Umebachi

No problem at all! I don't mind - it gave us a chance for this exchange. Anyway, as a Japanese, you would recognize the story as that of Sugawara-no-Michizane-ko. Alas, I don't think Michizane-ko's story lends itself to a dramatic figure skating performance: he was a bureaucrat, a reformist, and a scholar who got kicked out of the Heian court (Kyoto) for stubbornly getting in the way of the Fujiwara power brokers (forgive me if this sounds too flippant towards Tenjin-sama). Looking back, my career kind of traced a similar pathway, although nothing so grandiose, dramatic or artistic, lol! After toiling for decades in humongous bureacracies of international finance, here I find myself on a Canadian island in a sort of an exile (a happy exile), pining for the fragrant flowers of homeland - represented by Yuzu-kun! - and occasionally indulging in nostalgic reflections on the Planet H forum.

Yuzu usually uses “Ore” when speaking casually with other men and he is careful not to use that tone when speaking casually with women. He has fine sensitivities. @SuzyQ Thank you for using kanji for my PH name - actually it would be written as 梅鉢. The second kanji is the word for vessel - it refers to Plum in a Vessel. It’s my family crest - in remembrance of our erstwhile ancestor who wrote poignant verses while in exile about the plum blossoms of Kyoto. (From Heian period same as Seimei). Funny how we can talk with other fanyus about Japanese history by referencing his program. 😆

Watashi or Watakushi 私 literally refers to the private self and is used to mean "I" in a formal/official/public setting by all gender and by most persons. (I say "most" because the imperial personages do not use this term in a formal speech.) This form of "I" is also used by female speakers in an informal or private/personal setting, e.g., with family or friends. A man or boy would NEVER NEVER use this term in an informal/casual setting. It would be considered either being too formal and off-putting in such a setting, or just weird. It's somewhat like using vous to your close friend, in French, but perhaps evokes an even stronger feeling of inappropriateness. 　 Male speakers use the term boku 僕 in both formal and informal /private settings, and this goes for male speaker of any age, and generally when speaking among peers. When speaking with those who are above you in status or age, it would be more appropriate to use a formal tone even in a casual setting, hence "watashi" would be OK for men if the etiquette calls for a show of deference to the other person. More often, we don't use any subject in a setting. It's understood you are referring to your "self" and it's egotistical always to be referring to yourself "me, me, me, I, I, I!!" When male speakers want to talk in a masculine manner, they will use "ore" 俺 . It's a more aggressive term than "boku" - which is quite neutral - and this term is generally not used in a polite/formal setting (unless you are a macho personality and want to impress the audience with your masculinity by using "ore" throughout an interview). What the non-Japanese speakers might miss is how Yuzu often expresses himself using this very male "voice" and there is no trace of feminity in it. In these moments you see his poweful dominant self peeking out, and then he turns around and speaks in a gentle tone to his Pooh like a caring papa bear. The duality of man...

On New Year's Eve in Japan, we eat noodles - toshi-koshi-soba "year-passing soba" as a way to wish for a loooong and healthy life. The OP decided to buy the soba from Nagano (in the photo) - with the name "Kawanakajima" written on the top - for this year's year end soba. Nagano is a rich agricultural region and well known for producing some fine soba flour. So, in the following exchange someone tweets - "oh yes, Nagano soba noodles are the best", and the OP responds: "no, no, I selected this because it says "Kawanakajima", 川中島 - lol. Who would have guessed that Nagano farmers would be a beneficiary of Hanyuconomy! Whether or not you are eating soba from Nagano, I wish you all a very Happy New Year!

This is charming: An 18 year old high school student (boy) named "Ippei" just started making YT videos to share his ideas about the books he has read. He loves reading books and is committed to reading 150 - 200 books a year - a budding intellectual. Suddenly, in the midst of all these videos about the books, he puts out a video about Yuzu because he watched JNats for the first time in his life and was shocked and amazed by Hanyu's beauty and breadth of expression and couldn't help but gush. He didn't know anything about figure skating and has never watched Yuzu skate before (not even the Olympic performances), so this reaction is genuine and moving. It goes to show how much impact Yuzu can have on a person who is open to that experience. He says he is still trembling from the encounter but he nevertheless manages to offer a succinct three-point summary of why he finds Yuzu so compelling. (1. Expansive view of the world ; 2. Beauty, Beauty, and Beauty; 3. Expression - an overwhelming ability to articulate emotion.) What a self-disciplined young man! I wonder if someone from the fanyu world will sub this video? This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

I am grateful for Yuzu introducing so many people around the world to the iconic Japanese historic characters, like Uesugi Kenshin. Most of my non-Japanese friends - although well-educated and well-read - have never heard of the "Sengoku" period, let alone any of the famous names from that period. Those who know the names have come to know them through games (like Basara) which creates an interesting avatar version of the famous characters, but this is not the same as being part of the local lore and village community. And now, with just one single skate performance, Yuzu manages to draw in a wide swathe of the global skating fan community into this world of blood, cruelty, redemption and enlightenment. The people of Nagano - where JNats took place - prides itself as the former stronghold of Uesugi Kenshin - are expressing their pride and appreciation for the renewed interest in Lord Kenshin. Apparently, the goods related to Uesugi family are suddenly flying off the shelves! Hanyuconomy!

I found a traditional Japanese Dance depicting Uesugi Kenshin, performed by an adorable young boy for some local (school?) performance. This dancer is still mmature in his movements but he manages to capture the delicate and subtle gestures depicting the character of Lord Kenshin, a spiritual warrior. The opening words of the song invokes "Bishamonten" the war demon, as he makes a precise and beautiful motion of buddhist prayer asking for victory. Later he opens the fan on one hand and flutters the other hand downward to the words "blooms scatter" - indicating the sacrifices of war. The reference to the battle is not explicit but the tension and sadness builds then quietly fades away, in the same way H&E is constructed. Enjoy!

I love runrun's art work, and happy that she is resuming her artwork. She says "What was delivered was an advent - this is how it felt to me" You can see H&E gently falling into the huge sock, and the tiny LMEY already inside!

I would ignore those comments. Unfamiliar musical composition sounds like indistinct noise to human species unless their hearing capabalities are trained and enhanced from early infant/childhood. It takes practice upon practice to open your mind and learn to hear and see beauty all around us. Artists create the bridge between us and that place of enlightenment. And Yuzu is channeling himself through the art of skating to connect us to new experiences and to new discoveries. You can't force people to accept his generosity, but pity them for they know not what they do (and they are missing out on one helluva a magical party!). I find it interesting that many "westerners" find Baroque music boring and repetitive because they are not exposed to these instruments and cadences in a modern setting. So it's not just "Asian" music, but perhaps any composition with complex musical phrasing. Yet, one can walk around the town squares of Prague and you can find musicians playing Telemann's trumpet solo on the streets and crowds gathered around in rapture to hear that glorious sound. Or you can be moved to tears by the soulful voice of Parisa who cries for her homeland Iran, but then the bubble bursts when a neighbor complains and ask to turn down that "caterwaul"... oh, the pity! BTW, the composer of the H&E original music is Isao Tomita 富田勲 - who is a well known composer in Japan, but perhaps better known overseas for his pioneering work on electronic music (Tomita synthesizer). He composed the theme music for many anime as well as multiple NHK dramas, so his music is intertwined in the memory of many Japanese from my generation. I think he is masterful at creating a complex texture of sound - perhaps coming from his long experience with electronic music composition. Some thoughts on the H&E composition: It seems Yuzu has re-arranged the original theme music to enhance the drama of the 4 minute program, with the main motif representing the sound of rolling waves, which come and recede repeatedly with different intensities. The opening starts with he roaring of the battle, which recedes with the light cascade of biwa strings into a lull - perhaps a pause in the battle or a moment of reflection in one's life, as Uesugi Kenshin did when he asked himself whether all the killing was right. The quiet moment passes into another wave of music as the force of history rises up again and throws us upward (the moment of 3A-2T combo) and we parry with a flowing counter-measure (this is the 3Lo) to regain balance. In the quiet moment in the middle, the plucking of the strings represent the "aha" moment as the neural network in our brain cells make connection (sorry, I'm a molecular biologist) as Kenshin has a brief glimpse of satori/nirvana (or in the case of Yuzu, a feeling that he's got that Nessie 4A!). But it's only a glimpse as we are thrown back into the waves again (4T-3T, 4T-eu-3S). The music builds up toward the final climactic wave which does not end in a fanfare but fades into a gentle denouement of stroking music, lulling us into meditation, and snaps into the dramatic closing motion of reaching out to Heaven while staying connected to Earth. Is this the moment of satori and nirvana? Or is this the lament of Jesus as he cries out to his father - oh, why hast thou forsaken me? We don't know the answer - it's up to us to keep striving and the story leaves us with a feeling of awakening and a renewed energy /commitment to keep dancing in the storm. A human story is not a simple, linear story, because life is complex and we can only arrive at a deeper understanding when we reflect and recover through many rounds of suffering and effort. This is the story of Yuzu, and the story of all of us living through the pandemic. I leave you with the clip of the opening of original Taiga drama series, "Ten to Chi to", and a short segment (poor quality video) of that famous meeting of Kenshin with his arch-rival Takeda Shingen in a one-to-one match. Kenshin has his buddhist white cowl and mounted on a white horse, with blue garment underneath - this image of Kenshin has been seared into my brain from my childhood days. Lord Shingen, by contrast, is bedecked in bright red armor. They battled each other but they also respected and cared deeply about each other's well being (except that they were willing to go kill each other - go figure - men!).

@axelwithwings team always does an excellent job of translating. Finally we have the actual transcript of the Sponichi interview, not snippets in the twitter, from which they offer a full translation. In the original Japanese, Yuzu literally uses the English term "shut down" when referring to his aspirations about the Olympics. In another interview he said he wanted to put a "delimiter" - i.e. putting a restraint on himself - when thinking about the Olympics. His words resonate in Japan right now because the government had been pushing to open the economy and very slow in taking action to slow the spread of infection. People are feeling extremely anxious and angry about this and a recent poll also indicated that majority of Japanese don't want the Olympics to be held in Tokyo this summer. It is in this context that the frequent interview questions about his plans to go to the Olympics really irks him, as the media seems to be glossing over the pandemic to pry some titillating responses from him about his Olympics aspirations. We all know how important the Olympics is for Yuzu, and for him to push back so forcefully is sending shock waves across the Japanese media. If I were to write a headline it would read something lie: "Hanyu 'shuts down' own Olympic aspirations, implores leaders to think first about people". ' This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Here is the Uesugi family crest with the two sparrows. This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

The familiy crest of Lord Uesugi Shingen includes two sparrows. It was noted among the Japanese tweeters that the back of the H&E costume has two sparrows hidden among the flowers. I did not know this before, but being warlords from the northern region the Uesugi family did have some relations connected with Lord Date of Sendai - Yuzu's hometown. Many years ago, Yuzu mentioned that his favorite Sengoku daimyo (lords) are Date Masamune and Uesugi Kenshin. The "boy" (no longer "boy"?) delves deep...

This Japanese tweeter expresses my own sentiments very well. Hanyu-senshu is channeling the Gaia energies - male & female, earth and skies, rocks and trees, birds and flowers. My religion is spirtuality of the natural kind... "I am not religious but Japanese, and cannot help but surrender to YH’s spiritual force. Shingen, the reincarnation of Bishamon himself yet herself. Heaven and Earth; wind, water, and soul of every sentient being. YH is not just performing but ‘being’. I thank him for this moment."

As noted above, this is not the correct translation. When asked about the Olympics, he noted that, of course, Olympics would be a motivation for any athlete, but in this uncertain time - when even the fate of the summer Olympics is not secure - he wants to make an active effort at shutting off any thoughts about the Olympics. It was clear from his tone - although he did not say so explicitly - that he felt it was (highly) inappropriate to be thinking about the Olympics when our priority focus should be on addressing the pandemic and being concerned about those who are suffering. The quick, short translations on Twitter tend to miss the nuance of his words, which are often subtly polite but quite forceful and clear in the direction of his meaning. As many of you know by now (after being a fanyu), in Japanese it's possible to convey strong sentiments without making an explicit statement about it. Hence, I find that in order to translate a short sentence from Yuzu, I have to use a long paragraph to set the context and then create the relevant "atmosphere" wherein the meaning of the short statement emerges more fully and clearly... Perhaps this is getting of topic, but this is the essence of Yuzu, whose statements are becoming more intriguing and profound as he gains in maturity. PS My apologies if I sound like I am lecturing - that is not my intent! It's just that some of the quick translations on social media makes him sound like an odd person with quirky expressions, because a direct translation from Japanese to English is so geeky, like Yoda-talk on Star Wars. I am not a professional translator but I want to convey a bit of the sophisticated and complex thought process that seems to lie behind his statements - which means I have to write a whole paragraph for his one short sentence....

In the interview he specificallyl mentioned that he thought about asking his coach or coaches to come to Japan, but decided against it because of the risks it would inmpose on them. He missed not having his team around him to help, e.g., when he was feeling pain in his legs after practice (he was not injured, just a routine ache). He hit the bottom in October when he started to wonder whether it was all worth the effort (is it all in vain?). But he came through and gained strengh, confidence and new insights about his own abilities to train, choreograph and take care of himself.

What a Xmas week this is turning out to be! As many of us are "stuck" somewhere, away from many of our loved ones, it is so good to have the Planet where we can reach out and connect. And what better way to enjoy the unfolding drama and joy that is our overlord! Some personal reflections on his choice of programs: SP LMEY - (we already have the acronym seared into our brain) - I am thrilled to have him turn on the rock star side of his performance! It's been a while since LGC. I agree with many of you that the song itself is not particularly artistic or deeply meaningful, but it shows off the playful side of Yuzu who wants to delight and entertain us. The PC Olympics programs seemed to brand him as a serious and serene skater which, from a branding point of view, could pigeon-hole him to certain segment of the audience (market). By choosing a breezy, catchy music with a potential for explosive energy - and also not too complicated music - for people unfamiliar with figure skating, he will be able to draw in a huge swathe of new audience into the sport. Then once they are hooked with his rock gyrations... then BAM!!! he gives you a very cerebral, spiritual yet also "easy" to understand Sengoku-jidai (warring era) epic war hero. It will give the new audience a whiplash to go from one end to the other. What a great program concept for the Olympics! He has matured so much and become masterful at marketing figure skating that reminds me of Steve Jobs at Apple: artistic and technical genius who could also sell to the global market. FP Heaven and Earth - I am absolutely agog with his choice of the free program. To give you a bit of background, for many of us growing up in Japan in the 1960s, when we were still recovering psychologically from the scars of the brutal war, NHK's Taiga Drama played a crucial role in teaching us with new eyes about our history, to reconnect with our past and regain our dignity and humanity. I was a diplomat's child, and wherever we were stationed my father had to remind me that "We had lost the war" and "we must behave with humility and dignity". I was often the only Japanese girl in the schools, and occasionally faced racists comments from my classmates. But I learned to hold my head high - perhaps sometimes without adequate humility as this is very hard for a young child - and did my best to hold my ground. You know how cruel kids can be... Whenever we were back in Japan, we watched the NHK Taiga Drama, every Sunday evening. This was such an integral part of my upbringing which I am only now beginning to realize the deep emotional impact that these programs have had on me. The earliest and my favorite is the drama based on Minamoto Yoshitsune, with a famous young Kabuki actor playing the title role. It was a year-long drama revealing all the cruelties and unfairness of war. At some point in the future, I hope Yuzu will be able to play Yoshitsune in some program, on or off the ice. But I digress. I did not watch the entire series of Heaven and Earth since we were moving in and out of Japan that year, but I still recall catching glimpses of the program which had some incredible actors. The choice of this particular drama and the main hero - Uesugi Kenshin, is truly revealing about Yuzu's mindset. I recall Yuzu mentioning some years ago (perhaps after Sochi) that he would like to perform to one of the Taiga drama music, so he has been thinking about it for some time. I often wondered which one he would choose: it would have to be both musically appropriate for FS and with a compelling and fitting storyline. This choice of Heaven and Earth seems to fit both conditions extremely well. Uesugi Kenshin is not well known outside of Japan, but he is an iconic warrior - highly educated, spiritual and deeply immersed in Buddhist teachings, artistic and poetic, striving for social justice in the midst of chaos and, of course, a masterful warrior/military leader. His famous rivalry with another strongman of the time, Takeda Shingen (who was featured in Kurosawa's Kagemusha) is a model of Japanese medieaval chivalry, each showing great respect for each other as they continued to battle for supremacy. (Their relationship is reminiscent of Yuzu and Javi's rivalry.) By choosing this program, Yuzu will introduce the global audience to the side of Japan that is not well known, and in the process bring us closer together by sharing the great and eternal story of human struggle. I didn't realize myself how emotionally vested I had been in those old Taiga dramas, and when I heard the title "天と地と” I felt a guttral slam and tears came to my eyes as I remembered being together and sharing the story as a family. Especially moving in this time of pandemic... So, as we have done for millenia, these epic stories told around the fires in the evening are how we reconnect, share and re-discover meaning in our daily lives. I leave you here with the poem written by Kenshin on his death bed, whence comes the title "Heaven and Earth": Even a life-long prosperity is but one cup of sake; A life of forty-nine years is passed in a dream; I know not what life is, nor death. Year in year out-all but a dream. Both Heaven and Hell are left behind; I stand in the moonlit dawn, Free from clouds of attachment. Uesugi Kenshin 1530-1578 English translation from this source: https://phillipjohnston.net/blog/2018/04/25/death-poem-of-uesugi-kenshin/

Fuji TV just showed his FS RT - he only showed the first 2 minutes of the program, and the music is from Heaven and Earth - this NHK Taiga version:

I think he is finally getting to perform to a Taiga Drama BGM, which he talked about many years ago! The title "天と地と" is unique and recognizable as the 1969 NHK historical drama, which I remember watching as a child. It's an epic story of struggle and heroism during the Warring Era (16th century Japan). The BGM is sweeping and dramatic, with plaintive shamisen and koto (starting at 34 seconds). I hope this is the music he has chosen for the coming Olympic season.

I suppose we should continue our discussion on the JNats events page, but I expect the Japanese media will give us blow by blow details of his practice. Since he has arrived already, he might be in one of the earlier practice groups? Possibly Group 1 at 12:45 - in another 45 minutes!

[NEWS] Sponichi is reporting that Hanyu-senshu has entered the venue at 11:11 AM. They are confirming that the media are maintaining good distance from him. The first group of men will start the OP at 12:45.

He actually said "I will win." A very direct and categorical statement.

Japanese TV programme on Shoma's life in Champery - life in his new training environment with great team members and his toy poodle companion "Toro". Shoma has grown so much this past year: now he communicates more openly and with so much expression of gratitude. https://twitter.com/mayo_momo1520/status/1341135605376270339?s=20

The Google Translation is incorrect - Machine Learning doesn't know how to handle Japanese sentences which often skip the subject altogether and the correct subject has to be gleaned from the context. It is clear from this context that Yuzu did not say those words: they are the words of Mr. Hasegawa speculating about the situation. A more accurate translation would be: "While he (Yuzu) has officially entered the JNats, with the worsening Covid situation we don't know whether he would choose to compete." This post has been tagged by robin as [NEWS].

Wow, Yoshida Hana jumped 3A cleanly in her FP! https://www.jsfresults.com/local/2020-2021/fs/26/172/data0105.pdf

I don't want to give too much air time to the Japanese magazine that stalked Yuzu and his family couple of months ago, but a recent magazine cover (I won't read the magazine) indicated that Yuzu has been at the Sendai rink for about 3 hours (not sure how regularly?) in the middle of the night. I don't doubt that Sendai rink will give him the necessary access - and these wee hours in Japan would be convenient timing for Zooming with his coaches in Toronto.