IN Article about Japanese fans
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I love watching NHK Trophy and all the competitions held in Japan I can feel the great atmosphere even if I just sit and watch on TV. And I knew they're very passionate about figure skating in Japan but the information about NHK and Nationals tickets kind of shocked me! It's crazy but in a good way :yay:
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We attended 2003 Worlds in Washington, DC. Flags of different countries of the competitors were available for purchase, so I HAD to buy a flag to support the Japanese skaters there (Shizuka, Fumie, Takeshi, etc.). I still bring my international flags to competitions & shows. Most of the flags I have personally are from countries we have traveled to @ some point (Canada, Israel, France, UK, Czech Republic, Italy, Spain). A Chinese friend of mine picked up a Chinese flag for me in Philadelphia's Chinatown so I could use it to cheer on Shen & Zhao, Pang & Tong, etc.
The first time we got to meet Kurt Browning up close & personal (2005 Skate America), I fooled him into thinking we were Canadian, by waving our Canadian flags! Ditto for Jeff Buttle (@ Mike Weiss' 2008 Foundation show)! As Jeff approached us, I heard him say "Oo, Canadians."
We also attended 2016 Worlds in Boston. I didn't see any flags available for purchase there, but I certainly would like to have some additional ones to cheer on favorite skaters from countries we haven't visited!
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I wish they would have sold flags in Boston. That's pretty cool that they did that previously. I ended up ordering mine from Amazon before I went to Helsinki. They were a nice 3 x 5 size and were very reasonably priced -- $5 if I remember right...I only have 3 flags at this point but intend to get more. I really wanted the Latvian one (for Deniss V!), but for some reason there was only a really expensive version of that one. I think it was 4 x 6 and higher quality fabric.
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- Apr 5, 2017
We attended 2003 Worlds in Washington, DC. Flags of different countries of the competitors were available for purchase, so I HAD to buy a flag to support the Japanese skaters there (Shizuka, Fumie, Takeshi, etc.). I still bring my international flags to competitions & shows. Most of the flags I have personally are from countries we have traveled to @ some point (Canada, Israel, France, UK, Czech Republic, Italy, Spain). A Chinese friend of mine picked up a Chinese flag for me in Philadelphia's Chinatown so I could use it to cheer on Shen & Zhao, Pang & Tong, etc.
The first time we got to meet Kurt Browning up close & personal (2005 Skate America), I fooled him into thinking we were Canadian, by waving our Canadian flags! Ditto for Jeff Buttle (@ Mike Weiss' 2008 Foundation show)! As Jeff approached us, I heard him say "Oo, Canadians."
We also attended 2016 Worlds in Boston. I didn't see any flags available for purchase there, but I certainly would like to have some additional ones to cheer on favorite skaters from countries we haven't visited!
Thank you for all your info. Funny that he thought you were Canadians
I'm going to Latvia soon for holiday and will buy a flag if I can find one for Deniss and Angelīna.
I have not been to any competitions yet, but hope to see them at a competition in Europe.
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Aww, I'm jealous! Pretty sure the one I saw was $25 USD. So I figured it was going to cost me $1 per second of waving it {{
}}, so I decided against it.
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- Sep 1, 2015
I would also like to note that also many of the non-Japanese skaters have huge, passionate followings from them. And that seems to be a historical phenomenon, as I have observed first-hand way back in the mid-90's. I attended a World Championship in UK, and my attempt to discreetly approach my idol Alexei Urmanov was hindered more than once by a stampeding pack of Japanese girls. I also witnessed a couple of them followed Philippe Candeloro into men's wash room
Back to present day, Jason Brown has the most active fan club*s* (not one but two) based in Japan, and most of the crowd funding Deniss Vasiljevs ran last year was supported by Japanese fans, just to name a few examples. Of course bona fide stars like Hanyu would always be the main force, but Uno seems to be more than valid a successor, plus a few other girls like Mihara and Higuchi. I don't think the retirement of Hanyu will affect that much for the popularity of the sport in Japan.
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- Jan 10, 2017
I would also like to note that also many of the non-Japanese skaters have huge, passionate followings from them. And that seems to be a historical phenomenon, as I have observed first-hand way back in the mid-90's. I attended a World Championship in UK, and my attempt to discreetly approach my idol Alexei Urmanov was hindered more than once by a stampeding pack of Japanese girls. I also witnessed a couple of them followed Philippe Candeloro into men's wash room
Back to present day, Jason Brown has the most active fan club*s* (not one but two) based in Japan, and most of the crowd funding Deniss Vasiljevs ran last year was supported by Japanese fans, just to name a few examples. Of course bona fide stars like Hanyu would always be the main force, but Uno seems to be more than valid a successor, plus a few other girls like Mihara and Higuchi. I don't think the retirement of Hanyu will affect that much for the popularity of the sport in Japan.
Japanese fans also seem to really like Nathan. They really took a shine to him too.
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- Mar 3, 2014
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When I first came back to skating after the "interregnum", it took me awhile, but I eventually realized how dedicated and impressive the Japanese fans are. They have my respect.
Of course, one of the reasons I realized this was following the social media feeds of the two Jason fan clubs, they are *so* active. So much information, photos, comments, and I know so very little Japanese (I have learned to recognize Jason and Jason-kun. That is it...) So major props also to the Japanese reading and speaking fans here at GS who are willing to translate
I don't think it is a coincidence that the IN articles quoted Jason. Not only do Japanese fans love him, he loves them, and is learning Japanese and talks often about his desire to live, at least briefly, in Japan some day. A mutual admiration society
Of course, one of the reasons I realized this was following the social media feeds of the two Jason fan clubs, they are *so* active. So much information, photos, comments, and I know so very little Japanese (I have learned to recognize Jason and Jason-kun. That is it...) So major props also to the Japanese reading and speaking fans here at GS who are willing to translate
I don't think it is a coincidence that the IN articles quoted Jason. Not only do Japanese fans love him, he loves them, and is learning Japanese and talks often about his desire to live, at least briefly, in Japan some day. A mutual admiration society
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I also witnessed a couple of them followed Philippe Candeloro into men's wash room
He was a very popular skater and I think he still is
He still participates in ice shows in Japan and the crowd loves him.
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- Mar 5, 2004
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When I first came back to skating after the "interregnum", it took me awhile, but I eventually realized how dedicated and impressive the Japanese fans are. They have my respect.
Of course, one of the reasons I realized this was following the social media feeds of the two Jason fan clubs, they are *so* active. So much information, photos, comments, and I know so very little Japanese (I have learned to recognize Jason and Jason-kun. That is it...) So major props also to the Japanese reading and speaking fans here at GS who are willing to translate
I don't think it is a coincidence that the IN articles quoted Jason. Not only do Japanese fans love him, he loves them, and is learning Japanese and talks often about his desire to live, at least briefly, in Japan some day. A mutual admiration society
Ditto for Sean Rabbitt's interaction with the Japanese fans!!!!
ETA, some other pleasant memories come to mind - @ BOTH 2005 & 2007 Skate America, I waved my Japanese flag for Daisuke & "Taka" Kozuka, Yoshi Onda, Mai Asada & Miki Ando, etc. At BOTH competitions, some Japanese fans walked up to me & thanked me for supporting Daisuke!
Believe me, I was happy to. I the Japanese skaters!
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- Apr 5, 2017
Aww, I'm jealous! Pretty sure the one I saw was $25 USD. So I figured it was going to cost me $1 per second of waving it {{
Haha, can understand that. I hope I can find something cheaper than that.
I'm really looking forward to that trip: first time I am going to any of the Baltic states, but from what I have seen in guidebooks and online, it must be amazing to visit.
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- Apr 5, 2017
Thank you!
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Today Louis Vuitton fashion show in Kyoto . https://www.instagram.com/p/BUEsRk7BxbD/ They recognize him everywhere. If we are talking about the popularity of skaters in Japan must to mention him.
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Indeed! One of the best parts of watching old Plushy programs on YouTube is seeing the Japanese fans losing their minds over him, skaters used to go up to the boards in those days...At one of the earlier NHK Trophies Plushy end up with a crown and an armful of plushies
I also really enjoyed watching NHK this year, the Japanese fans were so awesome and they clapped along in time with the music for each skater, they have my upmost respect!
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