Kazuki Tomono

[KiraraChin]

Writing this made me really go through what he did throughout the years and Kazuki really tried his best. Japan has been a field of beasts for so long, it has broken many men before him. To stay, and to grow as a skater, to be able to face the results... while I am sad about it, it really has been a pleasure to follow his journey.

I saw someone saying he must such an inspiration for young skaters who are considered 'lower level', because he shows if you work hard and keep at it, it's not impossible to rise through the ranks and end up being a main contender

It's sad to hear him confirm he's likely to withdraw from competing internationally after that. He has so much assignment potential right now, and IMO a lot of medal potential, too. After this season, with the biggest stress event of the last few years over, I do believe he could actually win a GP or a Challenger because he'd again be somewhere else mentally. But, it looks like he's beyond caring about that now, and instead intrigued by shows, working on his expression, and impressing the audience through what he's best at, which isn't easy to do with two 3A and 2-3 quads to perform.
To be honest, I hope he gives it one last season just because a) I selfishly want to see more of Kazuki (shows are usually geoblocked and/or paywalled, aren't they?), and b) I'm really intrigued by the thought of what skating just for fun would achieve for him. It did wonders for Nobunari, who was even able to place just below the podium at his -venerable for a singles skater- age.
I'll be keeping a close eye on this thread for more Kazuki news.

TBH it's not confirmed yet that he'll stop competing internationally. Being very honest, I think a lot will depend on funding - it's likely that his sponsorship contracts will expire after the Olympic season and he said he doesn't want to burden his family financially. Having said that, he brought so many customers around, maybe they would be willing to renew it for a bit longer. We shall see.
I completely agree that following the Nobu route and competing just for fun would be amazing and could even lead to better results...

A couple of cute updates from the past few days:

 

[KiraraChin]

 

[KiraraChin]

Kazuki participated in the F-ske fan meeting just after Nationals - I wonder if the denim shirt is the same as the one he wore for the non-no shoot with Sota and Koshiro a couple of years ago


Also, there was an article published about him on Yahoo! Japan, which sadly is blocked for those of us in the UK/EU due to GDPR rules

 

[KiraraChin]

Kazuki finally posted on IG:
All Japan Championships

Thank you very much!

These past four years leading up to the Olympics may not have yielded the results I aimed for, but feeling the immense support from everyone who has helped me and my fans, I realise I have been truly fortunate to have such a fulfilling skating career.
I will never forget the atmosphere and cheers in that arena.

Though my Olympic goal remains unfulfilled, this past year has been truly the best year ever.
And I intend to keep growing as a skater from here on out.

Thank you so very much for all your support!

The season isn't over yet, so first I want to level up again for the Four Continents Championships.

 

[surimi]

I'm glad that Kazuki and Sota are going together again this season, but one thing that's not clear to me is why Kazuki wasn't selected for WC instead of Kao? I mean, JSF admits there were members who would have preferred to see Kazuki at the Olympics, and the race between him and Kao was very tight. So why does Kao have 3 competitions, and Kazuki just one? Why does Kao have both most important competitions, but Kazuki has the least important one? I would expect to see more equality in assignments if JSF assures us the boys's chances were super close, and it could have gone this way or that.

Re. Kazuki's prospects of competing next season - okay, I stand corrected. I'll be happy if he continues!

 

[KiraraChin]

I'm glad that Kazuki and Sota are going together again this season, but one thing that's not clear to me is why Kazuki wasn't selected for WC instead of Kao? I mean, JSF admits there were members who would have preferred to see Kazuki at the Olympics, and the race between him and Kao was very tight. So why does Kao have 3 competitions, and Kazuki just one? Why does Kao have both most important competitions, but Kazuki has the least important one? I would expect to see more equality in assignments if JSF assures us the boys's chances were super close, and it could have gone this way or that.

That's a very good question, and that's why I think their public statement saying that the 3rd spot decision was a close call was a marketing strategy to keep Kazuki and his fans around. But, they never learn, do they? It reminds me of when they didn't send Mai Mihara to Worlds 2022 and ended up with an injured Wakaba and burnt out Mana Kawabe.

BTW, apparently he posted something on F-ske yesterday and included 'competitions' as part of his future goals - he could have meant future competitions this season, or maybe not...

Some updates from yesterday! The pic Wakaba posted is so cute and hilarious

 

[kwanette]

https://mainichi.jp/articles/20251231/k00/00m/050/029000c He is competing next year!

 

[KiraraChin]

https://mainichi.jp/articles/20251231/k00/00m/050/029000c He is competing next year!

Nooooo another year of stress

 

[kwanette]

Nooooo another year of stress

Indeed!

 

[rabidline]

I'm glad we are not losing Kazuki just yet. He's an amazing performer, and I really think that he still has things left to say on ice as a competitor. And I think it would be a shame if an incredible performer like him retires on a recycled free program, as much as I love his Halston.

 

[KiraraChin]

Indeed!

He's lucky I live in a country with free healthcare, otherwise I'd send him a bill for my health

There was actually an amazing blog post looking back on his career... He is truly one of a kind: https://saenishi.hatenablog.com/entry/2025/12/31/172833

Meanwhile, he and the gang went to Sauna Kobe again for New Year's:

 

[KiraraChin]

It was heartwarming to see that Kazuki's decision to continue competing made so much news in Japan and apparently was trending in no time. I found this one tweet very cute: https://x.com/satsukinmnl/status/2007083408414089283

Whilst chatting with Mum, she remarked,
"Tomono-kun's still competing, eh? He's the oldest now, isn't he? And he's so cute too, isn't he?"
Has it become such big news that even ordinary people know about it...?!

 

[KiraraChin]

Some updates from yesterday:


LOL Sota and Kazuki for World Figure Skating magazine - they are so unserious


A nice article was published today on The Answer website - nothing new but a good look into his Nationals experience: The red that dyed the All Japan Figure Skating Championships: The "proof of love" that the clumsy 27-year-old Tomono Kazuki saw at the end of his Olympic bid

全日本フィギュアを染めた赤　不器用な27歳、友野一希が五輪争いの果てに見た“愛の証明”

昨年末の全日本フィギュアスケート選手権では、2月に開催されるミラノ・コルティナ五輪の代表枠を巡る争いが注目された。男子では友野一希（第一住建グループ）が6位。初の五輪切符を掴み取ることはできなかったが、客席は真っ赤なバナータオルで埋まり、ネット上も「友野」の反響が相次いだ。愛される27歳は全日本前のインタビューで、特別な覚悟をもって臨む理由を明かしていた。

the-ans.jp

 

[KiraraChin]

Some updates from the Nagoya Festival yesterday:

- Kazuki performing 'That's it (I'm crazy)'

今年で最後の名古屋フィギュアフェスティバル　坂本花織や鍵山優真ら共演 ［写真特集22/43］ | 毎日新聞

演技する友野一希＝日本ガイシアリーナで2026年1月4日、猪飼健史撮影

mainichi.jp

今年で最後の名古屋フィギュアフェスティバル　坂本花織や鍵山優真ら共演 ［写真特集23/43］ | 毎日新聞

演技する友野一希＝日本ガイシアリーナで2026年1月4日、猪飼健史撮影

mainichi.jp

'The crowd at Japan Gaishi Arena erupted when the stadium announcer declared, "They're staying on the ice!" for skaters Rinka Watanabe and Kazuki Tomono'


Daiichi Juken Group attended the festival:

 

[KiraraChin]

Two hilarious pics from Sota

 

[KiraraChin]

Another hilarious pic, courtesy of Wakaba this time:

 

[KiraraChin]

Some more details about Kazuki's recent visit to Daiichi Juken Group:

Kazuki Tomono, a member of the Daiichi Juken Group, paid a courtesy visit.
In addition to greeting the representative, he visited each department and directly shared his passion for the sport and expressed his gratitude for the daily support.


In fact, this seating arrangement is the same as the one used when we previously gave a presentation regarding his affiliation.
At the time, the atmosphere was tense, but today, it was calm throughout, and we were able to quietly reflect on the progress and achievements we have made so far.

Tomono was presented with a bouquet of 14 roses.

 

[rabidline]

Tomono was presented with a bouquet of 14 roses.

Daiichi Juken knows their flower language

• 14 Roses Meaning: Proud of you; a gesture of admiration and gratitude.
• Occasion: Perfect for celebrating someone’s achievements, showing encouragement, or expressing how proud you are of their accomplishments.

A Guide to the Meaning Behind the Number of Roses in Red Rose Bouquets

Discover the secret language of roses! Learn what different numbers of roses symbolize in Singapore, from love and passion to friendship and appreciation.

noellefleur.com

Meaning of Roses– From 1 to 100 Roses - Blooming

The meaning of roses can vary depending on the color, type, and number given. Blooming offers a wide variety of roses, from 1 to 100. We have the perfect rose for any occasion.

blooming.com.my

 

[KiraraChin]

Thank you @rabidline for the explanation! Such a sweet gesture by Daiichi Juken Group

Meanwhile, Jackie summed up what happened at Nationals pretty well

 

[kwanette]

Kazuki will be in SOI Japan..in Osaka and Tokyo..