[2024] Compilation of translated interview articles with Yuzu

[yuzurujenn]

2024.09.25

 

Source: Newsweek Japan Oct 2024 issue, pg 18-25
Online text published Oct 4th, 2024: https://www.newsweekjapan.jp/stories/culture/2024/10/517791.php 
Info: https://x.com/Newsweek_JAPAN/status/1837401474730520872

 

 

Lending a Helping Hand

Someday you'll be able to smile - What Yuzuru Hanyu wants to convey to the disaster-stricken area of Noto

 

Nine months have passed since the Noto Peninsula earthquake that occurred on New Year's Day this year. In this special feature, we highlight the thoughts of figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu, who experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake in his hometown of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, and continues to support disaster relief efforts, as well as the voices of young people who have begun their journey towards recovery in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture. What can the lives of people living in the aftermath of the disaster teach Japan, a country prone to earthquakes?

 

Spoiler

Earthquake disasters take so much away from people. What they truly are can ultimately be understood only by those who have actually experienced them. At the same time, if there is something to be gained from a disaster, it can only be conveyed by those who have lived through it.

 

After achieving consecutive victories at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu announced his transition to professional status in July 2022. A native of Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture, he experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake in his hometown on March 11, 2011, about three years before winning his first gold medal.

Hanyu spent several days after the disaster in an evacuation center with his family, and experienced a period when he was unable to practice properly because his home skating rink was closed. Over the past 13 years, he has supported disaster victims and engaged in relief activities for disaster-stricken areas throughout Japan.

 

On September 14, he participated in a skating class in Kanazawa City, inviting elementary school students from Ishikawa, Toyama, and Fukui Prefectures, who were affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake. The following day, on the 15^th, he performed alongside Akiko Suzuki, Satoko Miyahara, and Takahito Mura in an ice show titled “Noto Peninsula Reconstruction Support Charity Performance.”

Although the performance was held without an audience, public viewings were conducted in the disaster-stricken cities of Suzu, Wajima, Nanao, and Shika, and a paid streaming service was also offered to the general public. Proceeds will be donated to Ishikawa Prefecture (streaming is available on Lemino until September 30).

 

During a press conference after the performance, Hanyu was asked why he chose to skate in Ishikawa despite the event being streamed. He said, “I wanted to skate close to those who have suffered, those who are currently suffering, and those who are troubled by various things.”

Why does Hanyu have such deep sympathy for the victims and continue to convey his memories of the disaster? If there is one thing he would like to convey to the people of Noto, what is it?

 

This magazine conducted an exclusive interview with Hanyu in Kanazawa City on September 15th. An hour and a half after the performance ended, Hanyu appeared at the interview location wearing the charity T-shirt. The fabric, dyeing, and sewing of the T-shirt are all "Made in Hokuriku," and on the front of the T-shirt is the word "CHALLENGE," the theme of the performance.

When asked about his feelings for Noto, Hanyu spoke about his own journey of continuing to challenge himself alongside the memories of the earthquake.

 

(Interviewers: Satoko Kogure and Nozomi Ohashi from the editorial team)
 

-In June of this year, Hanyu visited Wajima City for an interview with Nippon Television's news program "news every." What were your thoughts while skating at this charity performance?
My strongest wish was to make people smile, even if only a little. When I visited Noto, I couldn't forget the smiles on people's faces when they told me things like “It used to be like this” and “We had so much fun back then”. I realised that the smiles became fewer when talking about the present or the future, so I skated with the hope that people would smile in this "moment", and spread feelings of kindness and warmth.

 

-I heard that the production costs for the performance were kept low by not focusing on elaborate lighting, allowing as much of the revenue as possible to go to charity. You yourself have donated more than 300 million yen to ice rinks and disaster-stricken areas.
When the rink that I used as my training base became unusable due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, Shizuka Arakawa (Olympic gold medalist in figure skating) helped advocate for the restoration of the rink in Miyagi Prefecture and Sendai City.
I always think that it was these various circles of support and the thoughts of many people that led to my Olympic gold medal. That’s why I want to give back (donate) to the rink that helped me so much and to support those in the disaster-stricken areas who have cheered me on.

 

-You were 16 years old when the disaster struck Sendai City. I imagine that this experience had a big impact on your subsequent skating career. Can you tell us about your memories of the time of the disaster?
Just before the earthquake, there were several tremors, including one that was a magnitude 5, but it didn’t damage the rink. So, when the earthquake on March 11 happened, I initially thought we would be okay, and since the general public was also present, I felt I needed to calm everyone down, saying, “It’s okay, everyone.”
But gradually the earthquake got longer and stronger, and eventually the electricity went out, there was a loud sound of glass doors clashing, and the building began to crack so hard it seemed as if it might collapse... I experienced the earthquake amidst that deafening noise.
It was very tough at the time, but I kept my skates with me at all times. There was no electricity in the evacuation center, so I remember looking up at the sky and thinking, "The stars are so beautiful," and warming myself by a kerosene heater. Lifelines were not easily restored, and I had no time to think about skating. But many people organised charity performances, and that was the trigger for me to think that I had to practice skating again.
There was a sense of wanting to support the disaster-stricken areas through various ice shows, and I was able to continue skating with support such as being allowed to go to the rink early (before the show) to practice.

 

-I think there are some things that only those who have actually experienced it can talk about. What does it feel like to have the town you've lived in taken away in an instant?
I didn't lose anything, so to be honest, I don't feel it as much. You know how sometimes a familiar store renovates or moves? It felt like that happening all at once across the whole town, and a world I had never seen before suddenly appeared. Even though I thought, "It’s all broken," I didn't have time to feel sad about it.

 

-Two weeks after the disaster, you left Sendai and resumed skating practice at a rink in Kanagawa Prefecture. Even now, there are people in Noto who have been forced to leave their hometowns due to the disaster. What were your thoughts when you left your hometown?
I had things I needed to do, so out of that sense of mission, I felt I had no choice but to leave my hometown. It meant leaving my family behind, and I struggled thinking whether it was right for me to go alone. I always had the feeling that I had fled the disaster area.
Now I might think that there is no need to have such a feeling, but back then, I went (to Kanagawa) with a sense of mission to do the best I could, even though I was tormented by guilt.

 

-In the disaster-stricken areas of Noto, many of those who wanted to move into temporary housing by this summer have finally begun to regain their living conditions. While it’s quite challenging to shift focus from recovery to reconstruction, how do you remember the path to recovery based on your own experiences?
I was 16 years old, so I couldn't take any active steps to support the recovery. I had no choice but to wait for the government and local people to take action.
In that situation, I felt that I was given a role that only I could play, which was to work hard at skating for the people affected by the disaster. It wasn't a proactive or voluntary feeling, but more of a passive one.
Wherever I went, no matter how I skated, I was labelled a "skater from the disaster area." It felt like society had created it for me before I could even think about the meaning of skating as a skater from a disaster area. I didn't rebel against it, but I felt like various burdens were placed on my shoulders before I knew it.

 

-So, you could say that being from a disaster-stricken area become part of your identity?
It took many twists and turns before I could accept it. I had just entered high school and was in my second season as a senior (2011-12), and thanks to all the hard work I had put in, I was able to achieve results and even became a member of the Japanese national team. But I was frustrated that I was no longer seen as anything other than someone from the disaster area who was trying his best, and it was a tough time for me.
But then I read letters and messages of support from all kinds of people, and I started to think, "There's probably no one else who can receive this much support," and gradually (being from the disaster-stricken area) became a part of my identity.

 

-I believe you have turned your experience of the disaster and being from a disaster area into your strength. How can one transform such experiences into something positive?
It's really difficult, isn't it? You can't force someone to look forward, and what has happened so far and what will happen in the future is different depending on each person's position. But surely, a time will come when something happens. In my case, it was the supportive messages from everyone, as well as my results and failures, that provided me with the opportunity to accept the reality of the earthquake.
For example, in Noto, it could be when the water supply is restored, or that people no longer have to go to school in Kanazawa (away from their hometown), or they can start a business in a different place. I think that there are many different opportunities waiting for you. I think that in the process, people will gradually come to see their own way of life and the value of their own lives.
I think that the disaster is something that "shouldn't have happened." Absolutely. However, as sad as it is, what has happened cannot be undone. What has been lost cannot be brought back. However, at some point, we must accept and acknowledge that reality.
It may take decades, but the time will come when you will be able to smile again. I believe that, and I think it's okay not to push yourself and just let things take their course.
I can’t say I want people to smile right away, and I myself have found it difficult to visit places like Ishinomaki City in Miyagi Prefecture, which suffered from the tsunami. So much was lost there, and I hesitated, thinking if I had the right to go.
But I thought that by winning the gold medal, and achieving consecutive victories, by showing my gold medals and my performance, maybe I could provide a small trigger for others to feel, “I’ve worked hard too,” or “There is meaning to my life”, so I’ve finally been able to take action.
I'm sure that some sort of opportunity is waiting for everyone, so I want to say that it's going to be okay.

 

-If there is anything you’ve gained from the earthquake, what do you think it is?
I started to think a lot about life. I realised that the same time will never come again, and that this moment is truly a one-time experience.
I also think that I've come to live my life constantly thinking about my responsibilities.

 

-What do you mean by responsibility? 
It's the responsibility to the people who gave me their time to watch my performance. I can't show them something half-hearted, I can't spend time without putting my life or heart into it. Also, as someone who survived the earthquake, I feel a sense of responsibility for how I live my life.

 

-You've seen a lot of things as a result of the earthquake, such as life and death, sadness and small joys. Do you feel that it has broadened the scope of your expression?
Yes, that’s how it turned out. It would be better if the disaster never happened. But since it happened, it has some kind of impact. The deeper the sadness, the happier you feel about the smallest things. After the earthquake, I was able to feel happiness in things like the sprouting of grass, something I wouldn't have been able to feel if I had always been happy.
And I also think that I feel a sense of happiness from having opportunities to talk with various people and share thoughts like this. I'm sure that each and every one of you has something that made you feel the way you do now.

 

-Is the happiness you felt when you were a competing athlete different from the happiness you feel now?
During my competitive days, the happiness I felt was more selfish, driven by the results I achieved.
Now that I'm a professional, I think what people who come to see my skating want is the kind of experience they can get through watching my performance, or the kind of expressions they can see, among other things.
When I think about it that way, I realised I'm doing it for the people around me... The time and energy I’ve dedicated for everyone connects directly to their smiles and emotions, and that truly makes me the happiest. Since becoming a professional, I’ve come to think more like this.
But I think that has always been a part of my personality. It’s a very trivial thing, but ever since I was a child, I have always felt happy when someone praised me. I would feel happy when someone looked at me and thought, 'That was good.' That’s probably the fundamental source of my happiness, and now it has just grown in scale.

 

-Today's solo performance was "Haru yo, koi". You performed this song in the ice show "Notte Stellata" (Italian for "A Starry Night") held in Miyagi Prefecture last March, with the aim of sending hope from the disaster area. Did you choose this song without hesitation this time as well?
Yes, I think this was the only choice. Most importantly, I hope for everyone to feel kindness. Of all the songs I’m currently skating to, "Haru yo, Koi" has the most heartwarming and familiar melody that resonates deeply.
This song was used in a morning drama in the year of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake (the theme song for the NHK morning drama "Haru yo, Koi" from 1994-95). It was also sung by Yumi Matsutoya for a charity project to support the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, so I chose it because I felt a connection to it.

 

-The title of today's performance was "Challenge". What is your current challenge?
I think every day is a challenge. After all, when I think about wanting to deliver a good performance and for the audience to feel something from it, I realise that even if I perform the same performance, if there’s no improvement in it, it's unlikely that people will think it was “good”.
It's very difficult to continue evolving from a point that I consider to be complete, and that's the challenge for me. I think that the fact that I am alive now and going through each day is, in a sense, a continuous challenge, an ongoing challenge to protect my life. When I think about Noto or remember March 11, it feels like that’s what it is.

 

-Do you ever feel exhausted or lonely from continuously fighting and challenging yourself?
For example, in your daily life, when you come home from work and feel “I’m so tired”, I think that means you must have worked really hard (laughs).
Because what I do is showy, people pay attention to my every move and I get reported in the media for what I’ve done. But to me, this is just a part of my life.
Everyone has a lot of hardships in their daily lives, right? We rarely get praised for what we do. It's not so easy to hear things like, "Thank you for cooking dinner again today!" or "You worked hard today, that’s great!" I think that's just how life is.
Everyone is fighting hard every day. In my case, it’s just that my efforts are visible to everyone.

 

-Hanyu will turn 30 this December. What do you envision yourself doing at 40, 50, and 60 years old?
That’s just a future I can only imagine now, so I don’t really know how it will turn out, but I think I'll still be doing my best in the "now" at each moment.
As I said earlier, working hard or fighting is the same in any field, and even when there’s no work, or if I’m just playing games, I’m sure I’m still fighting in my own way. 
There are days when I feel lonely despite being surrounded by people, and days when I can feel the warmth and kindness of those around me, and I think that this will never fundamentally change.
Since what I’m doing is on a large scale, I feel great happiness and also great sadness. But I think the range of those emotions is probably the same as everyone else’s.
I don't know if I'll still be skating when I'm 40. It might be impossible by 60, but I believe the range of emotions I have will remain constant throughout my life.

 

-How do you feel in your daily life now? Are you happy? 
Yes, I’m happy. Because everyone is happy.

 

-So that’s what happiness means to you.
I mean, living day to day can be surprisingly tough, right? Sometimes I think, "It’s such a hassle to eat..." Ah, this might just be me though (laughs).
For example, even if I want to sleep all day or live carelessly, society doesn’t really allow for that. There are rules in the world, and we have to live according to them. I think everyone is doing their best within those rules.
In the realm of skating, I’m doing my best within the rules of skating. I have to face thousands of people with my one life, and I may think, "I don’t have the energy for tens of thousands of people!" But still, I try my best.
So, even if not everyone in the audience thinks it was great, if even one person feels happy because of it, that’s enough to make me feel rewarded and happy. So, I think right now is probably the happiest I've ever been.

 

-At the press conference in July 2022 when you turned professional, you said, "For me, the existence of Yuzuru Hanyu is heavy." Does that still hold true? 
Honestly, I’ve never thought that it wasn’t heavy. But I think this weight makes me reflect deeply on the meaning of my life.
Of course, there were times when I felt like I was becoming disconnected from the so-called Yuzuru Hanyu that the general public sees, and there were times when I struggled with negative feelings because I couldn’t keep up with that image. 
However, it’s precisely because I am Yuzuru Hanyu that I want to live my life to the fullest. As long as there is a place for me to perform and a society that has high expectations of me, I have to keep working hard. Perhaps "I have to work hard" has a similar meaning to "I have to live." That's what I think.

 

 

[yuzurujenn]

2024.10.15

 

Source: BRUTUS November 1, 2024 issue No. 1018 [Beautiful Architecture and Windows], pg 65
Info: https://brutus.jp/magazine/issue/1018/

https://www.amazon.co.jp/BRUTUS-ブルータス-11月1日号-No-1018-美しい建築と窓。-ebook/dp/B0DGQ71LZY/

https://x.com/gucci_jp/status/1846128889573032006

BTS: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_MEmG5MwL0g / https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lAnWsArkHYw

 

 

 

OPEN MY WINDOW

Open your own window. Hanyu Yuzuru special photoshoot.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu
Hanyu Yuzuru / Born in Miyagi Prefecture in 1994. He won two consecutive gold medals in men's singles figure skating at the Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics. He has also won numerous World Championships and Grand Prix Finals. In 2018, he received the People’s Honor Award. After turning professional in July 2022, he became a producer and held three solo shows, including "GIFT" and "RE_PRAY." He also has a picture book titled "GIFT" (text: Yuzuru Hanyu, illustrations: CLAMP).

 

What do you see from your window, Hanyu-san?

 

Spoiler

One summer day in a house studio, Yuzuru Hanyu was sitting by the window. He gazed at the garden, which glistens in the quiet sunlight shining through the trees. Behind the sound of the shutter, Erik Satie’s "Gymnopédie No. 1," which he had selected from his iPhone playlist, was playing on the portable speaker.

"During shoots, I always choose a song that suits the situation and the intention for each shot. Since turning professional, I've had more opportunities to be photographed not just as an athlete, but as a person and an artist, and each time I am reminded of how many people put in a lot of time and effort to create a single photograph. When I heard that today’s theme from BRUTUS was 'windows,' I approached the shoot as if I were trying to fit myself into a crafted story."

 

At the beginning of the score for "Gymnopédie No. 1," the performance instructions read, "Slowly, with sorrow." The gentle yet melancholic melody resonates with the struggles a skater must have faced both physically and mentally, before and after achieving glory. Hanyu-san, what do you see from your window?

"When I used to live in Toronto, my house was on a high floor of a building, so I could see the whole city. It was raining in the areas covered by clouds, but I often saw rainbows in the gaps between the clouds where it wasn’t raining at all. That scene left a strong impression on me. I also can’t forget the view I saw from the airplane window during overseas trips. Whether it was on my way to Europe or coming back, I can’t recall clearly, but the plane was flying above the clouds, and only the moon shone brightly amidst the surrounding darkness. The brightness of the moon made it impossible to see the stars, and that scene was so beautiful that I rested my forehead against the window and gazed at it for a long time."

 

A town in the rain and with a rainbow. Darkness and moonlight. Even these scenes seem to suggest the journey he has taken so far. During the photo shoot, Hanyu was photographed from both inside and outside the window, but which side does he prefer?

"Personality-wise, I guess I'm the type who likes to keep to myself. I'm an introspective person, and I've often thought deeply about myself and people since I was little, so in that sense I might be the type of person who prefers to close the window and focus on being alone. However, I believe that even the most sociable and cheerful people need personal space and sometimes want to close all the windows. But those windows must have handles on them, so that when the time comes, someone else can open it for them, or they can open it themselves… That's what I was hoping to express in that window-shoot I did earlier."

 

He announced his transition to a professional career in July 2022. It was a declaration of his unwavering commitment to move forward. Although he stepped away from the competitive world where he compared himself to others, his battle with himself continues as he strives for even greater heights. He has already achieved three solo shows, a first in the figure skating world, all of which were a huge success. If we were to compare Hanyu to a house, would it be that he didn’t move to a new house when he turned professional; rather, the house itself remains the same, but the direction the window opens and the view from it have changed?

"Well, it’s true that my fundamental personality hasn't changed at all from before I started skating to the present. I have always been inquisitive and curious, often wondering, 'What is a human being?' In that sense, it is the same house. I probably have windows facing all directions, and I probably hang blackout curtains over them. Sometimes I want to feel the morning sun coming through the east-facing window, and other times I don't want to see anything and keep all the curtains closed. I think humans, myself included, are very selfish and interesting, and sometimes we wish to be part of society, and sometimes we just want to shut ourselves away in solitude. "When I'm on tour, I might close the curtains. I want to block out the noise around me, concentrate on myself, and deliver a good performance. Afterwards, I'll secretly lift the curtains to see how the audience reacts (laughs)."

 

In his solo performance tour "RE_PRAY" from 2023 to 2024, Hanyu himself became the protagonist of a role-playing game, blending skating performances and videos to express a world of opposites, such as success and failure, life and death, light and darkness, and game-over and continue. This unprecedented ice show struck a universal chord with audiences from all walks of life, touching their hearts. What’s next for Hanyu, who always exceeds the expectations of his fans?

“I can’t reveal the details... but I’m constantly thinking about new songs and programs. I said earlier that I haven't changed, but since I became a professional, the way I spend my time has obviously changed, and I don't have time to just sit idle anymore. This year I turn 30, and every day I reflect deeply on what I’ve worked hard for nearly 30 years and the meaning of my existence now.”

 

After the interview, we returned to the studio for the rest of the shoot, where we could hear Matsutoya Yumi's "Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara" playing in the background. "Open the curtains..." Perhaps now is the time to open windows in various directions and take in new input in anticipation of the next step. I tell myself that everything I see is a message.