Daisuke Takahashi and others give back with skating classes: 'I hope there will be more rinks in rural areas'
Ogawa, Takahiro 11 Nov 2023, 14:15
Figure skater Daisuke Takahashi came to the only indoor ice skating rink in Yamagata Prefecture. Yamagata is the only prefecture in the six-prefecture Tohoku region without a rink where official figure skating and other competitions can be held. The Japan Skating Federation organised a 'basic skating class' on 11 November, with the aim of raising momentum for the opening of new rinks in the prefecture.
"Okay, bend your legs and stretch them out."
At the "Swan Skating Rink" located inside the Sakata City Gymnasium, Mr. Takahashi, the special lecturer, gave instructions to the children while showing them examples, which elicited cheers. Some children skated smoothly and beautifully even though it was their first time, while others – even though they fell – smiled, saying "Wow, it's fun!"
The five invited instructors were Takahashi, who won Japan's first medal (bronze) for men at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Kana Muramoto, who was part of the ice dance team ”Kanadai'' with Mr. Takahashi until last season, and professionals Rika Hongo, Satoko Miyahara and Takahito Mura. Around 60 people, ranging from first-graders to adult beginners, took part in the skating classes. For the retired skaters, these promotional activities are a way of 'giving back' to the skating world that has supported them.
In the second half of the article, we will also introduce a question-and-answer session with Daisuke Takahashi and Kana Muramoto, who are full of thoughts on 'giving back'. They also talked about the ice show "Kassouya" scheduled for next February.
Mr Takahashi says: "I had a good time. By having many rinks in the region, the number of competitors will increase, and if the number of competitors increases, there will be good athletes competing among them".
The Swan Rink is the only indoor skating rink in the prefecture. However, the city plans to close it at the end of the current fiscal year due to its age and other factors. Since the closure of a private indoor skating rink in 2017, the prefecture – as the only one in the Tohoku region – has been without a rink of international standard (60m x 30m) for official figure skating and other competitions.
In addition to Swan Rink, there are skating rinks in both Yamagata and Tsuruoka cities, but both are outdoor rinks and do not meet the standards for official competitions.
We would like to see a year-round indoor rink in Yamagata. In response to calls from the prefectural skating federation and other sports organisations, the prefectural government last year initiated the 'Ideal Rink Study Council' (chaired by Professor Hirohisa Yamada of Yamagata University), which held five rounds of discussions and presented its options in a report at the end of March this year. The two options are (1) to use the ice all year round as a skating rink, but cover the ice with insulation so that it can be used for other events depending on the conditions, or (2) to put ice only in the winter, and use it for other events in other seasons.
Based on these two directions, the prefecture is currently carrying out basic research into project costs and economic effects. The Swan Rink, where the class was held this time, is open only in winter. According to the Prefectural Planning and Coordination Division, it is expected to be more expensive to put up ice all year round if only annual costs are looked at, but there is a possibility that entertainment revenue could be generated beyond the cost, so it is necessary to examine the situation carefully.
At the regular county assembly meeting in February next year, the project hopes to report on the progress of the survey and propose additional surveys for the next year and beyond. Based on the additional research, the government also intends to consider details such as the location and timing of the installation.
Daisuke Takahashi talks about the origin of the name ‘Kassouya’.
After the class, Mr Takahashi and the other skaters were interviewed by the press. The main exchanges were as follows.
--What did you think of the skating classes?
Muramoto: "In my competitive life, I didn't have much time or opportunity to get to know everyone. I am glad that I have the opportunity to show people how fun skating can be. When children skate, even a little, and their eyes light up with 'wow', it cheers me up too. It went by so fast, but it was a fun time."
Takahashi: "I had a lot of fun during the last hour or so. I teach little kids, but it's not often that I work with beginners like this, so it was interesting to see the different expressions and reactions of each skater, some just enjoying skating, others trying their best, and I learnt a lot from them. There was also the fact that the ice was freshly covered, but the atmosphere was very calming and warm."
--In the region, some skating rinks are closing, like the Swan Rink in Sakata. What do you want to contribute as a skater?
Muramoto: "I think it's important to skate together through these skating classes. I think it will be a very special time for the children to see skaters who have competed at the top of their game together and skate together on the ice. I hope that through this, the attraction and fun of figure skating will be conveyed to them. I think that skating is sometimes seen as a high-level world on TV, but there are also ice shows and so on. In other countries, even if you can't jump, you can audition for an ice show by skating. I want to show people that figure skating is not just about competing at a high level, and I want to convey the various attractions of figure skating through familiar ice shows.
Takahashi: "The number of people competing will increase as more rinks are built in the regions, and as the skating population grows, there will be better skaters competing among them. There are kids with great talent everywhere, so it would be a blow if rinks were to disappear. I myself am a skater from a regional/rural area, so I am happy that people from other regions have come out, and I hope they don't disappear.
I think figure skating is still a sport that is hard to feel close to. I have heard that there are many people who don't know where the next rink is. I think there are still a lot of possibilities for how to make skating more accessible to people, through skating classes and other ways to get in touch with skating. I think it will be important to cooperate with the Japanese federation and coaches to find new forms and to do this in various regions.”
--What is the origin of the name of the ice show 'Kassouya' scheduled for February next year?
Takahashi: "There have been a lot of ice show (title)s in English, such as 'XX on Ice', so since I am going to have only Japanese skaters, I decided to use a name that sounds Japanese. We are craftsmen, professional craftsmen, right? So I named it ‘Kassouya', which means 'skating craftsman', and 'skater's craftsmanship'.
--What do you want to say to the audience?
Takahashi: "I am thinking about the composition from now on, but in addition to the main skaters we are looking for members such as students and working people. I'm thinking of bringing together skaters who have never experienced an ice show before, and we have some top skaters, but we're thinking of doing it for about 75 minutes with no intermission, intertwining with each other. We want to create something new like that, something you've never seen before. We're also trying to keep the price down, so that people who are seeing the show for the first time can easily come and think it's cool, so I hope you'll look forward to it."
spice.eplus.jp
– a while back Vogue published a great interview as well!
Just encountered this video clip. Has it been posted? So funny. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMZPHa_UQGQ
prtimes.jp
www.dailymotion.com
Im also so glad it includes his Nocturne Ex which he himself choreographed at his young age. 
www.ntv.co.jp
): https://twitter.com/azayakanablue/status/1670779542930337795
: https://twitter.com/10th5296/status/1670766315227979778
mainichi.jp
ameblo.jp
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kanmae.com
