Yuzuru Hanyu: 2010-12 Season | Page 7 | Golden Skate

Yuzuru Hanyu: 2010-12 Season

Srin Odessa

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 23, 2012
Hanyu visited a shrine to pray for good luck (I guess).

So I think he's not a Christian :)

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/9264/52739224.jpg

It's not unusual for some Japanese Christians to get blessings from Shinto-Buddhist temples. A lot of Japanese don't identify themselves Shinto but continue perform Shinto rituals. After World War II and decades of state sanctioned religion, Shintoism in Japan slowly became a part of Japanese culture and divorced from religious affiliation.

It's similar to how some Christian Koreans converts continue to celebrate Chuseok, a festival of ancestor worship, or Indian Christians take part in certain Hindu festivals. Still, Hanyu may do it just for good luck. You won't believe how popular Christian imagery on accessories is in Asia.
 

skatinginbc

Medalist
Joined
Aug 26, 2010
Anyone knows how heavy Hanyu is? Based on ISU skater bio, Hanyu is 17 years old, 170 cm tall. Coincidentally, according to the newest official statistics published by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (文部科学省), the average height for a 17-year-old boy in Japan is 170.7 cm (about the same as Hanyu's height) and the average weight is 63.1 kg, with a standard deviation (SD) of 10.58 kg. That is to say, as long as Hanyu weighs 52.52 kg (i.e, 115.79 lb) or more is considered within the norm. Unless he weighs less than 115.79lb, I would not call him skinny at all. Now here comes the big question: How much does he weigh?
 
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silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Hanyu was listed as 169 cm the season he won junior worlds, he looks at least a few cm taller than that now. I would guess he's around 5'8" (173 cm). Oda's olympic bio said he weighed like 124 pounds or something, and he is only 164 cm and also thin, so Hanyu is probably at least 120 pounds (54.5 kg). I'm not sure Kozuka is really 170 cm though, sometimes ISU bios are inflated. Patrick Chan is listed as 173 cm but he's clearly shorter than Fernandez who is listed as the same height, and looked shorter than Takahito Mura in pictures from 4CC who is listed as only 169 cm, so i tend to think his listing is inflated (he looks like 5'6" or 5'7" to me). Hanyu might be 170 cm but if he is Kozuka is likely only 168 cm. He is very thin but I bet he weighs more than 115 pounds.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
As a Catholic Christian, I personally get offended by non Orthodox or non Catholics using crosses as amulets or crossing themselves as in "it can't hurt, who knows." It bothers me to see this, just the way Madonna has used crosses as fashion pieces while she and Nicky Minaj will do atrocious things onstage for attention.No talent, as if they had voices, they'd stand there and sing, not hope to shock people. That is very offensive to millions. But I I hope people realize that these kinds of 'good luck' things don't work (nor do jinxes) and that it is offensive to devout orthodox/catholics when someone does this with no understanding of what it means. The sign of the cross is sacrosanctt to many, not to be used lightly. IMHO. No offense to those who do not understand the meaning of the sign of the cross, and the faithful use it as a sign of belief in Christ, reverence and for protection against evil. Much more can be said, but elaboration here would be inappropriate. Yuna Kim is a practicing Catholic (I believe) so it is not inappropriate.

As for his weight, he looks healthy, and is not a large guy, so it's hard to keep weight on when exercising at that level as a teenager for 6 hours a day. (guessing at how much total training he does.)
 

let`s talk

Match Penalty
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
As a Catholic Christian, I personally get offended by non Orthodox or non Catholics using crosses as amulets or crossing themselves as in "it can't hurt, who knows."
Catholic wear crucifixes. Protestants wear crosses. I beileve according to your logics I should get offended too when I see swastika on any map in Japan. Guess why I don't. Because Nazi don't have the monopoly on swastika. The same goes about crosses and Christians. :)
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Why would maps of Japan have swatikas on them? What is the historical meaning of the swastika before the Nazis c0-opted it?
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Catholic wear crucifixes. Protestants wear crosses.

I agree, Catholics don't really have teh monopoly on crosses... I mean if we want to get really technical, it's a Roman form of execution... (this coming from a very conservative southern baptist, take it for what you will lol)
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
Yuzuru has more than a catholic Cross on his neck
he has many amulets, pendants and good luck charms :)
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Hanyu just needs his skating, not any charms, as they don't work. Catholics of course have the crucifix, as historically it is about remembering the crucifixtion of the Lamb and the redemption. Protestants use crosses as they focus historically on the resurrection, rather than the suffering. We have a huge disagreement re the eucharist as well. I personally, and know many people I will simply state, that are very offended by the use of crosses by "artists" like Madonna who are simply trying to shock. Since religious discussions are OT, I will end there.

I am now reading about swastika. And after what the symbol came to represent, I can see many people being offended by its misuse. If it is on a map as a logistical symbol, that is not offensive. It was co-opted and people should be offended deeply forever at what the Nazi party under Hitler did with it.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Well. he obviously has BELIEF in them which is a mental advantage to him. I wonder now exactly what he is wearing around his neck? Has he covered the bases? Is there a Star of David? A mezzuzah? An italian horn? )Just Kidding here) I am being a bit fascetious to make my point. I believe that whatever tradition of worship you were born into is where you belong, and though there are many religions, many outward signs to show who you identify with, there is but One Force (God) that hums through the universe. It seems like the Shrine would be his "platform" for prayer. If he believes in all these medallions as good luck, it can't hurt. It is rather funny to me, and now I am curious about him.

He has amazing confidence and attack when he skates. I believe he will be a great Japanese skater and maybe the World Champion one day. I wish him well. Skate long, Yuzuru!
 

deedee1

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 14, 2007
He has amazing confidence and attack when he skates. I believe he will be a great Japanese skater and maybe the World Champion one day. I wish him well. Skate long, Yuzuru!

I even put my money on Yuzuru to be the first Japanese men's Olympic Gold Medalist in figure skating!

If there is someone who can surpass Dai's historic first Olympic medal, I believe it will be Yuzuru.
2014 at Sochi seems a bit too high hurdle for Yuzuru. Maybe a podium finish at his best? But surely Gold medal is catchable come 2018.

What he does at age 17 in his 2nd senior year is just amaging. He can still up his technical content in jump-wise; e.g. 4S that he constantly lands in practice, and has some room to grow artistically such as posture and edges.

What excites me the most with Yuzuru is, he is too young now, so that we do not see yet what kind of skater he will be like with experiences and maturity.
To me, he has tons of potential to become a dream skater, mixture of an Alexei, an Evgeni and a Johnny; strong but elegant, command on ice, confident but still crowd-pleasing, if he can stay injury-free. He is just that talented.

Go Yuzuru!
 
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kriwyr1009

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Hi everyone, I'm Japanese,and I've been a big fan of yuzuru and figureskating.

Few last two days, his weigh and cross"lucky charm" became the talk of this thread, I'm so happy if I have jointy a litllt bit more about him.
But my English isn't a good , so please read inattentively in the end...Especially translate his words or feeling into other languages.

First, about his weigh, it is unopened officially. I do think he will more than 52kg now, too. The information is two years ago,at least.

While his height is opened by Jpanese figure skating official-fanbook. In according to this(published by 2012,12th Jan.) , the latest height is 171cm.
This book is interviwed by more than a half year ago , thus I think he will be some taller now. I agree he's already had a major growth spurt.
Then I think he is slender even in my eyes. Maybe other Japanese will agreement ; In fact a lot of Japanese people who see him is surprised his body line and his little face.
(A source of twitter, blog,news forum and so on.)

Otherwise, people who know him all this time feel he is getting more mature and powerful. If you watch his performance at 2009,Junior Worlds SP program(borelo I do like ><), he was really still more slender than now.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Welcome, kriwyr1009. :rock:

Thank you for your kind and informative post. We hope you like it here at Golden Skate. :)
 

kriwyr1009

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
As you already know, yuzuru takes many good luck charm; stone bracelets(given by his mother), cross pendant, bangle(gifted by Plushenko), misanga (presented by famous Japanese women singer ”Mai Kuraki”)that I glance over. And he turns off the cross before he performs the program since 2007-2008season(propably at least).

But, these cross pendant and turn off the cross dosen’t mean religiously so deeply.
Of course, these charms are very precious gift for him ,though.


It is difficult for even for me(ourseleves) to explain the religion of the Japanese. But I will try to explain.

For many Japanese, we cereblate New Years in the style of Shintoism, weddings in Christianity, and funerals in Buddhism.
As you know, most of the European people and the American people have their religion. And their religion is mainly Christianity.In Saudi Arabia, or in Africa, many people believe in Allah.
Comparing with them, the Japanese seem to not to have deep religious feelings.(
Of course, some Japanese believe in Buddhism, and some believe in Shintoism, or some even believe in Christianity. )

I think, however, Japanese do have their own unique religious feelings. We Japanese have syncretic religious feelings(see; Religion in Japan at Wikipedia), and they do not seem for many foreign people to be the deep religious feelings.
It is not strange that one Japanese prays to Buddha and at the same time prays to Shinto gods. This doesn’t mean lack of religion in the Japanese. This is the typical form of Japanese's religion. It is often difficult for Japanese themselves to say which god they believe in, or which spirit, or holy being, they believe in. But most Japanese believe in something religious entity which is, however, difficult to name correctly. And you should know that this is the style and existing form of the Japanese religion.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
thank you kriwyr for your thoughtful posts about current religious belief trends in Japan. I was touched to hear Plushenko giftd him a cross and bangle. So actually, he is showing appreciation and respect to one of his skating idols to wear it. It changes my mind and softens my heart at its use. I think Plush is or was Russian Orthodox. I don't know if it is a big part of his life or not. It is very interesting to me. Plu has said "Hanyu is the one to beat." I think Sochi podium is within possibility for Hanyu. He has much time to mature and he looks to be a great competitor already. I could see him as Japan's first Olympic Gold medalist, perhaps in 2018 as you say.
 

kriwyr1009

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
I’m glad to see my thread. ^^; …… getting off the subject, I become tangential at times going into long explanations. It is really difficult to explain.

After all, for many Japanese , religion is so to speak “culture which is established in our lives”. Thus it seems to be difficult to be aware of its presence.



But….Sorry skateluvr!! My way of writing is poor.

Plushenko gifted yuzuru his bangles,put on his right arm ;blue and black one, at the year before last summer(at the ice show), though I don’t sure his cross charm ><;.

But I really agree with your opinion about “he is showing appreciation and respect to one of his skating idols to wear it” , too.
In fact, he wears it all the time even at the competition! Moreover yuzuru replied, “He(Plushenko) is a god of figureskating’s world on Japanese TV after 2010 JW.
So he is very pleased and it must be a great encouragement.

*We heard the way he “takes a cross before he skates” means “make his axis of body level and horizontal with ices”. So it doesn’t express the religious feeling.
It seems to be an incantation against good performances.
*We * means Japanese people among fan of yuzuru , though above-mentioned is common opinion of us.
 
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