2021 Japan Open

[gsk8]

2021 Japan Open
October 2, 2021
Saitama, Japan

The Japan Open is an annual invitational senior international figure skating team competition organized by the Japan Skating Federation. The current format (team event) was established in 2006. The competition is held every autumn in Japan. Invited skaters compete in the disciplines of men’s and ladies’ singles. Skaters perform a free program but no short. Individual results are combined for a team standing.

The 2021 event was originally planned as an Open International Competitions (as per ISU Communication 2171), but due to the COVID-19 situation, is being held as a domestic event like it was last year.

• Results
• Previous competitions (since 1997)

Current Entries:

Team Red
Kaori Sakamoto
Rino Matsuike
Mana Kawabe
Keiji Tanaka
Kazuki Tomono
Sena Miyake

Team Blue
Satoko Miyahara
Mai Mihara
Wakaba Higuchi
Shoma Uno
Shun Sato
Sota Yamamoto

 

[Jeanie19]

Oh, I hate picking between these 2 teams. But Mai is Team Blue, so that will be the team I root for.

 

[Skatesocs]

I'm rooting for Kaori's Woman LP

 

[4everchan]

I guesd i'd be team blue too... because shoma and wakaba... but i love kaori.... sigh... life is tough

 

[alexocfp]

They made it impossible to watch this live.

The pay streams look like they are only available in Japan, for around 18 US dollars, and due to music rights, there will be no on demand option. Live only.

Why can’t the rest of the world be like Russia (or even Canada and the USA) that make it easy to watch?

I know one thing. If I was in charge of a federation that had a bundle of sunshine like Kaori Sakamoto skating for it, I would make sure the whole universe was able to easily watch her every time she stepped on the ice.

 

[Skatesocs]

Why can’t the rest of the world be like Russia (or even Canada and the USA) that make it easy to watch?

... they felt embarrassed watching Kaori's Woman LP, too?

 

[Skatesocs]

The pay streams look like they are only available in Japan

Think they are available internationally, but I don't think they are worth paying for. They'll probably be uploaded to YouTube and Instagram. And if not, we can find them on Weibo and Bilibili.

 

[alexocfp]

... they felt embarrassed watching Kaori's Woman LP, too?

Haha, I edited my post after you responded. Definitely not Kaori‘s fault. Her presence alone chases rain clouds away.

 

[alexocfp]

Think they are available internationally, but I don't think they are worth paying for. They'll probably be uploaded to YouTube and Instagram. And if not, we can find them on Weibo and Bilibili.

We’ll find out in a few days in any case.

 

[alexocfp]

Oh, I hate picking between these 2 teams. But Mai is Team Blue, so that will be the team I root for.

I guesd i'd be team blue too... because shoma and wakaba... but i love kaori.... sigh... life is tough

If you want to cheer for blue, an inferior color in every way to red, be my guest.

Everyone knows the color red is better than the color blue. That’s not even a debate. Haha

 

[Skatesocs]

Haha, I edited my post after you responded. Definitely not Kaori‘s fault. Her presence alone chases rain clouds away.

I wish she were repeating Amelie! Have you watched it? You seem a recent fan, lol. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHOaZeFxqnE

If you want to cheer for blue, an inferior color in every way to red, be my guest.

Everyone knows the color red is better than the color blue. That’s not even a debate. Haha

Heh. Agreed.

 

[cohkaix]

I thought one of the paid online streaming is with Zaiko (tickets via l-tike website: https://l-tike.zaiko.io/e/jocoi2021). And my past experience with Zaiko worked quite well: I watched the live streaming of Mao Asada's Thanks Tour from outside of Japan. I think it's only that they make a note, so you can not re-play the performance after the LIVE event, due to the copyright issue.

Also you have to figure out how to register to Zaiko....

Adding: Zaiko page in English https://zaiko.io/event/343212
You can run a test using this link https://streaming.zaiko.io/buy/1mvO:5lN:73deb to see if the streaming is actually viewable (note this require purchasing a ticket of 0$ to run).

 

[alexocfp]

I wish she were repeating Amelie! Have you watched it? You seem a recent fan, lol. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHOaZeFxqnE


Heh. Agreed.

I am a recent fan. Unless we count the Olympics I used to watch as a kid in the late 80‘s and the Nancy Tanya soap opera. haha

Just watched it, it was great. Except for the announcer yapping away during the performance.

 

[yume]

I wish she were repeating Amelie!

Instead, they made a grown-up Amélie.

 

[Skatesocs]

Instead, they made a grown-up Amélie.

I really hope she somehow finds a way to perform this LP well, because it's probably the worst thing Richaud's given her till now. Maybe it will improve.

 

[surimi]

They made it impossible to watch this live.

The pay streams look like they are only available in Japan, for around 18 US dollars, and due to music rights, there will be no on demand option. Live only.

Why can’t the rest of the world be like Russia (or even Canada and the USA) that make it easy to watch?

Yup. Russia has the best approach by far in making all of its competitions available, and should serve as example to the other federations. I hope they're earning some solid reward for that from ads. The availability of Japanese competitions has really gone downhill from the days when Nationals videos used to be freely accessible on Youtube. They seem convinced that the best way of earning money is having the Japanese fans watch their channels and paid talkshows over and over again, and don't give a da*n about fans in the rest of the world. Okay...

 

[cohkaix]

Photo collection - from pre-competition practices on Oct 1st (by Mainichi news)

I like the first photo of Shoma & Mura (Mura is probably there as a coach of Shun).

 

[cohkaix]

Starting order of JO competition

Oct 2nd, 12:30 noon (local Japan time)
Team introduction

1. Sena Miyake (Team Red) FS: The Swan Lake
2. Sota Yamamoto (Team Blue) FS: lo Ci Saro
3. Kazuki Tomono (R) FS: La La Land
4. Shun Sato (B) FS: The Phantom of the Opera
5. Keiji Tanka (R) FS: Whiplash, Caravan
6. Shoma Uno (B, captain) FS: Bolero

(Guest skaters: Akiko Suzuki, Shizuka Arakawa)

Intermission
7. Wakaba Higuchi (B) FS: Lion King
8. Mana Kawabe (R) FS: Miracle
9. Mai Mihara (B) FS: Fairy of the forest/Galaxy
10. Rino Matsuike (R) FS: Moonlight
11. Satoko Miyahara (B) FS: Tosca
12. Kaori Sakamoto (R, captain) FS: No more fight left in me/Tris

Awarding ceremony

 

[cohkaix]

Competition about to start. Warming up now.

Here's the planning elements of the men's:

https://twitter.com/KengoAbe_nikkan/status/1444136596924559366?s=20

https://twitter.com/KengoAbe_nikkan/status/1444136854459064321?s=20

 

[cohkaix]

Results from the men's


1. Shoma Uno (B, captain) 181.21
2. Shun Sato (B) 179.32
3. Keiji Tanka (R) 163.93
4. Sota Yamamoto (B) 156.13
5. Kazuki Tomono (R)147.44
6. Sena Miyake (R) 126.46

Team Blue: 516.66 pts
Team Red: 437.83 pts