C.

1. Top three world standing
2. Top three season rankings
3. Top three highest average score in two competitions, including domestic competition

• Sakamoto (1), Chiba (2), Yoshida (11)
• Chiba (1), Nakai (3), Sakamoto (4)
• Sakamoto (225.71), Nakai (223.99), Chiba (217.23),

Selection Pool: Sakamoto, Nakai, Chiba, Yoshida

Anyone not in the selection pool will need to place within the top three at Nationals to be considered for the Olympic team.

Men

A.

1. National champion will be selected.

• TBD

B.

1. Second and third at Nationals
2. Top two GPF competitors
3. Top three season’s best

• TBD
• Kagiyama, Sato
• Kagiyama (302.41), Sato (292.08), Miura (253.69)

C.

1. Top three world’s standing
2. Top three season ranking
3. Top three highest average score in two competitions, to include domestic competition

• Kagiyama (2), Sato (5), Miura (11)
• Kagiyama (2), Sato (4), Tomono (9)
• Kagiyama (294.83), Sato (288.90), Tomono (248.52)

Selection Pool: Kagiyama, Sato, Miura, Tomono

Any skater not currently in the selection pool will need to make the podium at Nationals to be considered for the Olympic team.

 

[Jonas]

I'll put my wagers in early now two weeks before Japanese Nationals.

I can't imagine Yuma Kagiyama and Shun Sato NOT being sent to Milano-Cortina. I actually predict Rio Nakata to be the 3rd man on the podium, but Kazuki Tomono will be Japan's third Olympian this year. Admittedly, I'm betting a little w/my heart here.

Similarly, I can't imagine that the Japanese ladies' trio to Milano Cortina NOT consisting of Kaori Sakamoto, Mone Chiba, and Ami Nakai. Ami Nakai was my mild shocker this season! I knew she has the goods, but after failing to medal at Jr. Worlds last season, I honestly thought she'd be competing junior internationally again this season. To see her list on the Grand Prix circuit and doing as phenomenally well as she did was a shock and an even bigger shock, respectively!!

Your thoughts...