I didn't notice Sui Takeuchi. Great that you notice her. She's interesting. There are now a few juniors who attempt the 3A. Rika Kihira, Riko Takino, Yuhana Yokoi, her sister, and other girl whose i forgot the name. Would be great if all these girls could succeed next week at juniors nats
Skaters on Team Japan
- Thread starter lbc2138
- Start date
Sui has been seen in Mao's practice video from this summer (after Mao's retirement and before 'The Ice'). So when Mao was practicing in Nagoya, Sui was spotted at the same rink (and maybe Mao-chan gave her some tips about jumping 3A?) But actually Sui has been challenging 3A for a while, IIRC. Yes, it's pretty much these girls trying 3A in competitions: Rika, Riko, Yuhana, Kinayu (Yuhana's younger sister) and the other girl is Ayaka Hosoda (senior trained under Hamada & Tamura, Ayaka was planning to retire after last season. But since she's gained the 3A jump, she decided to keep on with the competition). So far I think only Rika has been landing the jump successfully in international competitions. Others who tried 3A out had either underrotation or fall. Ayaka may have the jump rotated in one or two competitions, but too bad always with falls)
The YouTube user only uploaded Sota's program, so far as I can tell... Still, I applied my very best searching skills to the matter and found... one minute about Rika Kihira in a news segment: https://youtu.be/i48SMDUvGJ4?t=112. It's only (well, I say only... butwow, I almost can't believe my eyes) the jumps (3A-3T and 3A) in real time and in slo-mo and I think the commentators are singing her praises (I only know a little Japanese).
Sorry I couldn't be more help, seems we might have to wait for the next competition for more videos!
ETA:
There are links for Kaori Sakamoto's FS (link), Yuka Nagai's FS (link), Western Sectionals Senior Ladies' Digest (link) and Eastern Sectionals Senior Ladies' Digest (link), all with Japanese commentary, if anyone is interested.
Thanks for the videos to Eastern and Western sectionals...it's sad that Miyabi will miss out on National this year :sad4:
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2006
Rika and Nana are amazing. Just discovered them. Placing bets on them as the two future stars, and healthy rivalry. What breaths of fresh air to watch, good on them for keeping the artistry alive while upping the tech of the sport. The fact Rika can seemingly effortlessly do these clean 3As says a lot about her technique. 
Several Team Japan skaters will receive a Tv Asahi "Big Sports Special Award":
Yuzuru Hanyu
Shoma Uno
Mai Mihara
Wakaba Higuchi
Sumire Suto & Francis Boudreau Audet
Kana Muramoto & Chris Reed
Mao Asada will receive a TV Asahi "Big Sports Special Achievement Award"
https://twitter.com/oro1_/status/932863603635494913
Yuzuru Hanyu
Shoma Uno
Mai Mihara
Wakaba Higuchi
Sumire Suto & Francis Boudreau Audet
Kana Muramoto & Chris Reed
Mao Asada will receive a TV Asahi "Big Sports Special Achievement Award"
https://twitter.com/oro1_/status/932863603635494913
Amazing 3A-3T-2T and solo 3A from Rika!!!
https://twitter.com/yumikikuha/status/934738679880228865
https://twitter.com/yumikikuha/status/934738679880228865
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2017
Uhm.. you're right about the one Shoma is wearing 
I thought of something more like this: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/3b/5e/52/3b5e52482255abf170731084abd38a7e--yuruzu-hanyu-hanyu-yuzuru.jpg its something between a jacket and a sweatshirt I guess.
I thought of something more like this: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/3b/5e/52/3b5e52482255abf170731084abd38a7e--yuruzu-hanyu-hanyu-yuzuru.jpg its something between a jacket and a sweatshirt I guess.
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2012
Nice column about a junior skater, Shingo Nishiyama.
https://www.daily.co.jp/opinion-d/2017/12/03/0010785020.shtml
This is the video of Shingo when he was 11, I remember this boy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=g_vLMQqjg84
https://www.daily.co.jp/opinion-d/2017/12/03/0010785020.shtml
This is the video of Shingo when he was 11, I remember this boy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=g_vLMQqjg84
Team Japan official apparel
https://www.joc.or.jp/sp/games/olympic/pyeongchang/news/detail.html?id=9539
https://www.joc.or.jp/sp/games/olympic/pyeongchang/news/detail.html?id=9539
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
Long time no post. And since it's already the 12th in Japan, I wish Hino Ryuju a very happy 23rd birthday. Good luck in whatever he does this year, firm health, and I'm hoping to see him in competitions for a while yet. ^ ^
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2014
Congratulations to Team Japan for winning three spots each for the ladies and men for Worlds next year.
Wakaba's skate resonated the most with me as she rose from her disappointment from not making it to the Olympics. While the JSF has been criticized for seemingly not pushing for her, I think it also deserves credit for selecting her for Worlds despite her finishing off podium at Nationals. And Wakaba delivered, showing competitive nerve. I really think she can be a World champion. She offers something unique and special: powerful skating and jumps and an emotional, open style belying stereotyping of the Japanese as contained and inscrutable.
Satoko's skating as always was beautiful. I attribute her late fall in the free to her injury which caused a late start to her season. I think of her skating as I do Jane Austen's writing when it comes to literature: polished, nuanced, elegant, delightful.
For me, this Worlds is a defining moment of Shoma's career. Boyish good looks notwithstanding, it was a man out there who fought through injury and initial mistakes to win silver and help preserve three spots for Japan, knowing the lion's share of responsibility is his. What heart! Props to Kazuki for a fantastic Worlds debut finishing fifth with a career best FS and to Keiji who improved on his placement at PyeongChang.
Sun is indeed rising for Team Japan!
Wakaba's skate resonated the most with me as she rose from her disappointment from not making it to the Olympics. While the JSF has been criticized for seemingly not pushing for her, I think it also deserves credit for selecting her for Worlds despite her finishing off podium at Nationals. And Wakaba delivered, showing competitive nerve. I really think she can be a World champion. She offers something unique and special: powerful skating and jumps and an emotional, open style belying stereotyping of the Japanese as contained and inscrutable.
Satoko's skating as always was beautiful. I attribute her late fall in the free to her injury which caused a late start to her season. I think of her skating as I do Jane Austen's writing when it comes to literature: polished, nuanced, elegant, delightful.
For me, this Worlds is a defining moment of Shoma's career. Boyish good looks notwithstanding, it was a man out there who fought through injury and initial mistakes to win silver and help preserve three spots for Japan, knowing the lion's share of responsibility is his. What heart! Props to Kazuki for a fantastic Worlds debut finishing fifth with a career best FS and to Keiji who improved on his placement at PyeongChang.
Sun is indeed rising for Team Japan!
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2004
This has been posted on the Japanese Ladies thread, but I like to post here as well.
Prospect for Junior Ladies for Next season.
Mako Yamshita is definitely going to the senior ranks, and very possibly Rika Kihira as well (though nobody can say 100% sure for Rika since she did not earn any spot on her own). They were two leading junior ladies for Japan. So who are going to compete for the next season's JGPS.
There will be seven events, and Japan got two spots each, 2X7=14 spots.
Usually seven girls are going to be named with a few of substitutes, and if they are placed 4th or higher, they will get the second spot.
Last year, the first five of Kihira, Yamashita, Takino, Araki, Matsuoka, Iwano & Yokoi got the second spots, and Kasakake & Matsubara got one spot out of the sub list. Seven medals were won by them, and Kihira made it to the final.
Besides Kihira & Yamashita, all other girls are predicted to stay on the Junior ranks even though Yokoi will be the final eligible age for the junior.
Who will be the new comers from the novice ranks?
Top 6 of the Novice Nationals were 1) Hana Yoshida 2)Rika Tejima 3)Kinayu Yokoi (Yuhana's sister) 4)Nonoka Ise 5) Mana Kawabe 6)Mone Chiba, and unfortunately Yoshida and Tejima will not be age eligible for the next season, and none of the girls 3) to 6) are good enough to be sent to JGB unless they will make a big progress before the early summer. Especially Flip will be the required solo jump for the junior ladies next season, which means that most of top juniors will perform 3Lz+3T/3Lz+3L or 3L+3T/3L+3T for their SP, and none of them, besides Yoshida and Tejima are capable of doing them.
it is a bit sad especially as we know several amazingly talented Russian girls will come to the junior ranks in addition to the ones they have already.
On the other hand, Yoshida is very talented, and she beated Alysa Liu who is same age & the top hope for U.S. at the recent competition.
So who will fill the spots vacated by Kihira and Yamashita?
I think one of them will be Sui Takeuchi, who became the surprising winner of the recent National high school competition with 3A+3T combo and the big score. She is supposed to be on the third year of the junior ranks, but decided to go to the senior ranks domestically this season probably because she thought that she rather compete at the senior if she was not good enough to be sent to JGP. Though I am not sure that she likes to go back the junior ranks or not, I really hope she will take the opportunity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWBWsVGAmu8
The next in line is Tomoe Kawabata, who finished 6th at the Junior Nationals, and got everything to be a great skater. She is a good looking expressive girl with big impressive jumps. However, she is still inconsistent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YdZh-f3iUE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8AljvjA_8w&t=293s
Then Rinka Watanabe (5th at the JN) who is at least more consistent, but basically she is still a tiny girl with a very juniorish style though she has made a big progress since a couple of years ago, last year she was injured. So let's hope that she will make even more progress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFnB9unJAwc
Then Saya Suzuki (9th at the JN) who was great during the last season, but struggled this season due to the injuries, and Wakana Naganawa (10 th at the JN) who is somewhat similar to her club mate Mako with big jumps, but unfortunately she does not have Mako's consistency just yet. Also one more to be mentioned is Sora Maeno who was the surprisingly 3rd place finisher at the National middle school competition after Mako and Rinka.
This is Saya Suzuki's performance from the last season's senior Nationals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbezHjTdlvc
And personally I am hoping for Yuna Aoki's redemption. Two years and half ago, she made a JGP debut with so much expectation from fans and the federation since she was the Novice champ over Marin, but since then nothing but struggle for her because of injuries and inability to perform +3T. The next season, she can use her 3Lz+3L for her SP, and it will be a big chance for her. At the recent National High school competition, she did a good job.
The very first one is Yuna Aoki, then followed by Yuna Shiraiwa, Rino Kasakake, Kokoro Iwamoto, Nana Araki & Sui Takeuchi at the National high school competition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6fMUcfwkJs
The next year's Japanese junior ladies are not going to beat Russians, but still very decent team and will compete for the third spot on the podium with two or three Korean ladies.
And this is Hana Yoshida, remember her name. This girl is NOT going to be age eligible for the junior ranks for the next season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xup5pH7rvLc
Her name on the video is spelled "Hanna" and I assume that the uploader, her father prefers that way because it sounds like Westerner's name and probably that sounds cool to him
This one is Mana Kawabe, who is coming to the junior ranks, but she needs a little more technical contents to be sent to JGP though I do like her expressive style.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjK8B-Ecd3I
Then Mone Chiba who shares the coach with Shun Sato who will probably get the mens JGP spot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvgFRf_uus0
Lastly I like to mention the novice champ of the last season, Rion Sumiyoshi.
She was on the list of sub for JGP, but never sent to one, and the rest of the season was nothing but struggle for her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8Ovab50dZ8
She has long beautiful rims and the tender elegant style, I really hope she can solve her issues and make some improvement till then.
Hmm, probably I should make the same one for junior boys
Prospect for Junior Ladies for Next season.
Mako Yamshita is definitely going to the senior ranks, and very possibly Rika Kihira as well (though nobody can say 100% sure for Rika since she did not earn any spot on her own). They were two leading junior ladies for Japan. So who are going to compete for the next season's JGPS.
There will be seven events, and Japan got two spots each, 2X7=14 spots.
Usually seven girls are going to be named with a few of substitutes, and if they are placed 4th or higher, they will get the second spot.
Last year, the first five of Kihira, Yamashita, Takino, Araki, Matsuoka, Iwano & Yokoi got the second spots, and Kasakake & Matsubara got one spot out of the sub list. Seven medals were won by them, and Kihira made it to the final.
Besides Kihira & Yamashita, all other girls are predicted to stay on the Junior ranks even though Yokoi will be the final eligible age for the junior.
Who will be the new comers from the novice ranks?
Top 6 of the Novice Nationals were 1) Hana Yoshida 2)Rika Tejima 3)Kinayu Yokoi (Yuhana's sister) 4)Nonoka Ise 5) Mana Kawabe 6)Mone Chiba, and unfortunately Yoshida and Tejima will not be age eligible for the next season, and none of the girls 3) to 6) are good enough to be sent to JGB unless they will make a big progress before the early summer. Especially Flip will be the required solo jump for the junior ladies next season, which means that most of top juniors will perform 3Lz+3T/3Lz+3L or 3L+3T/3L+3T for their SP, and none of them, besides Yoshida and Tejima are capable of doing them.
it is a bit sad especially as we know several amazingly talented Russian girls will come to the junior ranks in addition to the ones they have already.
On the other hand, Yoshida is very talented, and she beated Alysa Liu who is same age & the top hope for U.S. at the recent competition.
So who will fill the spots vacated by Kihira and Yamashita?
I think one of them will be Sui Takeuchi, who became the surprising winner of the recent National high school competition with 3A+3T combo and the big score. She is supposed to be on the third year of the junior ranks, but decided to go to the senior ranks domestically this season probably because she thought that she rather compete at the senior if she was not good enough to be sent to JGP. Though I am not sure that she likes to go back the junior ranks or not, I really hope she will take the opportunity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWBWsVGAmu8
The next in line is Tomoe Kawabata, who finished 6th at the Junior Nationals, and got everything to be a great skater. She is a good looking expressive girl with big impressive jumps. However, she is still inconsistent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YdZh-f3iUE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8AljvjA_8w&t=293s
Then Rinka Watanabe (5th at the JN) who is at least more consistent, but basically she is still a tiny girl with a very juniorish style though she has made a big progress since a couple of years ago, last year she was injured. So let's hope that she will make even more progress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFnB9unJAwc
Then Saya Suzuki (9th at the JN) who was great during the last season, but struggled this season due to the injuries, and Wakana Naganawa (10 th at the JN) who is somewhat similar to her club mate Mako with big jumps, but unfortunately she does not have Mako's consistency just yet. Also one more to be mentioned is Sora Maeno who was the surprisingly 3rd place finisher at the National middle school competition after Mako and Rinka.
This is Saya Suzuki's performance from the last season's senior Nationals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbezHjTdlvc
And personally I am hoping for Yuna Aoki's redemption. Two years and half ago, she made a JGP debut with so much expectation from fans and the federation since she was the Novice champ over Marin, but since then nothing but struggle for her because of injuries and inability to perform +3T. The next season, she can use her 3Lz+3L for her SP, and it will be a big chance for her. At the recent National High school competition, she did a good job.
The very first one is Yuna Aoki, then followed by Yuna Shiraiwa, Rino Kasakake, Kokoro Iwamoto, Nana Araki & Sui Takeuchi at the National high school competition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6fMUcfwkJs
The next year's Japanese junior ladies are not going to beat Russians, but still very decent team and will compete for the third spot on the podium with two or three Korean ladies.
And this is Hana Yoshida, remember her name. This girl is NOT going to be age eligible for the junior ranks for the next season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xup5pH7rvLc
Her name on the video is spelled "Hanna" and I assume that the uploader, her father prefers that way because it sounds like Westerner's name and probably that sounds cool to him
This one is Mana Kawabe, who is coming to the junior ranks, but she needs a little more technical contents to be sent to JGP though I do like her expressive style.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjK8B-Ecd3I
Then Mone Chiba who shares the coach with Shun Sato who will probably get the mens JGP spot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvgFRf_uus0
Lastly I like to mention the novice champ of the last season, Rion Sumiyoshi.
She was on the list of sub for JGP, but never sent to one, and the rest of the season was nothing but struggle for her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8Ovab50dZ8
She has long beautiful rims and the tender elegant style, I really hope she can solve her issues and make some improvement till then.
Hmm, probably I should make the same one for junior boys
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2018
Who are Novice Skaters to watch out for in Team Japan at the moment?? Like real Jewel Talent ones
- Joined
- May 4, 2014
14 year old Yuma Kagiyama landed his first successful 3A in competition at Lily Cup, Kanagawa last weekend. He skated a clean program scoring a FS personal best of 130.98. He's generally a consistent skater and though I haven't had the opportunity to see him skate much, he seems to be expressive and musical. He's also been working on the 4S.
Kagiyama uploaded a clip of his smooth and easy looking 3A to Instagram (clip in third frame of post).
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhl7h5Zjj3REYPwB44iJRq5N8ymrwx8G4NJc4M0/
Though there are others who show potential, as bluelutz has mentioned, Hana Yoshida and Kao Miura (turning Junior next season) are the current standouts.
Miura is a fiery, aggressive skater with cat like reflexes. He's been attempting the 3A in competition since early last season. Like Kagiyama, Miura also participated in Lily Cup last weekend. Though he fell on his 3A, it was the first of his attempts in competition to be deemed fully rotated. Also, regardless of the fall he managed to score 110.91, his FS personal best. I'm predicting Miura will land a successful 3A before the start of next season.
I was going to link Lily Cup results/judges scores but seems JSF site is currently down.
EDIT: Liliy Cup Kanagawa, Junior Men's Judges scores. (Yuma Kagiyama 1st, Kao Miura 2nd)
https://www.jsfresults.com/local/2017-2018/fs/14/03/data0305.pdf
Kagiyama uploaded a clip of his smooth and easy looking 3A to Instagram (clip in third frame of post).
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhl7h5Zjj3REYPwB44iJRq5N8ymrwx8G4NJc4M0/
Though there are others who show potential, as bluelutz has mentioned, Hana Yoshida and Kao Miura (turning Junior next season) are the current standouts.
Miura is a fiery, aggressive skater with cat like reflexes. He's been attempting the 3A in competition since early last season. Like Kagiyama, Miura also participated in Lily Cup last weekend. Though he fell on his 3A, it was the first of his attempts in competition to be deemed fully rotated. Also, regardless of the fall he managed to score 110.91, his FS personal best. I'm predicting Miura will land a successful 3A before the start of next season.
I was going to link Lily Cup results/judges scores but seems JSF site is currently down.
EDIT: Liliy Cup Kanagawa, Junior Men's Judges scores. (Yuma Kagiyama 1st, Kao Miura 2nd)
https://www.jsfresults.com/local/2017-2018/fs/14/03/data0305.pdf
Re. Japanese Jr. men discussion above - I've been getting from twitter these couple of days that Sato Shun is going to relocate from Sendai to Saitama (main reason is due to relocation of family member). If that's the case, it will be adding some competitions to the juniors in Kanto regional/eastern section for the upcoming season.
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