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Yuzuru Hanyu The art called YUZURU HANYU. After turning professional, Yuzuru Hanyu has been challenging new possibilities in music, lighting, costumes, and more. The world expressed by his programs could be called 芸術 (Geijutsu) = ART without exaggeration. Through an interview and photographs by Sunao Noto, who has continued photographing Hanyu for many years, we approach the essence of the beauty called Yuzuru Hanyu. To evolve even further, he pursues without limit what he should do. That attitude itself is probably Yuzuru-kun’s charm. Special Interview Photographer Sunao Noto speaks about the miracle called Yuzuru Hanyu. Photographer Sunao Noto, who has continued photographing Yuzuru Hanyu’s skating and is also in charge of the photography for the currently available-for-preorder THE ART CALENDAR, speaks with us. From their first encounter in Sendai to Hanyu’s present position as a professional, we asked him for his candid thoughts from the standpoint of the one who photographs. A deluxe calendar titled “Yuzuru Hanyu THE ART CALENDAR 2026.4–2027.3”, woven together with beautiful performance photographs of professional skater Yuzuru Hanyu. On the occasion of its long-awaited release, we asked photographer Sunao Noto—who handled the photography this time and has continued photographing him since his junior days—about Hanyu’s appeal as a skater and as a person. “The first time I learned about Yuzuru-kun was at the All-Japan Junior Championships in the autumn of 2007. At the time, he had moved up by skipping a level from novice to junior and immediately placed third. I was based in Sendai then, photographing figure skating, and I remember thinking, ‘There’s an incredible kid here locally.’ That was my encounter with Yuzuru-kun.” After that, when he met him in person, Noto says he was captivated not only by Hanyu’s talent as a skater, but also by his character as a person. “The Yuzuru-kun I met for the first time was a bright, lively, and articulate boy. And he remembered the names of people he had met and interacted with them accordingly. Of course his skills as a skater were impressive, but what left a strong impression was his ability to accurately convey his thoughts to those around him, and his solid sense of courtesy toward others. Even now that he’s a top skater, once he steps away from the rink he greets you with an affectionate smile, that’s also part of his charm. On the other hand, from my perspective as the photographer, Yuzuru-kun is now ‘the most difficult skater to photograph’ (laughs). Especially after turning professional, his movements have become even more intense, and there are c so the difficulty level just keeps rising. Of course, photography always feels like a single, do-or-die live performance. Yuzuru-kun’s strong desire to ‘deliver the best performance for the audience’ really comes out more in the actual stage than in practice, so I expand my own imagery to match that and go into the real thing with tension and focus. If the photographer doesn’t make the effort to accurately understand what he wants to express in a given program, it’s impossible to capture it fully — the scale is that large. In that sense, it’s important to expand your own image as well. He really is a high-difficulty subject (laughs).” Holding his camera rink-side with a passion that does not lose to Hanyu’s, Noto carries in his heart a sincere respect for a genius skater of rare historical magnitude. “Even after turning professional, he continues to refine his technique and expressive power, carries shows entirely on his own, and fills arena-scale venues to capacity… I don’t think another skater like this will be born again while I’m alive. That’s why, if I’m allowed to photograph him, no matter what happens, I want to be there and take the pictures.” Having continued photographing Hanyu for over ten years since their first encounter, how does Noto see Hanyu’s evolution and changes after turning professional? “I think his core hasn’t changed, but I feel that his desire to skate for the fans has become even stronger than during his competitive days. Even in the production of the solo show series ICE STORY, Yuzuru-kun himself plays a major role. The movies and staging are overflowing with a desire to make everyone happy. Technically as well, I think he’s challenging things that are even more difficult than in his competitive days. And if he can’t land a jump to his satisfaction in practice, he still gets frustrated just like he did as a competitor… His stance of endlessly pursuing what he should do in order to evolve further… that, I think, is Yuzuru-kun’s true charm. He always treats me casually, like a friendly neighborhood uncle, but for me, there’s nothing but respect for the greatness of his existence.” Among the photographs featured in this magazine, the one that left the deepest impression on Noto is said to be the image used for the special edition cover. “I like aiming my camera at Yuzuru-kun’s profile, and this is also, in a sense, a profile shot. This instant, like he suddenly discovered a single beam of light in the sky he looked up at, left a deep impression on my own heart as well.” Light and shadow; Noto believes that this is precisely why Hanyu’s skating draws people in. “I’m more strongly captivated by the light that Yuzuru-kun emits. For example, the way he encouraged people with his gold medal at the Sochi Olympics after the Great East Japan Earthquake. But depending on the person, some are captivated by his shadowed side, his battles with injury, or the struggles that come from being a solitary existence. Strong light, and deep, dense shadow. He’s someone who possesses the appeal of both extremes, and depending on who is watching, the gradation between that light and shadow, and the charm they feel, is different. I think that’s exactly why he attracts so many people.” Having continued to pursue Hanyu’s charm and limitless evolution through the viewfinder, what does Noto hope for Hanyu going forward? “I want him to keep skating for even one moment longer. Of course I understand that he’s taking on content that’s even harder than in his competitive days, and because Yuzuru-kun is strict with himself, if he ever feels he can no longer reach a level he’s satisfied with, he might cleanly step away from the front line. But for me, he’s the person who gives me the greatest joy as someone who photographs. So if I could be allowed to take photos for even one moment longer, even one more image, there would be no greater happiness than that.” Sunao Noto Noto Sunao, born in 1976 in Miyagi Prefecture. Photographer. Active in photographing athletes—including figure skaters—and people. His representative works include the “YUZURU” photo series of Yuzuru Hanyu.

Anan no. 2482, special edition 2026/02/04 The Special Edition has Yuzuru Hanyu on the cover. The magazine is available in printing and digitally (e-magazine). The digital version is available on Amazon Japan for Kindle and on Rakuten Japan for Kobo. More information: https://ananweb.jp/magazine/82671

By Toru Yaguchi Machine translation, inaccuracies exist Hanyu is moving forward At a speed that is not easy to catch up with In the white cyclorama studio in Sendai—so large that the heating could not fully reach every corner—the winter night air of the northern country still lingered. It was December 2023. I carried out a studio portrait shoot with Hanyu for the first time. I still remember that moment clearly. A black shirt, black pants, and bare feet. Standing in the position I indicated, Hanyu lightly stretched and repeatedly made springing, bouncing movements. His motions were soft and buoyant, as if he had wings, yet his downward gaze and expression were sharp. He reminded me of a small tiger. There was a tension there that was clearly different from any subject I had faced before. Suddenly, Hanyu stopped moving, looked straight at me, and asked, “How do you want to shoot this?” I told him, “I want to photograph something that isn’t just the material itself.”[1] Hanyu showed a face as if thinking for just a moment, then quietly replied, “You mean, show my unguarded self?” Putting it into words felt somehow off. Keeping that sensation, I gave a vague reply, and we began the shoot. The lighting was a single light: a 150-centimeter octabox placed at front-top. No matter which way Hanyu faced, no matter how largely he moved, it softly illuminated his entire body. I didn’t want to restrict his free expression any more than necessary. Following the structure I had planned in advance, I pressed the shutter in complete absorption. Movements from past programs I had seen, jumps, fleeting expressions in passing moments. When the roughly 20-minute shoot ended, Hanyu naturally extended his right hand toward me. At the moment we shook hands, I could see sweat beading on his forehead. “That was tiring,” he said, smiling. That was his answer to my request. There are things that spill away the moment one tries to explain the heart. Language organizes things and gives them form, but the heart is far vaguer and softer, closer to being unfinished. Hanyu’s skating, and the words he chooses, are always like that. Because they are offered softly without defining their contours[2], his expressions sink deeply into the hearts of those who receive them. There was a time we talked about “Danny Boy,” which he performed in an ice show. When I told him, “I felt like I could watch it forever,” Hanyu paused slightly and replied only, “I think I’ve become able to stay close to people’s hearts.” No reasons, no background were explained. And yet, when I heard those words, it somehow made sense to me, why his expression had grown this deep. Through the connections of many people, over the past two years I was fortunate enough to have several opportunities to photograph Hanyu. What I felt during that time was that, little by little, he was trying to understand me. “Which side is the main light?” “Lighting is amazing, isn’t it?” “When the outfit is black, how should the background be?” During breaks in shooting, he began to naturally ask things like this. He wasn’t simply standing there as the one being photographed; I could feel that he was interested in what we were doing, and was trying to think together about how the work could become better. Behind that attitude, there was a quiet respect toward others who stand in different positions. When you take photographs, many things are conveyed without words being exchanged: how the other person felt standing there, what kind of distance the two of you shared while facing each other. When you look back at the photos after the shoot, even the relationship at that moment, even the air flowing through that space, is clearly captured within them. Several years have passed since he turned professional. Each time we spent more time facing each other, one thing came through unmistakably: Hanyu was moving toward a place different from before. As I photographed him, there were moments when I was honest with myself. Was I unable to keep up with the speed at which he was moving? When you photograph someone, you come to vaguely understand them. But at the same time, the person being photographed can also see you very clearly. Your hesitation, the parts where you fall short, you can’t completely hide them. I think he could see that in me as well. Even so, he stood in the same place and thought things through together with me. That fact made me happy; and yet, it was frustrating. I had to try harder. Facing Hanyu was fun. And it was painful. In April 2025, we photographed again in Sendai. The location was outdoors at that same white cyclorama studio. It was just before sunset, the “magic hour.” Photographing Hanyu wrapped in the soft natural light of an open outdoor space was something I had long wanted to do. For the shoot, I set up a simple story. “You fall asleep on the sofa, and when you wake up, the sky outside the window is so beautiful that you step outside without thinking.” Then, facing a straight road ahead, I told him, “Go forward here, and then turn back toward the camera.” As he began walking, I added, “Like you’re having fun—” and he started skipping. The speed was too fast to keep up with while looking through the viewfinder, and I couldn’t help calling out, “A bit fast—too fast.”He turned around and laughed. Hanyu is moving forward. Even now, his speed doesn’t seem easy to catch up with. And yet, he shows me smiles like that. Every time I look at the photographs taken that day, I remember. The wind was strong, and it was chilly, cold for April. After the rain, a large rainbow appeared. The orange sunlight was soft. Cherry blossom petals, just beginning to fall, were dancing in the air. Worried, I asked, “Aren’t you cold?” As if circling around the sound of the wind, Hanyu replied only, “I’m fine.” You can’t let things end while they are still lacking[3]. Both the kindness and the severity that make you feel that way flow quietly through Hanyu’s expression. NOTES [1] 素材じゃない: where 素材（sozai） = material, raw material, ingredient; in photography / media: a subject as “usable content,” something processed later. “I want to capture something beyond him as a ‘resource.’ [2] 輪郭を決めない, where 輪郭（rinkaku）= outline, contour, defined shape; 決めない = not to decide, not to fix. Other options: “without fixing its shape”, “without locking down its meaning.” [3] 足りないままで終われない: 足りない = not enough, insufficient; ままで = while remaining in that state; 終われない = cannot end / cannot finish.

『羽生結弦 写真集「羽」』("Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook 'Feather'") Publication date: February 3rd, 2026 Photographer: Toru Yaguchi Pages: 160 Publisher: Fusosha Format: printed (regular and special editions with different covers) and digital (e-magazine with special cover). Regular and Special Editions, they includes a QR code to watch a making of video, which is different for each edition. The digital edition's making of video is the same as the regular edition.

[2026.02.01] **Machine Translation, inaccuracies exist** The Digest Source: https://thedigestweb.com/topics_detail13/id=108709 Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20260201161144/https://thedigestweb.com/topics_detail13/id=108709 Yuzuru Hanyu donates 2 million yen to a skating rink in his hometown Sendai! Total donations to date “exceed 100 million yen” — two days earlier, he donated 54 million yen for repairs to another rink facility His feelings toward his hometown remain unchanged. The year-round skating rink “Ice Rink Sendai,” located in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, updated its official website on February 1, announcing that it had newly received a 2 million yen donation from Yuzuru Hanyu, gold medalist in men’s figure skating at the 2014 Sochi and 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games. According to the organization, it was also reported that the total amount of donations to date has reached 100,997,996 yen. His substantial support for his hometown has been drawing attention. The site distributed a release titled “Regarding a Donation from Mr. Yuzuru Hanyu.” It reported: “Mr. Yuzuru Hanyu always deeply loves his hometown Sendai and holds ‘Ice Rink Sendai’ very dear to his heart, and we have previously received his generous donations on many occasions. This time as well, we have once again received a new, substantial donation. We would like to express our deepest gratitude for his repeated thoughtfulness.” Born in Sendai City, Hanyu had been going to Ice Rink Sendai since early childhood and has used it as his training base. Although the rink suffered significant damage in the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011, Hanyu has continued donating to the facility even now, after becoming a professional skater. On this occasion, he donated 2 million yen. The rink appealed: “Going forward as well, in response to the kindness of Mr. Yuzuru Hanyu, all of our staff will continue to make every possible effort so that everyone can enjoy the facility in an even more comfortable environment. We humbly ask for your continued patronage.” Two days earlier, Hanyu had also donated just over 54 million yen to the sports facility “Bell Sunpia Miyagi Izumi” in Yamato Town, Miyagi Prefecture, for the purpose of skating rink repairs. So that children who enjoy skating, and children aiming for the world from Miyagi, can skate safely… even now that he is active as a professional, Hanyu’s feelings of repaying his hometown remain unchanged. Composition: THE DIGEST Editorial Department

[2026.02.01] **Machine Translation, inaccuracies exist** Sponichi Source: https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2026/02/01/articles/20260201s00079000297000c.html Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20260201160329/https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2026/02/01/articles/20260201s00079000297000c.html Yuzuru Hanyu donates 2 million yen to his hometown Sendai skating rink — total donations exceed 100 million yen, voices calling him “otokomae”[1] “Ice Rink Sendai,” located in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, updated its official website on the 1st. It reported that it had newly received a donation of 2 million yen from Yuzuru Hanyu (31), who achieved consecutive Olympic gold medals in men’s figure skating and is now active as a professional. On the site, it stated: “Mr. Yuzuru Hanyu always deeply loves his hometown Sendai and holds ‘Ice Rink Sendai’ very dear to his heart, and we have previously received his generous donations on many occasions. This time as well, we have once again received a new, substantial donation. We would like to express our deepest gratitude for his repeated thoughtfulness.” Mr. Hanyu has continued to make donations to this rink, which he used as his training base, and on this occasion donated 2 million yen. It was reported that the total amount of his donations to date has reached 100,997,996 yen. The rink also appealed: “Going forward as well, in response to the kindness of Mr. Yuzuru Hanyu, all of our staff will continue to make every possible effort so that everyone can enjoy the facility in an even more comfortable environment. We humbly ask for your continued patronage.” On social media, voices followed one after another, such as: “Too ‘otokomae’,” “Yuzuru Hanyu is truly a god,” “Precious.”[2] Notes [1] “オトコマエ” slangy SNS praise meaning: cool, manly in character, gallant, admirable in action. [2] 尊い (toutoi), “precious / sacred / too pure to exist,” common fandom term.

Ice Rink Sendai ("Irene") posted on their website an announcement of a new donation received from Yuzuru Hanyu: https://icerink-sendai.net/news/detail.php?id=20 To Our Customers, Thank you very much for your continued patronage of Ice Rink Sendai and for your generous support and cooperation. Mr. Yuzuru Hanyu always deeply loves his hometown Sendai and holds ‘Ice Rink Sendai’ very dear to his heart, and we have previously received his generous donations on many occasions. This time as well, we have once again received a new, substantial donation. We would like to express our deepest gratitude for his repeated thoughtfulness. We will use this donation meaningfully and strive to further improve customer satisfaction. Going forward as well, in response to the kindness of Mr. Yuzuru Hanyu, all of our staff will continue to make every possible effort so that everyone can enjoy the facility in an even more comfortable environment. We humbly ask for your continued patronage. Donation amount received this time: ¥2,000,000 Total donations from Yuzuru Hanyu: ¥109,971,996 February 1, 2026 Kato Shokai Co., Ltd. Representative Director: Matsuhiko Kato

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist* 2026.01.30 https://the-ans.jp/news/626510/2/ https://web.archive.org/web/20260130032736/https://the-ans.jp/news/626510/2/ “¥54.2 million donated — Yuzuru Hanyu: ‘We’ll take care of the amount on our end.’ A tasteful gesture that turned anxiety at his local rink into ‘hope’.” Also lending a hand with the ice resurfacer’s battery problem Mr. Hanyu has continued making donations and carrying out support activities aimed at the promotion of the sport, and the total amount he has donated to his hometown rink, Ice Rink Sendai, has exceeded ¥100 million. This time, to Bell Sunpia Miyagi Izumi, he donated not only a large sum of money but also a battery for the ice resurfacer (Zamboni). The battery had been in use for over 20 years, and “its charge did not last well, limiting the number of times cleaning could be done in a single day,” but the donation also played a role in improving work efficiency. Mr. Baba spoke with animation in his voice: “The battery replacement is huge. Before, we could only ride it about four or five times, but now we can use it more than ten times. That removes a lot of anxiety, and it’s become an environment where the maintenance staff working on site can do their jobs with peace of mind. We’re really, truly grateful.” With regard to the ice resurfacer, the facility had also been facing another issue. The skating rink operates from October to March, and every year it receives exclusive-use reservations from the skating federation and ice hockey federation, with schedules decided well in advance. However, Mr. Baba revealed: “Every year, we operated after getting everyone’s understanding that ‘if the ice resurfacer breaks down, we won’t be able to continue operations.’” By pushing the heavily deteriorated battery beyond its limits, there had in fact been cases in the past where the ice resurfacer broke down. The concern that they might no longer be able to provide practice venues to the various organizations has now been dispelled by Mr. Hanyu’s donation activities, and Mr. Baba said, “He really has done something incredible for us,” his words of gratitude unending. Inside the facility, Mr. Hanyu’s autograph is displayed, and fans from China and the United States who discover it on social media sometimes come to visit. “If nothing like that were here, they probably wouldn’t come to our place,” Mr. Baba said with a laugh, while being unable to hide his surprise at the increase in name recognition. With improvements to the skating rink environment now underway, a light of hope has been lit for the future. Next month, the Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics will begin. Mr. Baba expressed his expectations, saying: “When there’s an Olympics, quite a number of customers tend to come, so I hope that more and more people will increase their use of the rink.” (THE ANSWER Editorial Department / Akira Hashimoto)

[2026.01.24] Sports Hochi *Machine translation, inaccuracies exist* Article: https://hochi.news/articles/20260123-OHT1T51353.html?page=1 Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20260123223150/https://hochi.news/articles/20260123-OHT1T51353.html?page=1 Yuzuru Hanyu donates over 54 million yen to local skating rink “Bell Sunpia Miyagi Izumi” — renovation work realized It was learned by the 23rd that professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (31) has donated 54,205,800 yen to a local skating rink, “Bell Sunpia Miyagi Izumi,” in Miyagi. Thanks to the donation, renovation work was carried out last summer, and the rink has been reborn with improved conditions. Facility director Hiroki Baba (48) expressed his gratitude, saying, “We’re thankful. I was truly surprised. He said it was for young people, and for those who will start skating in the future. He really is an incredible person.” The skating rink at “Bell Sunpia Miyagi Izumi” is normally open from October to March each year. Because of the structure of the building, condensation from the ceiling would drip down, and the ice surface would often become covered with bumps. Hanyu had long been concerned about the condition of the rink and worried that children skating there might fall and get injured. When Baba was consulted with the words, “If there’s anything I can do to help,” he spoke with contractors. They proposed renovation work to prevent condensation by installing six dehumidifiers and eight air blowers, and by applying anti-condensation paint to the steel framework. Despite the high cost of the work, Hanyu immediately decided, saying, “Let’s do it,” and gave strong support to the renovation. Construction, which began in the summer, was completed in September. Baba said, “The air is different from before. The humidity, which used to be around 70 percent, has dropped to 50 percent, and the condensation is gone. We’ve been operating since October last year, and we’ve been able to do so with absolutely no condensation. Figure skating, speed skating, and ice hockey teams all practice at our rink, and everyone has been pleased,” speaking on behalf of the skaters’ feelings. The battery of the ice resurfacing machine (Zamboni) used to maintain the ice surface was also replaced with a new one thanks to the donation. After the New Year, “Bellsanpia Miyagi Izumi” installed a thank-you board reporting the details under the title, “Regarding the donation from Mr. Yuzuru Hanyu.” It reads: “Through this renovation work, our skating rink is currently able to maintain the ice surface in good condition without condensation. Going forward as well, in response to Mr. Yuzuru Hanyu’s generosity, all of our staff will continue to make every effort to ensure the rink can be used safely.” Hanyu continues to provide ongoing support to rinks in his hometown and to disaster-affected areas. He donated the entirety of his Olympic gold medal prize money (6 million yen from the 2014 Sochi Games and 10 million yen from the 2018 PyeongChang Games) to Miyagi Prefecture and Sendai City. His donations to his home base, “Ice Rink Sendai,” have already exceeded 100 million yen.

On January 23, 2026, we came to know about Yuzuru's donation to and ice rink located in Bell Sunpia Miyagi Izumi. This donation was then reported by Sports Hochi on January 24th

Jumpei Tainaka, who photographed Yuzu for Pirouette magazine, is currently holding an exhibition in Japan. A Japanese fan shared a thread of the talked she had with him about the photo session. Machine translation: After visiting JUMPEI TAINAKA’s photo exhibition yesterday, I had him sign my copy of Piruetto (Piruette) which he shot the cover for. He was very friendly, and he said: “I’m grateful. The moment I posted that photo, I got reactions from all over the world, and it made me incredibly happy.” When I asked him how he photographed Hanyu-kun, he said: “I told him that I usually take a lot of dark photos, while his photos are usually pretty bright, so this time I told him I was going to shoot him really dark. He’s smart, so he understood what I meant right away. For the shoot, I projected my monochrome water photos—they’re kind of dark, even ominous—onto him with a projector. He immediately got the idea and acted like a main character who’s sort of a villain. There are also some unreleased shots from the session, but he came out looking like a villainous heel[1] and yet still the protagonist. The one that I shot in a more portrait-like way at that time is the cover photo.” He continued: “During Echoes of Life, I got to take photos while being allowed to exist as a traveller within his world, and when I posted those in monochrome they went viral, and he liked that shot of his back. This time, he stepped into my world. The moment I posted that photo, people all over the world reacted, saying it was something they’d never seen before, it was incredible.” Tainaka-san, who says he wants to go beyond the surface and capture someone’s inner depths, creates black-and-white photos so three-dimensional and vivid that you can almost see color in them; they speak directly to the deepest parts of the heart. At the Higashi-Nakano venue, you can also see the projector and the water images he used when photographing Hanyu-kun. [1] The term "heel" refers to a character who plays the role of the "villain" or "antagonist" in stories, plays, movies, and TV dramas . The word originates from the English word "heel" and is an expression that originated in the world of professional wrestling. Heels are primarily the antagonists of the main character (babyface), and are important characters who add excitement to the story. In Japan, this term is not only used in professional wrestling, but also in dramas, movies, anime, and even real-life human relationships.

***Machine translation, inaccuracies exist *** Source: https://mainichi.jp/articles/20251127/k00/00m/050/364000c (Paid Article) Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20251128213623/https://mainichi.jp/articles/20251127/k00/00m/050/364000c One with the Ice From Yuzuru Hanyu to the world — the expanding circle of “Irene” Kodai TamaiWhen you watch practice sessions, you can often spot a cute “skating rink fairy” on the gloves of many top skaters. That fairy is “Irene,” the mascot of Ice Rink Sendai (Sendai City). The gloves became widely known after Yuzuru Hanyu—two-time Olympic champion in men’s singles figure skating at the 2014 Sochi and 2018 Pyeongchang Games—started wearing them, and they have gained overwhelming support from both fans and athletes. We take a closer look at how these goods were created and why they became so popular.

[2025.11.20] Esquire Japan -BEYOND WORDS Source: https://www.esquire.com/jp/fashion/fashion-promotion/a69452579/gucci-yuzuru-hanyu-beyond-words/ Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20251121014913/https://www.esquire.com/jp/fashion/fashion-promotion/a69452579/gucci-yuzuru-hanyu-beyond-words/ Gucci × Yuzuru Hanyu — A Gift Collection that Conveys One’s Thoughts A heart-lifting holiday season. This season, too, Gucci has many items that lift the spirits not only of the person receiving them, but also of the one giving. The one who conveys that charm is Yuzuru Hanyu, who continues to challenge the limits of expression through figure skating. By Kei Osawa Published: 2025/11/20 BEYOND WORDS “Of course, first and foremost, it’s everyone’s support.” When we asked, in line with this project’s theme of “GIFT,” about the invisible gifts that have supported his life in skating, Hanyu answered gently. “I’ve received many letters and gifts both on and off the ice rink. But the number one driving force that has kept me active as a skater up to now is, without question, everyone’s support. When I was little, I heard professional baseball players say, ‘Thanks to everyone’s support, I was able to hit a home run,’ and I thought, ‘There’s no way that’s true.’ But now, as I continue my activities, I truly feel it. Support, with just the slightest shift, can turn into pressure, but it’s precisely because that pressure exists that it makes me feel, ‘I have to do my best.’ And when I overcome a wall and I can see the expressions of everyone being happy, for me there is no greater reward.”

*Machine translation from Japanese to Eenglish, inaccuracies exist* Original interview also available online: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/jp/fashion/fashion-pr-stories/a69065388/gucci-2511-hbp/ Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20251119163701/https://www.harpersbazaar.com/jp/fashion/fashion-pr-stories/a69065388/gucci-2511-hbp/ INTERVIEW & TEXT: AKANE WATANUKI Photographs by Yuki Kumagai Styled by Tetsuro Nagase Interview with YUZURU HANYU [Caption under p. 198 photo] Yuzuru Hanyu, a Fashionable Portrait His emotive expression and dignified presence. The man who captivates us and moves our hearts through the camera lens is Yuzuru Hanyu. Dressed in Gucci's Cruise 2026 collection, he looks fashionable and chic like no other. Two-time consecutive Olympic gold medalist and professional figure skater, even that title feels almost ordinary for someone as universally known as Yuzuru Hanyu. In this shoot, for which he appeared as a Gucci Brand Ambassador, a cool and realistic persona was depicted.

[2025.11.19] Harper's Bazaar January-February Combined Issue P. 198-205 Yuzuru Hanyu makes his first appearance on the cover of Harper's Bazaar's January/February 2026 combined issue [Special Edition] with two different cuts (A ver./B ver.)! More information: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/jp/magazine/a69145223/cover-yuzuru-hanyu-251113-hb/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socia ESQUIRE Japan