Sota Yamamoto | Page 113 | Golden Skate

Sota Yamamoto

Good luck at Kokutai, Sota! 👏
I've just realized I'll likely miss his skate tomorrow due to timezones as he's one of the first skaters to take to the ice, bummer (est. after 15:35 Japan time)
I hope I'll be able to watch at all... last year the archived stream didn't like my PC, or my connection, at all. :pray:
 
Amazing job, Sota, and the perfect way of saying bye to Yesterday SP. I hope Tsuyo uploads her videos soon so I can watch his program. At least I was still able to see Sota cheer for Shunsuke in one of the last groups.
We'll see how he deals with the FS tomorrow - good luck to him! 🤞He has an almost 20-point lead, but I'm definitely not crowning him yet because who knows what may happen if 4CC fatigue catches up with him overnight. 🥱 We'll see, and hopefully he does well in the FS, too! No need to put in all 3 quads IMO if he feels tired.

There's an article about Sota at Kokutai that works well with machine translation:

Sota Yamamoto, who thought this season would be the last one, said, "I'll keep consulting with my body and various other things."​

The first day of the National Sports Festival Winter Skating and Ice Hockey competitions took place on the 31st at Flat Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture and elsewhere, with Yamamoto Sota (Aichi, MIXI) taking the lead in the figure skating men's short program (SP) with 96.57 points.

Details of Yamamoto's performance and full comments are as follows:

- It was a fantastic SP at the National Sports Festival, coming just after the Four Continents Championships.

"Honestly, I was tired, but from the 6-minute (practice) onwards, my movements were really good, and I think I could have done the same in the actual competition. There's still the free skating tomorrow. This will be my last competition of the season, so I hope I can switch gears and do my best tomorrow."

- You didn't come out onto the rink at the start of the 6-minute practice.
[the rest is behind a paywall]

I wonder why Sota missed the beginning of his practice!

Also, now we have a confirmation that Kokutai concludes Sota's season. No Coupe du Printemps for him (though I suspected as much, given the Kassouya schedule), and apparently no Aichi prefecture competition, either.

----------
placeholder for protocols-
www.jsfresults.com/National/2025-2026/fs_j/nationalfestival/FSKMSINGLES---------01QUAL000100--_JudgesDetailsperSkater.pdf
 
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Great job, Sota! I was honestly surprised, I thought he'd mess up more, way more, due to 4CC exhaustion catching up with him, and because, as I suspected, Sota didn't hold back on the quads. I'm impressed. I hope his two recent results will motivate him next season.

Deep Edge article:
deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp

山本草太 、今季最後に感じた楽しさを来季につなげていく「心配させたり、悔しい思いもあったと思うけど、応援ありがとうございました。みんなに伝えたい」【国民スポーツ大会冬季大会成年男子フリー】 - フィギュアスケート専門情報サイトDeep Edge Plus　最新ニュース・充実のコラムをお届け

国民スポーツ大会冬季大会スケート、アイスホッケー競技会第2日は1日、青森県フラット八戸などで行われ、フィギュアの成年男子は山本草太（愛知・ＭＩＸＩ）がショートプログラム（SP）に続いてフリーも1位となり、合計267.9 […]
deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp

Sota Yamamoto will carry the joy he felt at the end of this season into next season. "I know I caused you worry and I felt frustrated, but I want to convey that to everyone, thank you for your support."
The second day of the National Sports Festival Winter Skating and Ice Hockey competitions was held on the 1st at Flat Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture and other venues. In the men's figure skating competition, Sota Yamamoto (Aichi, Mixi) won first place in the short program (SP) and free skate, winning with a total score of 267.93 points.

Details of Yamamoto's performance and full comments are as follows:

He fell on his opening quadruple salchow, and his triple axel in the middle of the competition only became a one and a half rotation.

[the rest is behind a paywall]

Kazuki was also motivated by Sota:

Tomono Kazuki was able to concentrate and perform well, "I was motivating myself to see how much I could hang on to Sota"​

******

Sota's and Shunsuke's victory celebration pantomime:


This guy seriously looks 10 years younger than he really is, how does he do it? ^ ^
 
Videos of both of Sota's Kokutai programs can now be found in the OP :]

These two again, wandering off together... :laugh: It's really sweet of them to do a victory round and wave at the fans up close!


Looks a lot like my hotel room at 2024 Finlandia, lol! Except I had my two thin banners, not these fancy ones. These are prettier though. ^ ^
 
A belated congratulations to Sota for winning his first Four Continents medal! I am glad that he feels good about how the season turned out. I really regret that I wasn't able to watch his performances, but after fighting with my VPN for a while I had to give up and look up the results.
 
Seigo Tauchi from Aichi, third in Kokutai junior men's competition, was asked to strike a pose for his media photo, and he went with the closing pose from Sota's Yesterday:


It looks like he was also motivated by Sota's success this season (paywalled again, so we don't get to learn more):

Seigo Tauchi: "Sou-chan just came back from China and performed well." The theme for next season is "successful quadruple jumps"​

deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp

田内誠悟「そうちゃんは中国から帰ってきたばかりでいい演技してた」　来シーズンは「4回転成功」がテーマ【国民スポーツ大会冬季大会少年男子フリー】 - フィギュアスケート専門情報サイトDeep Edge Plus　最新ニュース・充実のコラムをお届け

国民スポーツ大会冬季大会スケート、アイスホッケー競技会第４日は３日、青森県フラット八戸で行われ、フィギュア少年男子で中京大中京の田内誠悟（愛知）が合計217.83点で3位となった。 　田内の演技詳細とコメント全文は次の […]
deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp

And some more wholesome Sota and Kazuki friendship content - the poster writes: 'Whenever I pointed the camera at them or took a shot, they were always laughing together' ☺️


And now the long wait begins for more Sota news... there's Kassouya next month, but with no Unlim online meetings, there will be precious little news until then, and it's going to be a long wait -_-
 
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Sota thanks his fans for braving the enormous snowfall in Aomori to come cheer for him:


Thank you for cheering me on at the national tournament, despite the cold weather! Thanks to the support from so many spectators and fellow team members, I was able to perform with great enjoyment. I will continue as an active player next season as well. Looking forward to your continued support!

********

From a Sponichi article about him continuing his career:
www.sanspo.com

山本草太が現役続行「まだまだ体も気持ちも若い」／フィギュア

フィギュアスケート男子でミラノ・コルティナ冬季五輪代表に届かなかった山本草太（26）＝MIXI＝が4日、自身の交流サイト（SNS）で「来シーズンも現役を続けま…
www.sanspo.com www.sanspo.com

Sota Yamamoto (26) of Mixi, who failed to qualify for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in the men's figure skating category, officially announced on his social networking site (SNS) on the 4th that he would continue his career, saying, "I will continue next season." At the Four Continents Championships (Beijing) in January, where he placed third for the first time on the podium, he expressed his enthusiasm by saying, "I am still young in body and mind. I want to make the most of my skating career."

*****

Good to hear he considers himself youthful ☺️ I hope next season goes well for him, too!
 
From this article - Kokutai interview with Sota and Shunsuke. The Kazuki part is already in Kazuki's fanfest, many thanks to @rRainbow !
I'll post the joint interview first because there's one more with just Sota in the same article, and I'll post that later. Machine translated.

***
First place winner Sota Yamamoto expresses gratitude, while second place winner Kazuki Tomono speaks of his competitive spirit. Aichi wins the men's adult event at the 2026 National Sports Festival. Sota Yamamoto says, "Thanks to the support, I was able to bounce back."

Aichi team members Yamamoto (left) and Nakamura (right) performed the shachihoko pose at the award ceremony. (Caption for the photo immediately above)

Please share your honest feelings about your victory.
- Yamamoto: It was so much fun to compete with Shunsuke, and I'm so happy that we were able to work together to secure the victory for Aichi Prefecture. Shunsuke also landed a quadruple in the short program, and he held up pretty well in the free program, so I think we all worked hard together.

Nakamura senshu, you look so happy.
- Nakamura: I'm happy to be competing together, and I was so happy to skate with So-chan, whom I admire.

What do you think of each other?
- Nakamura: I've really looked up to him since I was little, and I used to watch him on TV. He's always been an athlete who's been active on the big stage, but he's also been kind to me since I went to Chukyo University Chukyo High School, and when we eat meals together he's really frank and treats me like a friend, and I don't know...he's a really great senior!
- Yamamoto: Shunsuke is also frank with everyone, and he's a really cute junior. I'm not the kind of strict senior who can lead others, but he always treats me like a friend, and I'm happy about that. I hope we can continue to be friends, and Shunsuke still has a lot of potential, so I hope we can work hard together next season.

How do you feel about bringing home the victory to Aichi, the skating kingdom?
- Nakamura: I'm so happy!
- Yamamoto: Yeah, I'm happy, but it feels like it's just something that should be taken for granted.
- Nakamura: That's true. That's a given. (laughs)
- Yamamoto: The women's result was well deserved, and I'm happy we won in both men and women.
- Nakamura: I was a little worried that I might hold the team back, so I'm relieved to end it with a double victory, and I'm really happy to have been able to compete in Aichi.

Are you smiling now because you're relieved?
- Nakamura: It's a bit embarrassing being interviewed in two people, it's a strange feeling. (laughs)
***
 
surimi said:
- Nakamura: It's a bit embarrassing being interviewed in two people, it's a strange feeling. (laughs)
Click to expand...
Thanks @surimi. The last part is nuanced and difficult for a machine to translate. Here's my attempt:
Nakamura: Being interviewed like this, the two of us together, it makes me kind of blush or feel kind of strange. (laughs)

Here's Sota's solo interview:

Sota Yamamoto: "I Recovered Thanks to Your Support"

"I want to express my gratitude to everyone who stayed late to cheer us on." —Sota Yamamoto

—Looking back at today’s performance:

Yamamoto: Regarding the jumps, like the Salchow and the Axel, there are definitely some challenges to address for next season. However, I felt my movement was not bad overall. I want to carry the lessons learned and the strengths I found today forward into next year. The support from skaters representing various prefectures—something unique to the Kokutai—helped me recover from my mistake on the Salchow. Because of that, I think I was able to truly enjoy my performance.

—Did Team Aichi Women’s victory influence you?

Yamamoto: I watched the live stream yesterday and today. Seeing Team Aichi perform so well and also seeing Yuna (Aoki)-chan deliver two clean programs right after returning from the Four Continents made me realize that I couldn't make any excuses. It served as a source of inspiration and gave me the push I needed for my own skate.

—Reflections on this season and goals for next season:

Yamamoto: I had a productive off-season. Unfortunately, I got injured right at the start of the season. Once I recovered, though, I was able to get back into a good rhythm. By the time the All-Japan Championships arrived, I had returned to my usual training intensity. While the result at the All-Japan was disappointing, I truly enjoyed the latter half of the season. With new programs and rule changes coming next season, my priorities are building an injury-free body and putting in solid practice. I want to turn this season’s frustrations into momentum for next year.

—What made this year's Kokutai enjoyable?

Yamamoto: Figure skating is an individual sport, and there are many moments before a competition where you have to focus alone. But at Kokutai, having other skaters cheer me on from the rink gave me so much energy. The venue was also packed with fans. It was a long day of competitions starting in the morning, yet so many people stayed until around 10:00 p.m. to support us. I really want to thank them. I know I caused some worry this season with my injury and other setbacks, so I want to tell everyone, “Thank you for sticking with me and supporting me all the way."
 
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Here's a short YouTube clip of Sota being caught on camera by a local CBC TV station. They were filming an episode of the variety show Deraraba, in which a Taiwanese restaurant near Chukyo University, called Fumirou, was featured as a favorite of Chukyo students for its great food and prices.

Translation:
Narrator: Customers like him order takeout, too.
Restaurant Employee: He is a famous skater.
TV Crew: Ah, a famous skater?
Kanako Murakami (on panel): Oh, it's So-chan!
TV Crew: Chukyo University?
Sota: Ah, that's right.
Kanako: Oh, it's Sota Yamamoto senshu!
Sota: I'm figure skater Sota Yamamoto.
Hikari (host): So-chan!
Kanako: So-chan!
Narrator: Surprisingly, the 2022 Grand Prix Finals silver medalist, Sota Yamamoto senshu, also frequents Fūmiro.
Sota: Once a week.
TV Crew: Once a week?
Sota: I come here about once a week. Since the university is nearby, I take a detour on my way home to stop by.
Kanako: He's a really wonderful skater.
Sota: They offer great value for the price, and their food is incredibly delicious. Well, all the skaters come here, too.
TV crew: Ah, I see.
Sota: Highly recommended!
TV Crew: Huh.
Sota: (Regarding Kanako Murakami) Well, we practiced together in Chukyo, so we interacted.
Kanako: When we were little...
Sota: We often practiced together on weekends, and she was really easygoing about talking to me.
I guess we'd play badminton with everyone as a warm-up.
Everyone: Wow!
Sota: Sometimes a few of us would play together.
Kanako: Wow, So-chan comes too, huh? If you come this way, you'll definitely pass by. I think everyone who goes to Chukyo has been there.

This CBC TV article is about that episode:
A plate of seven gyoza is normally priced at 350 yen, but on Monday and Tuesday nights only, it's just 100 yen. On busy days, they sell over 1,000 gyoza. Here's the backstory: Sota happened to be there when the TV crew was filming the 100-yen gyoza night. He doesn't usually order takeout gyoza, but since he was trying to hide from the camera, he stood in line to order some. However, the restaurant employee has known Sota since middle school and told the TV crew that he's a well-known skater. After talking to the camera, Sota hoped that his segment would be edited out. He didn't watch the show that aired on January 28, 2026. Then, he received text messages from friends saying they had seen him on TV.
 
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Opened Instagram just to see a heartbreaking post by Sota, saying his mum passed away 💔:cry:

I really hope he's getting as much support as possible, this is devastating.



Machine translation:

Thank you for your continued support.

On a personal note, my mother passed away on February 9th due to a worsening chronic illness.

Since I was little, I have walked hand in hand with my mother.

I couldn't believe it at first because it happened suddenly. I wanted to express my gratitude more, and I still remember it.

Sometimes I end up doing it.

In memory of my mother, who has always been there for me, and I will never forget to thank my family, From now on I want to walk on my own two feet.

I want to remember the strength my mother taught me and give back to her in some small way.

I will do my best to grow as a person.

And I want to live each and every day to the fullest more than ever before.
 
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Heartbreaking news to wake up to 😢 My heartfelt condolences, Sota! 🥀 I'm not a person who cries easily, but me and my mom both shed a tear reading this. Poor young Sota! Although there are skaters who lost one or both of their parents also, like Mao Asada, Rion Sumiyoshi, or even more tragically, Maxim Naumov, this one hits home as Sota is a big favorite of mine, and I have been following him for years.

So he only has one cat now, and lives alone... he has never mentioned his father (except when talking about his childhood before he relocated from Osaka to Nagoya), in interviews or Unlim, so no idea if his dad is still a part of his life; and he is an only child. I hope he has a girlfriend to help him cope with his grief, or cousins, or another really close soul to help him bear the pain. 😭 He does have grandparents in Osaka whom he visits a couple of times a year, and hopefully he was staying with them during this difficult time.

What a double stroke of misfortune that Sota's loss came at around the same time as Unlim closing their crowdfunding & video chat platform. Sota mentioned many times how happy he was to interact with his fans that way, though I do think he would have taken a break in February anyway in this case... I do hope a new platform is found soon :pray:

I hope Mrs. Yamamoto could yet enjoy her son's great achievements at 4CC, and his equally great score at Kokutai. She must have been so proud of her talented son, who achieved what very few top Japanese men skaters could (why, even Keiji didn't have a 4CC medal in his collection!), and who -I'm sure of that- has a bright coaching future ahead of him.

I guess this sad news could also explain why Sota wasn't sent to Luxembourg. I am sure he'll get lots of fan love, flowers, and banners all over the arena at Kassouya.
And here I was thinking that Sota's radio silence was because he was busy with overseas choreo. 😞

My condolences again on your loss, Sota, and rest in peace, lovely Mrs Kanako Yamamoto! 🥀

I hope he's surrounded by lots of warmth and support right now, and in the future. ♥️
 
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Beautiful words @surimi and in so many ways I'm grateful Sota has able to be with the Kassouya family at this point, including his good friends Kazuki and Koshiro. I'm also sure that the skating community will be very supportive, overall :pray:

What I worry most about Sota's situation are the practicalities - things like tax, inheritance, banking statements etc these are super hard for us normies, let alone for an athlete who's so busy and probably doesn't have a lot of life experience. I also worry about his living arrangements, it's one thing to choose to live alone like Kazuki did, another entirely different is to live alone as a result of a loss. So I'm hoping he gets to live with someone, if not a romantic partner, perhaps a friend or housemate, just someone to share the expenses and household chores with.

So I really hope he's getting all the emotional and practical support that he needs, and I won't be surprised if he takes a break after Kassouya in order to deal with everything, it's really a lot to take :cry:💔
 
Here's a little good news: Sota has recently participated as an instructor in a skating class for young children, along with other skaters from the Kassouya show, which took place in Ehime:


I'm 100% sure he'll be a great and loved coach ♥️
And, as other fans have noticed, Sota is back to his perm hairstyle again. ^ ^
It was great to see him smile, though I admit I'm still in shock and my heart goes out to him. I went to the local cemetery this weekend, to put spring decorations on my family's grave, and I made sure to light a candle and say a prayer for Sota's mom at the central cross. 🕊️
I hope he has someone who came over last month to stay with him, because unless he took a longer break from training, or unless he has a relative in Nagoya, then IIRC all his family live in Osaka, so I don't think it's possible for him to stay with a family member for a longer period of time.

I'm hoping Sota is surrounded by support and affection, and I'm pretty sure he'll be showered with both by fans at Kassouya in two weeks' time.
I hope he finds peace and healing first and foremost, and if he decides to continue his competitive career, I'll be grateful and glad. At this point, I just don't know what will happen - like @KiraraChin says, there are practicalities and bills, and an elite skater's life in not a cheap matter. 😔 Hopefully a new funding platform is decided soon, as I'm positive there are many who are keen on supporting Sota even more now.
 
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