- Joined
- Jan 23, 2004
Just getting caught up on SC men's competition. Big Congrats to Sota for winning the Gold! Well Done! 
Sota Yamamoto
- Thread starter surimi
- Start date
Looks like Dailymotion 2023 SC video archives are the ones with different commentators. I believe Kevin is one of the commentators for Men's SP and FS.
2023 SC Men's SP: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8p5q2u Sota starts at 1:03:18
2023 SC Men's FS: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8p6g2n Sota starts at 1:50:15
If your country is geo-blocked, use VPN.
Not geoblocked, but Dailymotion really hates my ad blocker 
The time for non-paying members to read this article has expired. Here's my translation.
"If I Had Made More Mistakes, I Would Have Dropped in the Rankings.
In That Sense, There Is Room to Grow.”
--Since you won the championship for the first time, I guess only a few hours have passed since then, how do you feel?
Sota: I am very happy to have won the championship. I have received congratulatory messages from many people. It's hard to respond to them all, but I'm very grateful and very happy. I am very satisfied with the result, but a part of me feels that I was able to win because of my hard work, and a part of me feels that if I had made any more mistakes, I would have fallen in the rankings because my performance and score were barely good enough, so in that sense I felt that I had to give it my all and aim for a higher score and better performances. In that sense, I think I have more room to improve my performances.
--Have you contacted Machiko Yamada sensei?
Sota: Hongo sensei always talks to her on the phone, but this time I didn't get a chance to talk to her. I think I will be able to talk to her when I get back home, so I hope we can talk about something then.
--Have you heard anything from David Wilson?
Sota: He sent me a message on Instagram saying "Congratulations". He also sent me a message before the short. He gave me a lot of power, and we've been working together throughout this season, not only in the initial face-to-face instruction, but also in the Zoom brush up sessions. In that sense, I may not be doing David's ideal "Chameleon" yet, but I hope to gradually make it a good short so that he likes it.
--After a competition like yesterday's, can you go to sleep right away?
Sota: I had so much adrenaline after the competition. I couldn't go to sleep after the short as well, and I went to bed around 4:30 am. Yesterday, I went to bed at about 5 or 6 o'clock. I just had a brief nap (smiles).
--Were you in bed at all?
Sota: Between the short and the free skate, I try to sleep as much as possible, but I couldn't sleep at all. In times like that, I don't try to force myself to go to sleep, but get up and stretch, eat a light snack, etc., to distract myself from pressure. I try to relax and not force myself to sleep.
--Have you tried products to help you get a good night's sleep, or have you tried to learn on your own how to get a good night's sleep?
Sota: I used to burn aromatherapy oils and relax with nice scents. I also play music. One of my fans told me about a video called "Shiitake Mushroom Counting Video," in which one, two or three shiitake mushrooms are counted endlessly, and I listened to it after the short program was over, but after about 30 minutes I found myself totally absorbed in the video and my mind went that way instead, and I couldn't sleep at all, so I stopped. The person said in her letter that she never listened to the video all the way through. So I gave it a try, but it was quite a challenge (laughs).
--Do you have trouble sleeping even on normal days?
Sota: Surprisingly, I can't sleep.
--What do you usually think about?
Sota: I wonder. I wonder what it is. I'm not a morning person, so I have trouble getting up in the morning, and I guess I tend to feel a little out of sorts. I'm back at university now, so I have first and second period classes, and I can sleep well on those days. But even then, if I don't use my energy to the limit by doing things on campus, practicing and training and so on, I can't sleep well.
--Why did you go back to school?
Sota: I took a leave of absence for two years, and that was about as long as I could take a leave of absence. I moved my practice base to the Kansai area, and that was when I took the 2-year leave. When my leave ended, I thought about what to do. At the time I entered the university, I thought it would be good if I could practice every day in a good rink, but as I continued to study, practice and compete, I decided it would be better to graduate from the university as well. It was hard, but I feel that I was able to refresh myself and change my mindset. Normally, during the summer vacation, I can practice and train all day long because I don't have classes at the university anymore, but I tend to push myself too hard or practice longer and longer when I'm not in good shape and I don't have a good balance in my practice. But with college, the amount of time I can skate is limited. I can only skate between classes and in the evenings after classes. I have to make sure that I practice in that limited time, so I think it's surprisingly good for me.
--When did you go back to school?
Sota: I went back to school in my third year. I am now in my second year back, and it looks like I will be able to graduate by the end of this school year.
--After graduation
Sota: I can stay affiliated with Chukyo University, but I would like to look for sponsors. Right now, of course, my priority is to compete, but I also have university commitments and can't make time for myself, and I don't have an agency or a manager, so I have to do everything by myself. So I can't do such actions on my own, and after I graduate I think I will have a little more time, so I hope to find a sponsor by asking around and consulting people around me.
--Will you be graduating in March next year?
Sota: If everything goes well, I think it will probably be okay. I will do my best to graduate.
--By the way, Halloween is coming up, are you scared of anything?
Sota: Cicadas. Both the sound and the appearance. If that thing came near me, I would scream. It's really scary in the middle of summer. I always wear my noise-canceling AirPods because Chukyo University's Toyota Campus is rich in nature, and in the summer there are cicadas everywhere. So it's really horrible on campus. So I put on the earpods, block out the sounds around me with noise cancellation, and walk around with my eyes narrowed.
--What made you develop this phobia?
Sota: I have loved insects since I was a little kid, but cicadas have been my only fear since I was a little kid. I can just about handle the shells of cicadas, but adult cicadas are not my favorite. I don't really believe in ghosts, and I'm not scared of them at all, but cicadas are my worst fear.
"If I Had Made More Mistakes, I Would Have Dropped in the Rankings.
In That Sense, There Is Room to Grow.”
--Since you won the championship for the first time, I guess only a few hours have passed since then, how do you feel?
Sota: I am very happy to have won the championship. I have received congratulatory messages from many people. It's hard to respond to them all, but I'm very grateful and very happy. I am very satisfied with the result, but a part of me feels that I was able to win because of my hard work, and a part of me feels that if I had made any more mistakes, I would have fallen in the rankings because my performance and score were barely good enough, so in that sense I felt that I had to give it my all and aim for a higher score and better performances. In that sense, I think I have more room to improve my performances.
--Have you contacted Machiko Yamada sensei?
Sota: Hongo sensei always talks to her on the phone, but this time I didn't get a chance to talk to her. I think I will be able to talk to her when I get back home, so I hope we can talk about something then.
--Have you heard anything from David Wilson?
Sota: He sent me a message on Instagram saying "Congratulations". He also sent me a message before the short. He gave me a lot of power, and we've been working together throughout this season, not only in the initial face-to-face instruction, but also in the Zoom brush up sessions. In that sense, I may not be doing David's ideal "Chameleon" yet, but I hope to gradually make it a good short so that he likes it.
--After a competition like yesterday's, can you go to sleep right away?
Sota: I had so much adrenaline after the competition. I couldn't go to sleep after the short as well, and I went to bed around 4:30 am. Yesterday, I went to bed at about 5 or 6 o'clock. I just had a brief nap (smiles).
--Were you in bed at all?
Sota: Between the short and the free skate, I try to sleep as much as possible, but I couldn't sleep at all. In times like that, I don't try to force myself to go to sleep, but get up and stretch, eat a light snack, etc., to distract myself from pressure. I try to relax and not force myself to sleep.
--Have you tried products to help you get a good night's sleep, or have you tried to learn on your own how to get a good night's sleep?
Sota: I used to burn aromatherapy oils and relax with nice scents. I also play music. One of my fans told me about a video called "Shiitake Mushroom Counting Video," in which one, two or three shiitake mushrooms are counted endlessly, and I listened to it after the short program was over, but after about 30 minutes I found myself totally absorbed in the video and my mind went that way instead, and I couldn't sleep at all, so I stopped. The person said in her letter that she never listened to the video all the way through. So I gave it a try, but it was quite a challenge (laughs).
--Do you have trouble sleeping even on normal days?
Sota: Surprisingly, I can't sleep.
--What do you usually think about?
Sota: I wonder. I wonder what it is. I'm not a morning person, so I have trouble getting up in the morning, and I guess I tend to feel a little out of sorts. I'm back at university now, so I have first and second period classes, and I can sleep well on those days. But even then, if I don't use my energy to the limit by doing things on campus, practicing and training and so on, I can't sleep well.
--Why did you go back to school?
Sota: I took a leave of absence for two years, and that was about as long as I could take a leave of absence. I moved my practice base to the Kansai area, and that was when I took the 2-year leave. When my leave ended, I thought about what to do. At the time I entered the university, I thought it would be good if I could practice every day in a good rink, but as I continued to study, practice and compete, I decided it would be better to graduate from the university as well. It was hard, but I feel that I was able to refresh myself and change my mindset. Normally, during the summer vacation, I can practice and train all day long because I don't have classes at the university anymore, but I tend to push myself too hard or practice longer and longer when I'm not in good shape and I don't have a good balance in my practice. But with college, the amount of time I can skate is limited. I can only skate between classes and in the evenings after classes. I have to make sure that I practice in that limited time, so I think it's surprisingly good for me.
--When did you go back to school?
Sota: I went back to school in my third year. I am now in my second year back, and it looks like I will be able to graduate by the end of this school year.
--After graduation
Sota: I can stay affiliated with Chukyo University, but I would like to look for sponsors. Right now, of course, my priority is to compete, but I also have university commitments and can't make time for myself, and I don't have an agency or a manager, so I have to do everything by myself. So I can't do such actions on my own, and after I graduate I think I will have a little more time, so I hope to find a sponsor by asking around and consulting people around me.
--Will you be graduating in March next year?
Sota: If everything goes well, I think it will probably be okay. I will do my best to graduate.
--By the way, Halloween is coming up, are you scared of anything?
Sota: Cicadas. Both the sound and the appearance. If that thing came near me, I would scream. It's really scary in the middle of summer. I always wear my noise-canceling AirPods because Chukyo University's Toyota Campus is rich in nature, and in the summer there are cicadas everywhere. So it's really horrible on campus. So I put on the earpods, block out the sounds around me with noise cancellation, and walk around with my eyes narrowed.
--What made you develop this phobia?
Sota: I have loved insects since I was a little kid, but cicadas have been my only fear since I was a little kid. I can just about handle the shells of cicadas, but adult cicadas are not my favorite. I don't really believe in ghosts, and I'm not scared of them at all, but cicadas are my worst fear.
- Joined
- May 5, 2018
Just posting the 25ans '25 questions' interview with Sota and Kazuki here 
Big shout out to Sota for being a cat person
even though he's allergic!
Big shout out to Sota for being a cat person even though he's allergic!
I'm not sure if the transcript of this has been posted before, but here's my translation of the 25ans Sota & Kazuki Q&A.
1 of 2
K: Hello everyone, my name is Kazuki Tomono.
S: My name is Sota Yamamoto.
K: Today we would like to answer 25 questions referring to 25ans. Let's start.
Q1 What do you call each other?
K: Sota
S: Kazuki
K: Well, sometimes So-chan ( laughs).
Q2 If you were an animal, what would you be?
K: People say my face looks like an otter, but I think I have the personality of a dog.
S: I have a mind of my own, so I guess I am a cat in that way, and since I am a competitive figure skater, in the sense that I have a fighting spirit, I am a lion on rare occasions.
Q3 What is your morning routine?
K: During exhibitions and shows, my routine is that I wake up and go to Sota's room to wake him up (laughs).
S: I can't get up by myself. We usually end up in the room next to each other.
K: I just ring the doorbell "ding-dong" and say "So-chan, wake up" and that's how it is when we do a show together.
Q4 What do you do on your days off?
K: Sauna.
S: Sauna, I was going to say (laughs).
Q5 What do you like to do at home?
S: After I take a bath, before I go to bed, I watch Terrace House while eating ice cream, and I really like that time.
K: I'm like that too. I also really enjoy watching youtube after a bath, or just doing some stretching with some music on.
Q6 What is your favorite saying?
S: [looks at Kazuki] "But I dunno".
K: Oh, "but I dunno", I say it a lot, quite a lot. The only thing I say is "but I dunno". I also always say, "I'm tired," as a habit. But I dunno.
Q7 What kind of food have you been into lately?
K: Lately I'm into soba noodles and udon noodles.
S: I go to Starbucks a lot and they have delicious sandwiches and stone oven baked filone. They have filone and I hope everyone will try it.
Q8 What do you always bring to the ice rink?
K: Tissues.
S: Yes, skaters tend to have runny noses.
K: We tend to have runny noses. We spin pretty fast (laughs). It's hell in the winter.
Q9 What is your most recent story of "I messed up! (failure)?
S: At the time of choreographing the short program, I usually leave my skates at Chukyo because I practice there, so I got used to it and left my skates there, and when we were about to start the choreography, I realized I forgot my skates (laughs). My house is closer than Chukyo, so I went home to get my old skates, and I had to make him wait a little bit, but I got back just in time to resume the choreography.
K: That is really terrible.
Q10: What is the thing or things that you are "not really good at"?
K: I can only do one thing. I can't talk when I'm eating. People say I eat too fast, but I can't think about anything else when I have food in front of me. I can only do one thing at a time, so I don't try to think about the people around me.
S: Cicadas.
K: Cicadas. Huh? You used to catch a lot of cicadas a long time ago.
S: No, cicadas are the only thing I don't like.
K: Oh, you don't like cicadas?
S: I used to love bugs.
K: You used to go catching grasshoppers and stuff with everybody.
S: Yeah, I took the initiative and said, "Let's all go get grasshoppers and stuff together.
K: I don't remember if you were afraid of cicadas?
S: Cicadas are the only thing I can't handle. I can't do it even now, since I was a little kid.
Q11: Do you have any special skills?
K: When it comes to the sauna, I can tell the temperature of the water bath. I can also tell at a glance if a garment is my size.
S: Wow, that's great. I can pick up a soccer ball, put it between the heel and the arch of my feet, throw the ball over my head, like this, a little bit.
K: This one? You're good at that.
S: Well, I don't know the name of it (laughs). Please look it up (laughs).
[caption: It's a "heel lift"]
K: You know, the one where the ball goes over you and you just flick it over your head and it goes like this.
S: I'm kind of good at that.
K: When you get a ball, you show it off (laughs). I'm like, "There he goes. He's doing it. (laughs).
Q12 What is the most precious thing in your life?
K: The thing I love the most is skating (laughs).
S: Oh, I was going to say that.
K: Yeah, it's so obvious (laughs). I think it's the encounter with an ice rink.
Q13 What is your favorite body part?
K: I don't have a nose bone so I can crush my whole nose,
S: Wow! That's amazing! (laughs)
K: Ah, I say that all the time.
S: You like that?
K: It's both my inferiority complex and my favorite part. It's something to talk about.
S: Definitely. I also get told I have a nice nose and nice bags under my eyes.
K: Wow, that's nice. I envy you. Oh, and I have a very small face.
S: Oh yeah.
K: I'm really proud of that, that point.
-- to be cont'd to the translation part 2 --
1 of 2
K: Hello everyone, my name is Kazuki Tomono.
S: My name is Sota Yamamoto.
K: Today we would like to answer 25 questions referring to 25ans. Let's start.
Q1 What do you call each other?
K: Sota
S: Kazuki
K: Well, sometimes So-chan ( laughs).
Q2 If you were an animal, what would you be?
K: People say my face looks like an otter, but I think I have the personality of a dog.
S: I have a mind of my own, so I guess I am a cat in that way, and since I am a competitive figure skater, in the sense that I have a fighting spirit, I am a lion on rare occasions.
Q3 What is your morning routine?
K: During exhibitions and shows, my routine is that I wake up and go to Sota's room to wake him up (laughs).
S: I can't get up by myself. We usually end up in the room next to each other.
K: I just ring the doorbell "ding-dong" and say "So-chan, wake up" and that's how it is when we do a show together.
Q4 What do you do on your days off?
K: Sauna.
S: Sauna, I was going to say (laughs).
Q5 What do you like to do at home?
S: After I take a bath, before I go to bed, I watch Terrace House while eating ice cream, and I really like that time.
K: I'm like that too. I also really enjoy watching youtube after a bath, or just doing some stretching with some music on.
Q6 What is your favorite saying?
S: [looks at Kazuki] "But I dunno".
K: Oh, "but I dunno", I say it a lot, quite a lot. The only thing I say is "but I dunno". I also always say, "I'm tired," as a habit. But I dunno.
Q7 What kind of food have you been into lately?
K: Lately I'm into soba noodles and udon noodles.
S: I go to Starbucks a lot and they have delicious sandwiches and stone oven baked filone. They have filone and I hope everyone will try it.
Q8 What do you always bring to the ice rink?
K: Tissues.
S: Yes, skaters tend to have runny noses.
K: We tend to have runny noses. We spin pretty fast (laughs). It's hell in the winter.
Q9 What is your most recent story of "I messed up! (failure)?
S: At the time of choreographing the short program, I usually leave my skates at Chukyo because I practice there, so I got used to it and left my skates there, and when we were about to start the choreography, I realized I forgot my skates (laughs). My house is closer than Chukyo, so I went home to get my old skates, and I had to make him wait a little bit, but I got back just in time to resume the choreography.
K: That is really terrible.
Q10: What is the thing or things that you are "not really good at"?
K: I can only do one thing. I can't talk when I'm eating. People say I eat too fast, but I can't think about anything else when I have food in front of me. I can only do one thing at a time, so I don't try to think about the people around me.
S: Cicadas.
K: Cicadas. Huh? You used to catch a lot of cicadas a long time ago.
S: No, cicadas are the only thing I don't like.
K: Oh, you don't like cicadas?
S: I used to love bugs.
K: You used to go catching grasshoppers and stuff with everybody.
S: Yeah, I took the initiative and said, "Let's all go get grasshoppers and stuff together.
K: I don't remember if you were afraid of cicadas?
S: Cicadas are the only thing I can't handle. I can't do it even now, since I was a little kid.
Q11: Do you have any special skills?
K: When it comes to the sauna, I can tell the temperature of the water bath. I can also tell at a glance if a garment is my size.
S: Wow, that's great. I can pick up a soccer ball, put it between the heel and the arch of my feet, throw the ball over my head, like this, a little bit.
K: This one? You're good at that.
S: Well, I don't know the name of it (laughs). Please look it up (laughs).
[caption: It's a "heel lift"]
K: You know, the one where the ball goes over you and you just flick it over your head and it goes like this.
S: I'm kind of good at that.
K: When you get a ball, you show it off (laughs). I'm like, "There he goes. He's doing it. (laughs).
Q12 What is the most precious thing in your life?
K: The thing I love the most is skating (laughs).
S: Oh, I was going to say that.
K: Yeah, it's so obvious (laughs). I think it's the encounter with an ice rink.
Q13 What is your favorite body part?
K: I don't have a nose bone so I can crush my whole nose,
S: Wow! That's amazing! (laughs)
K: Ah, I say that all the time.
S: You like that?
K: It's both my inferiority complex and my favorite part. It's something to talk about.
S: Definitely. I also get told I have a nice nose and nice bags under my eyes.
K: Wow, that's nice. I envy you. Oh, and I have a very small face.
S: Oh yeah.
K: I'm really proud of that, that point.
-- to be cont'd to the translation part 2 --
Last edited:
2 of 2
Q14 If there was a "door to anywhere", where would you go?
S: After practice I get so tired I can't take my skates off for about 30 minutes or I get so tired I can't move, and at that point if there was a "door to anywhere" I could go home right away. I wish I could go home. I want to go home with that "door to anywhere" right away.
Q15 What is your fetish?
S: I’d say I have a fetish for scents.
K: Ah, I think I know what you mean. I also like to look at a boy's hips and legs from an athlete's point of view and predict whether he will be good in the future or not (laughs).
Q16 What is your favorite scent?
S: I like the fragrance of perfume very much and I wear it a lot in my personal life, but I also like the scent of fabric softener. There is a scent called "Aroma Rich Juliet" by Soflan. I've been in love with that scent since elementary school, and I still use it as my fabric softener at home. I guess I'm very particular about scent.
K: You always talk about perfume by saying, "This is good. What is it?" I always wear the same perfume, but he always asks me what it is (laughs). I have a perfume that I wear all the time. Is it LE LABO santal 33? It has a woody, leathery or something. I also like old clothes and I think I like the scent that goes with that kind of thing.
S: I have a lot of different kinds of perfumes, but I think I like the Abercrombie & Fitch men's perfume.
Q17 What is your unconditional "up" moment?
K: When they have a self-löyly service. (t/n: Löyly is the steam produced when water is poured over heated stones. In self-löyly, people in the sauna room pour water to get steam).
S: (laughs)
K: It's so blissful, right? I'm the most euphoric when I have self-löyly (laughs). I also get really excited when I go to a clothing store that has a wide range of sizes, or when I come across a brand that has many sizes.
S: Well, when a university class is canceled.
K: (laughs) That's when I got excited. I was so excited. I said, "The class is canceled," and we all went out to have fun. I think we all left the school saying, "Let's get out of here." It brings back memories.
Q18 Which is your favorite Kansai dialect?
K: "But I dunno (laughs). "
S: Yeah, me too (laughs).
Q19 What do you like about your hometown Osaka (Sakai City and Kishiwada City)?
K: Yeah. Sakai is a city with a lot of history and traditional crafts, so there are a lot of old shops there. So I like that aspect of Sakai.
S: I'm from Kishiwada City in Osaka. The Danjiri Festival is very famous there.
K: It is powerful.
S: It's powerful and lively, and there are a lot of hot blooded people, but many are also friendly and kind hearted, and I like that a lot.
Q20 If you could be reborn, what would you want to be?
K: Shohei Otani-san. I would like to be reincarnated (laughs). But I kind of like myself, so I would like to be reincarnated as a taller and more handsome Kazuki Tomono (laughs).
S: That would be a totally different person (laughs).
K: Changed man (laughs).
S: I only skated, and I love skating, so even if I was reincarnated, I'd like to skate again, and I'd like to skate as a competitive skater.
K: That's nice.
Q21 What is the word that makes your heart flutter?
K: When someone says the opposite of their impression of me, which is often, like, "You think more deeply than I expected," it makes me happy because I'm usually such a hyper fun-loving character.
S: I am very happy when I am praised for my skating, like I am a good skater.
K: That's true. That's for sure.
S: I think so.
Q22 What is the one thing you would have trouble with if you lost it?
K: I have a key case that I have been using for a long time, the one with the brown inside.
S: Oh yes, I remember that one very well.
K: I have a key case that I am known for, and if I lose it, I think I would really freak out.
Q23: What heals you the most?
S: I have cats.
K: Cat-chan. I envy you.
S: I love the time when I come home and say "I'm home" and pet them.
K: That's nice. I'm allergic to cats, so I can't do that.
S: Actually I'm allergic to cats too and after I touch them I scratch my eyes because they itch so much (laughs). I'm allergic to cats, but I love cats.
K: Seriously?
S: Just watching cat videos soothes me.
K: Yeah, I can watch them for a long time.
Q24 Which do you prefer, being in a group or spending time alone?
K: I like to shop alone, and I think I prefer to be alone the first time I go to a sauna I want to go to. I like to be alone first and then share the experience later.
S: I do a lot of things alone.
K: But you get lonely easily (laughs).
S: That's why I'm very happy when Kazuki invites me to eat out or takes me to a sauna.
K: He even goes out of his way to come to my room when we have a competition, even though he doesn't have to (laughs). He says he misses me (laughs).
Q25 Where would you most like to visit at the moment?
K: Finland (laughs).
S: Sauna, sauna related.
K: I love Finland because I love Scandinavia and I've never been there so it's my dream destination. I want to go to Finland, or I want to go to a resort where the sea is so beautiful.
S: I like Aimyon a lot and I'm her fan. I went to her concert for the first time last year. I would like to go to Aimyon's concert again.
K: You were so excited (laughs). I was so envious (laughs). He always listens to Aimyon's songs (laughs).
S: Well, we tackled twenty-five questions this time. Thank you very much.
K: Okay, bye-bye.
Q14 If there was a "door to anywhere", where would you go?
S: After practice I get so tired I can't take my skates off for about 30 minutes or I get so tired I can't move, and at that point if there was a "door to anywhere" I could go home right away. I wish I could go home. I want to go home with that "door to anywhere" right away.
Q15 What is your fetish?
S: I’d say I have a fetish for scents.
K: Ah, I think I know what you mean. I also like to look at a boy's hips and legs from an athlete's point of view and predict whether he will be good in the future or not (laughs).
Q16 What is your favorite scent?
S: I like the fragrance of perfume very much and I wear it a lot in my personal life, but I also like the scent of fabric softener. There is a scent called "Aroma Rich Juliet" by Soflan. I've been in love with that scent since elementary school, and I still use it as my fabric softener at home. I guess I'm very particular about scent.
K: You always talk about perfume by saying, "This is good. What is it?" I always wear the same perfume, but he always asks me what it is (laughs). I have a perfume that I wear all the time. Is it LE LABO santal 33? It has a woody, leathery or something. I also like old clothes and I think I like the scent that goes with that kind of thing.
S: I have a lot of different kinds of perfumes, but I think I like the Abercrombie & Fitch men's perfume.
Q17 What is your unconditional "up" moment?
K: When they have a self-löyly service. (t/n: Löyly is the steam produced when water is poured over heated stones. In self-löyly, people in the sauna room pour water to get steam).
S: (laughs)
K: It's so blissful, right? I'm the most euphoric when I have self-löyly (laughs). I also get really excited when I go to a clothing store that has a wide range of sizes, or when I come across a brand that has many sizes.
S: Well, when a university class is canceled.
K: (laughs) That's when I got excited. I was so excited. I said, "The class is canceled," and we all went out to have fun. I think we all left the school saying, "Let's get out of here." It brings back memories.
Q18 Which is your favorite Kansai dialect?
K: "But I dunno (laughs). "
S: Yeah, me too (laughs).
Q19 What do you like about your hometown Osaka (Sakai City and Kishiwada City)?
K: Yeah. Sakai is a city with a lot of history and traditional crafts, so there are a lot of old shops there. So I like that aspect of Sakai.
S: I'm from Kishiwada City in Osaka. The Danjiri Festival is very famous there.
K: It is powerful.
S: It's powerful and lively, and there are a lot of hot blooded people, but many are also friendly and kind hearted, and I like that a lot.
Q20 If you could be reborn, what would you want to be?
K: Shohei Otani-san. I would like to be reincarnated (laughs). But I kind of like myself, so I would like to be reincarnated as a taller and more handsome Kazuki Tomono (laughs).
S: That would be a totally different person (laughs).
K: Changed man (laughs).
S: I only skated, and I love skating, so even if I was reincarnated, I'd like to skate again, and I'd like to skate as a competitive skater.
K: That's nice.
Q21 What is the word that makes your heart flutter?
K: When someone says the opposite of their impression of me, which is often, like, "You think more deeply than I expected," it makes me happy because I'm usually such a hyper fun-loving character.
S: I am very happy when I am praised for my skating, like I am a good skater.
K: That's true. That's for sure.
S: I think so.
Q22 What is the one thing you would have trouble with if you lost it?
K: I have a key case that I have been using for a long time, the one with the brown inside.
S: Oh yes, I remember that one very well.
K: I have a key case that I am known for, and if I lose it, I think I would really freak out.
Q23: What heals you the most?
S: I have cats.
K: Cat-chan. I envy you.
S: I love the time when I come home and say "I'm home" and pet them.
K: That's nice. I'm allergic to cats, so I can't do that.
S: Actually I'm allergic to cats too and after I touch them I scratch my eyes because they itch so much (laughs). I'm allergic to cats, but I love cats.
K: Seriously?
S: Just watching cat videos soothes me.
K: Yeah, I can watch them for a long time.
Q24 Which do you prefer, being in a group or spending time alone?
K: I like to shop alone, and I think I prefer to be alone the first time I go to a sauna I want to go to. I like to be alone first and then share the experience later.
S: I do a lot of things alone.
K: But you get lonely easily (laughs).
S: That's why I'm very happy when Kazuki invites me to eat out or takes me to a sauna.
K: He even goes out of his way to come to my room when we have a competition, even though he doesn't have to (laughs). He says he misses me (laughs).
Q25 Where would you most like to visit at the moment?
K: Finland (laughs).
S: Sauna, sauna related.
K: I love Finland because I love Scandinavia and I've never been there so it's my dream destination. I want to go to Finland, or I want to go to a resort where the sea is so beautiful.
S: I like Aimyon a lot and I'm her fan. I went to her concert for the first time last year. I would like to go to Aimyon's concert again.
K: You were so excited (laughs). I was so envious (laughs). He always listens to Aimyon's songs (laughs).
S: Well, we tackled twenty-five questions this time. Thank you very much.
K: Okay, bye-bye.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
Thank you, Rainbow! Sota's definitely in no danger of having a burnout; he keeps saying how much he enjoys skating in practically every interview, and it's sweet to read 
I hope he gets to go to Aimyon's concert again. I recall he's said he now knows how his fans feel when they come to see him, having attended her concert as a fan himself ^ ^ And Sota's bedtime ritual sounds really nice. It's great to know one doesn't have to worry about Sota's eating habits in this sport that's riddled with eating disorders. Ice-cream, sandwiches, misou katsu... I do think Sota has a healthy attitude to food, and considering he's an elite athlete while loving to eat, I'm sure he'll be a great coach in this respect 
I stumbled upon this post on Twitter today. It's footage from Chubu regionals 2017 (the video below; the one above is from Nationals) when Sota was coming back after his 1.5-year absence, and had been training for -I think- a mere two months.
It's absolutely unbelievable how far he's come in those 6 years! I have recently seen a Japanese headline (I forgot which news outlet) with him saying he didn't imagine he'd get this far after his injury. And yet he did, and I'm happy and grateful he's never given up, even during some not so happy times at the time of his coaching changes.
Good luck to Sota in China! He's achieved a lot, and noone can take his amazing results from him at this point, no matter what.
I hope he has one goal only in China, and that's improving his SB. If the result he gets is enough to qualify for GPF, all the better. But a new SB is also a very important goal, and one with much less pressure I'd think. So I hope that's what he pursues.
I hope he gets to go to Aimyon's concert again. I recall he's said he now knows how his fans feel when they come to see him, having attended her concert as a fan himself ^ ^ And Sota's bedtime ritual sounds really nice. It's great to know one doesn't have to worry about Sota's eating habits in this sport that's riddled with eating disorders. Ice-cream, sandwiches, misou katsu... I do think Sota has a healthy attitude to food, and considering he's an elite athlete while loving to eat, I'm sure he'll be a great coach in this respect I stumbled upon this post on Twitter today. It's footage from Chubu regionals 2017 (the video below; the one above is from Nationals) when Sota was coming back after his 1.5-year absence, and had been training for -I think- a mere two months.
It's absolutely unbelievable how far he's come in those 6 years! I have recently seen a Japanese headline (I forgot which news outlet) with him saying he didn't imagine he'd get this far after his injury. And yet he did, and I'm happy and grateful he's never given up, even during some not so happy times at the time of his coaching changes.
Good luck to Sota in China! He's achieved a lot, and noone can take his amazing results from him at this point, no matter what.
I hope he has one goal only in China, and that's improving his SB. If the result he gets is enough to qualify for GPF, all the better. But a new SB is also a very important goal, and one with much less pressure I'd think. So I hope that's what he pursues.
- Joined
- May 5, 2018
Sota and Kazuki are on their way to China 
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
Meh, I'm gone all day on Friday, and will only be able to watch replays. Which is possibly a good thing, as my anxiety levels will be through the roof. Our TV channel is not making me happy this time as it doesn't plan on broadcasting anything from the free programs but ice dance. Hoping to see men FS added, and women also. 
I don't fancy doing things the old-fashioned way, and scheduling my day around two competitions. Our TV have been doing fairly complete coverage of GPS so far, so I'll be very annoyed and disappointed if non-linear China footage doesn't get archived.
Anyways. Here's a Mainichi article on Sota and Shoma, saying how Sota needs to be 2nd to qualify for GPF... No pressure at all, eh? I'll actually be happy if he's 3rd. He beat Fa last year, but that was before Fa scored 300+. I think the battle for Sota, Kazuki and others will be for the bronze only, provided Fa is healthy and not tired.
I don't want Sota to think about GPF at all. Too much pressure, and it's not like he needs GPF as much as he needs WS points and a new SB. 250+ is a nice, solid score of a top skater, on par with how he did last year. But other than the superstars, several of the top European/US/Canadian men also score in that range, and they'll likely have more opportunities to improve their SB than a Japanese skater, who has to rely on Nationals results. And Nationals is Sota's most stress-filled event.
Fingers firmly crossed for a new SB in China, and Sota competing only with himself, not with expectations from last season. 
I don't fancy doing things the old-fashioned way, and scheduling my day around two competitions. Our TV have been doing fairly complete coverage of GPS so far, so I'll be very annoyed and disappointed if non-linear China footage doesn't get archived.Anyways. Here's a Mainichi article on Sota and Shoma, saying how Sota needs to be 2nd to qualify for GPF... No pressure at all, eh? I'll actually be happy if he's 3rd. He beat Fa last year, but that was before Fa scored 300+. I think the battle for Sota, Kazuki and others will be for the bronze only, provided Fa is healthy and not tired.
I don't want Sota to think about GPF at all. Too much pressure, and it's not like he needs GPF as much as he needs WS points and a new SB. 250+ is a nice, solid score of a top skater, on par with how he did last year. But other than the superstars, several of the top European/US/Canadian men also score in that range, and they'll likely have more opportunities to improve their SB than a Japanese skater, who has to rely on Nationals results. And Nationals is Sota's most stress-filled event.
Fingers firmly crossed for a new SB in China, and Sota competing only with himself, not with expectations from last season.
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- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
Here's the starting order for Men SP:
May it bring Sota good luck, and may having Kazuki nearby work its charm again
A Sota who is a little annoyed/bent on revenge, has the best scores, so hoping he's healthily motivated by not having a 260-something in his result list yet. IDK if it would be enough for a medal, because Kazuki and Shaidorov (and potentially Boyang) are strong opponents, but as long as Sota skates well, I'm content. Ganbatte!
ETA, Sota's practice:
He still doesn't like axels, that's for sure! I hope he doesn't think too much about them in competition, and manages to jump without overthinking.
May it bring Sota good luck, and may having Kazuki nearby work its charm again
A Sota who is a little annoyed/bent on revenge, has the best scores, so hoping he's healthily motivated by not having a 260-something in his result list yet.
IDK if it would be enough for a medal, because Kazuki and Shaidorov (and potentially Boyang) are strong opponents, but as long as Sota skates well, I'm content. Ganbatte!ETA, Sota's practice:
He still doesn't like axels, that's for sure! I hope he doesn't think too much about them in competition, and manages to jump without overthinking.
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- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
I'm going to have to post CoC stuff separately to avoid a wall of text and links :]
I was pleasantly surprised to see Sota in the gala. There are some nice photos (and even videos) of Sota and Shoma pushing Kazuki's chair, and Sota performed his Teeth again. Too bad about the jerky camera shots, but each opportnity to see Teeth again is appreciated.
Here's an article with a few thoughts of Sota and Kazuki reflecting on their outing:
Sota's thoughts (Google translate): "I have been working hard in the GP series in preparation for the final. I was disappointed that it ended so quickly." "I want to do my best for All Japan. The waves are too big, so I have to grow into a more stable and strong version of myself."
The online Japanese dictionary tells me 'nami' ('waves') is also a word that's used for 'ups and downs', so this makes sense. Sota does have highs and lows in his career, and his performances can be unpredictable (his Challenge Cup outings over the years come to mind).
I wholeheartedly agree with his assessment that he needs to be more stable and strong under pressure.
In the same vein, Sota said this:
"It's more beneficial to fight against strong players and feel frustrated than to fail and get a good ranking. I want to gain the strength to fight against the higher players."
That's also a very good quote, though results are also very important, and even a victory in an all-around imperfect competition, because one made the least mistakes, is valuable.
Ryuju liked the tweet above, so he is still following his old kouhai's career, and approves of Sota's attitude
I was pleasantly surprised to see Sota in the gala. There are some nice photos (and even videos) of Sota and Shoma pushing Kazuki's chair, and Sota performed his Teeth again. Too bad about the jerky camera shots, but each opportnity to see Teeth again is appreciated.
Here's an article with a few thoughts of Sota and Kazuki reflecting on their outing:
友野一希＆山本草太は決意の再出発「今できることに全力を」「もう少し安定した強い自分に」 - スポニチ Sponichi Annex スポーツ
フィギュアスケートGPシリーズ第4戦中国杯から一夜明けた12日、男子4位の友野一希（上野芝ク）、6位の山本草太（中京大）が重慶で取材に応じた。
www.sponichi.co.jp
The online Japanese dictionary tells me 'nami' ('waves') is also a word that's used for 'ups and downs', so this makes sense. Sota does have highs and lows in his career, and his performances can be unpredictable (his Challenge Cup outings over the years come to mind).
I wholeheartedly agree with his assessment that he needs to be more stable and strong under pressure.
In the same vein, Sota said this:
"It's more beneficial to fight against strong players and feel frustrated than to fail and get a good ranking. I want to gain the strength to fight against the higher players."
That's also a very good quote, though results are also very important, and even a victory in an all-around imperfect competition, because one made the least mistakes, is valuable.
Ryuju liked the tweet above, so he is still following his old kouhai's career, and approves of Sota's attitude
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2014
Just popping in to announce that Sota will be joining Daisuke's new show "Kassouya" in February, which is advertised to differ from most formats in that it focuses on showcasing young Japanese skaters, who may not yet be widely known and otherwise wouldn’t get many show opportunities. Sota will be one of the few current top skaters leading the cast (along with Kazuki, Koshiro and Sena).
https://www.instagram.com/p/Czaru7-vpqW
The show takes place about one week after 4CC, so it won't interfere with preparations for the competition, if Sota is selected (in case he doesn’t make the Worlds team).
I think it's a wonderful gesture that he was asked to be part of the show, as his performance at Nationals 2017 inspired Dai's own comeback a year later.
And I want to add that even though it’s a bummer Sota won’t make the GPF, it’s still amazing that he earned his first GP gold this season. His grit and determination always keep him in the mix. What the guys have to bring these days to be at the top is insane – to pull off 2 quads in the short and 3 in the FS is no small feat and would have beaten the majority of the field at Worlds less than 10 years ago (even with an unstable 3A). I hope Sota has a strong comeback at Nationals!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Czaru7-vpqW
The show takes place about one week after 4CC, so it won't interfere with preparations for the competition, if Sota is selected (in case he doesn’t make the Worlds team).
I think it's a wonderful gesture that he was asked to be part of the show, as his performance at Nationals 2017 inspired Dai's own comeback a year later.
And I want to add that even though it’s a bummer Sota won’t make the GPF, it’s still amazing that he earned his first GP gold this season. His grit and determination always keep him in the mix. What the guys have to bring these days to be at the top is insane – to pull off 2 quads in the short and 3 in the FS is no small feat and would have beaten the majority of the field at Worlds less than 10 years ago (even with an unstable 3A). I hope Sota has a strong comeback at Nationals!
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
Thank you, I've read about Daisuke's show and was going to post it, but you beat me to itJust popping in to announce that Sota will be joining Daisuke's new show "Kassouya" in February, which is advertised to differ from most formats in that it focuses on showcasing young Japanese skaters, who may not yet be widely known and otherwise wouldn’t get many show opportunities. Sota will be one of the few current top skaters leading the cast (along with Kazuki, Koshiro and Sena).
[...]
And I want to add that even though it’s a bummer Sota won’t make the GPF, it’s still amazing that he earned his first GP gold this season. His grit and determination always keep him in the mix. What the guys have to bring these days to be at the top is insane – to pull off 2 quads in the short and 3 in the FS is no small feat and would have beaten the majority of the field at Worlds less than 10 years ago (even with an unstable 3A). I hope Sota has a strong comeback at Nationals!
What I didn't know was that Daisuke's focus is on skaters who don't have many opportunities, and I think that's a great idea to help them out and be original at the same time. You make a good point. I know that the scoring has changed recently, but scoring 245 points would place Sota much higher just a few years ago (and would get him a medal in his Challenger this September). Had he been from a less deep field, he'd be a top 10 regular at 4CC or Euros.
My impression of him is that he's always chasing the absolute world top, but always in a somehow precarious position - sometimes he's very very close to firmly establishing himself and making the decisive breakthrough, but then nerves/anxiety/doubts hit, knocking him down a notch. In the next moment, he rises to the occasion again. And so the cycle continues, but fortunately, he keeps climbing up the ranks little by little, like the opposite of a phugoid cycle if that makes any sense
Anyways: Sota didn't have the best outing in China, that's true, because of the mistakes in the SP. It cost him the GPF - that's now cemented by Cha's and Litvintsev's WDs from Finland as they could challenge the other GPF hopefuls.
But, every cloud has a silver lining:
- He is increasingly popular, as is shown by China wanting him in the gala. They could have opted for their own boys, but they wanted Sota. :]
- He has passed another milestone in his career, which is his Canada gold. Noone in that event was skating both programs perfectly, and being the cleanest of them all in the two programs combined, is a very important skill.
- Sota's FS has once again shown him that no matter what misgivings and anxieties he was suffering from, he can land all jumps including his least favorite axels. Yes, he needs to be stronger under pressure, that was a very good observation from him: but if he wasn't strong at all, he would have fallen apart in the FS as well. He didn't fall apart. Which makes me believe that he can succeed in overcoming his nerves.
I am very much hoping Sota skates well enough at Nationals to get 4CC. It would be his only chance at a new SB. A B event in Europe would make me personally happy of course, and is likely to improve his WS a bit, but those don't count for a SB. He deserves another chance to try and get in the 260 or 270 range.
But - I really wish he'd ditch that Chameleon SP, if only for Nationals. That program is not helping him. If you look at his results, what were the only times he skated it clean? Chubu and Gensan. Low-stress events the world doesn't even follow. The pressure at Nationals is going to be like the one in China, and more. There's no reason for Sota to think the result will be different from the SP in China, then. Because it's not about the amount of practice, nor about how often he nails his jumps in practice. It's about his nerves during important competitions when a lot is at stake, and there are expectations from him (which also explains why he did so great at GPF last year - he was under the radar).
A jazz SP does not help nervous, serene skaters at all.
Skating well at Nationals, in the SP especially, is critical for Japanese skaters. This SP is a big risk for such stifling environment. If at all possible, I hope Sota brings back Yesterday or another program that didn't require a sassy performance. Yes, he also made mistakes with those (like at WC), but at least the performance aspect was much closer to what's natural for him. Evgenia didn't hesitate to ditch two Wilson programs that were unsuitable for her way of skating, and just look at her success with new ones. I hope Sota has no reservations about ditching one Wilson program if he feels the slightest doubts about it.
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- Joined
- May 5, 2018
Cross-posting some Sota sightings from Kazuki's Fan Fest!
