[2025] Notte Stellata 2025

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.03.13

 

Source: https://x.com/mansai_gozaru/status/1900127988257001722

https://radiotalk.jp/talk/1287686 

 

 

Radiotalk: "Profession: Mansai Nomura" March 13 – Notte Stellata 2025 is the Best! 

 

This time, I had the honor of participating as a special guest in Yuzuru Hanyu’s Notte Stellata 2025. Today, I’d like to share my thoughts and some behind-the-scenes stories. So, instead of introducing each message one by one, I’ll just talk about my experiences.

 

Spoiler

Since I’m recording this outdoors, there might be some background noise. Sorry about that.
•    April 5: Mansaku no Kai viewing event in Nagoya—tickets are now on sale.
•    March 17 - April 17, 18: The 110th Nomura Kyogenza—ticket sales begin. Tickets are available via Ticket Pia, Confetti, and other play guides, as well as by phone through Mansaku no Kai.
•    March 29 (Saturday), 21:00 - 22:30: Notte Stellata 2025 will be broadcast on BS Nippon TV and later on CS broadcast BS Nittere Plus.

For more details, check our official website—this is per my manager’s instructions. So, for those who missed it, you’ll have a chance to watch it again.
 

Well, the show has ended, and I’ve received a flood of messages about it. I think it's something that the producers at Nippon Television (NTV) had been planning, and it gradually became a reality, of course with Hanyu's involvement. From the very beginning, it seems there was a thought of "one day, this will happen." The first time, it was Kohei Uchimura, the second was Mao Daichi, and this time, it was my turn. The first guest was a gymnast, then an actress, and now me, a classical performing arts actor. In a way, I think the concept of the performance evolved through these stages.

Without a doubt, the conversation we had from ten years ago became the catalyst for various things. While recalling that experience, I thought about what I could do with Hanyu-san this time, what I could remember, and what I could convey. With all these thoughts in mind, I directed this collaboration.

Since it was my first time performing on an ice skating rink, I wasn’t entirely familiar with how things worked. But after watching the previous two shows, I felt that it would be best not to be too far away, and I also wanted to be as close to the audience as possible, so I made an effort to close that gap. That’s one of the key points. 
In Bolero, the stage was built at the center, while in SEIMEI, I ran along the rinkside. Well, I didn’t just run, I walked properly as well. The staff referred to the small protruding stages as ‘debeso’, and I believe there were four... No, actually, three of them. Small, island-like stages were set up on both the long and short sides of the rink, where I could perform. I carefully considered my performance space and how to integrate it into the skating show, drawing on the wisdom of everyone involved.

I have always performed Bolero as a solo dance, sometimes accompanied by an orchestra and at other times with the support of 40 members from a Japanese dance company. However, this time, with the strong collaboration of Hanyu Yuzuru-san, as well as Shae-Lynn Bourne-san, Tanaka-san, Mura-san, Miyahara-san, and Suzuki-san, I truly feel that something entirely new was created. Shae-san’s choreography was also highly innovative, and Hanyu-san’s presence played a significant role in bringing everything together.

Speaking of Bolero, I think that Béjart's choreography is influenced by traditional Japanese performing arts, particularly the Bon Odori style. The idea of having a yagura (raised platform) at the center with people dancing in a circular motion around it was something I specifically wanted to incorporate this time.
Then, there was the question of how to position Hanyu-san’s presence. I wanted to incorporate the idea of utsushimi (manifestation or embodiment of a spirit or deity in a physical form) while ensuring that it did not overlap too much with the SEIMEI and Shikigami (spirit familiar) concept. To me, it felt like a god and its messenger bird—a phoenix itself. The kariginu I wore also featured a phoenix motif, embodying that immortal bird. In that sense, the phoenix and its 'manifestation' coexisted—that was what Bolero became for me.

The original piece was about 17 minutes long, but we condensed it to roughly half that length. More than anything, this performance carried a strong theme of requiem, so it was necessary to evoke scenes representing the deceased. With that in mind, the other performers—aside from Hanyu-san and myself—incorporated scenes depicting the sudden transition from life to death. I asked whether it was possible to lie down on the ice and for how long they could stay there. We used a black cloth like a blanket, but staying in that position for too long would be uncomfortable, so we significantly shortened the duration this time. I thought it could have been a bit longer, but I believe it turned out well in the end.

From there, we aimed for "rebirth". Since representing the four seasons is a major theme of Bolero, I wondered if we could make confetti fall like snow. In traditional theater, snow is often represented by white paper falling, but since scattering paper on an ice rink wouldn’t be ideal, we looked for an alternative. The staff suggested a solution—something like foam, which could be considered artificial snow, but perhaps it’s better described as foam. Since it would disappear quickly, it wouldn’t affect the rink, making it a perfect choice. 

That snow was really wonderful. When I first saw it, I thought it was beautiful. On opening night, when Bolero began, I’m sure some people in the audience may have anticipated it, while others were completely surprised, but the collective gasp when it started was immense. And when the snow fell, there was yet another huge reaction from the audience. I’ll never forget that moment.

We also incorporated various sound effects, such as birds chirping and the sound of rain, while making extensive use of lighting. Day by day, my collaboration with Hanyu-san deepened, so did my synergy with the other five performers, creating the piece together. I took a rather provocative approach, fostering communication through mutual engagement, and I felt that everyone responded to that energy.

As for my costume, we had various discussions, and this time, I chose a red Okuchi-hangiri hakama. Since the performance space was vast, I also added some red highlights to my hair to complement the look.

Now, SEIMEI is the piece from Hanyu-san’s gold medal performance, so I didn’t want to interfere with it too much. However, I also wanted to recall the film (Onmyoji) and our past discussion. Considering that, I used the keyword Tenchi-jin (Heaven, Earth, and Man) and had him appear as a Shikigami. And so, by having him appear as a shikigami, we decided to use human-shaped paper figures as the motif. When those paper figures were cast into the air, Hanyu-senshu appeared, and in the final moment, a large number of these human-shaped papers rained down in a visually striking effect.

Additionally, the four guardian beasts of Onmyōdō—Seiryu (Azure Dragon), Suzaku (Vermilion Bird), Byakko (White Tiger), and Genbu (Black Tortoise)— which also appeared in the film, were incorporated into the performance. I thoroughly enjoyed the process.

 

I'll continue this talk in some form or another. This was 'Profession: Nomura Mansai'. 

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.03.25

 

Source: AERA 2025 3/31 Enlarged Issue, pg 41-45

Info: https://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00UG411Y4

 

The Circle of Bonds Continues to Expand
"Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata 2025" Performance Report

 

Now in its third year, this ice show of remembrance and rebirth. Yuzuru Hanyu delivered an outstanding performance as a professional, showcasing both his exceptional skills and the heartfelt skating that remains unchanged.

Writer: Takaomi Matsubara Photography & Video: Takuya Matsunaga (Photography)

 

Spoiler

The third installment of this ice show surpassed the two remarkable performances that came before it. "Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata 2025" was held from March 7 to 9 at the Sekisui Heim Super Arena in Miyagi Prefecture. It has been held since 2023 with the intention of remembering the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred on March 11th, 2011.

 

The premiere performance began at 5:00 PM on March 7. Two large screens projected the night sky full of stars, with shooting stars occasionally tracing luminous lines across the darkness.

 

As showtime approached, the arena lights dimmed slightly past the scheduled start time. Applause erupted, followed by a brief moment of silence, then another wave of cheers and clapping.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu stepped onto the ice.

 

Just like in the previous two years, the show opened with "Notte Stellata". His performance was a fusion of fluid grace, quiet serenity that seemed to calm the soul, and an underlying strength—perhaps a form of prayer—that set the tone for the entire event. The audience was immediately captivated.

 

A Long-Awaited Collaboration Finally Realized

 

Following the opening performance, the guest skaters were introduced one by one. Then, Hanyu took the microphone.

 

"The words Notte Stellata mean 'a sky full of stars.' On March 11, 2011, in a day when so much was lost and destroyed, I remember looking up and seeing those stars shining so beautifully. I can’t simply say they gave me hope, but that memory of how beautiful they were has stayed with me, deeply precious. I hope that today, the skaters here can become stars for all of you. There may be times of loneliness, hardship, or sadness. But we are here. For those who have passed, for those who are still living, we will skate with all our souls."

 

Hanyu’s performance embodied these very words, not only in Notte Stellata, but throughout the entire show.

 

In its inaugural year, Notte Stellata featured a collaboration with gymnast Kohei Uchimura. Last year, it was with actress Mao Daichi. This year, the highly anticipated collaboration with Kyogen master Mansai Nomura came to life, and not just once, but twice.

 

The first collaboration took place at the end of the first part of the show, featuring "MANSAI Bolero", performed by Nomura, Hanyu, and the other skaters. The other was "SEIMEI" performed at the beginning of the second part.

 

Both performances carried a profound emotional significance, reflecting the deep meaning behind the show.

 

Hanyu previously revealed that he had been a fan of Nomura since he was a child. More than anything, SEIMEI holds special significance. It is the theme from the film Onmyoji, in which Nomura starred as the legendary onmyoji, Abe no Seimei. Hanyu incorporated Seimei’s iconic poses into his choreography and even drew inspiration from the film’s costumes. In 2015, the two had a conversation that deeply influenced Hanyu.

 

"From the very beginning, when Notte Stellata was first created, I had always wanted to collaborate with Mansai-san. One of those collaborations was 'Bolero,' which is a story of requiem and rebirth, so I definitely wanted to do it."

 

For a performance dedicated to reflecting on March 11, this collaboration was especially meaningful.

 

A True Test of Artistic Expression

 

At last, the long-awaited moment arrived.

 

"Ever since stepping firmly into the professional world of artistic expression, I’ve felt that I am still just a beginner. Collaborating with someone who carries on the legacy of Japan’s traditional performing arts—especially someone as exceptional as Mansai-san—felt like an incredible honor, but also a daunting challenge. I knew I had to deliver a level of skating and artistry truly worthy of this collaboration, and I approached every rehearsal with that strong resolve."

 

Since announcing his transition to professional skating in July 2022, Hanyu has taken on numerous challenges. This includes producing and structuring his own solo ice shows, and deepening his artistic expression through relentless effort.

 

His growth as a performer is evident on the ice, but this time, he was facing an artist with decades of experience in the world of expression. His collaboration with Nomura was not only essential to the show's purpose—it was, in a way, a test of his own artistic evolution.

 

Endless Cheers and Applause

And Hanyu responded with a breathtaking performance.

 

In "Bolero," a group dance unfolded around Mansai's stage. Amidst them, Hanyu delivered a powerful performance that echoed Mansai's powerful footsteps. This interplay added striking accents to the piece, enhancing its dramatic impact. Even without directly seeing Mansai's movements, Hanyu instinctively synchronized his steps with the beats of Mansai's footwork.

 

At the end, Nomura and Hanyu leaped into the air simultaneously. A wave of astonished cheers and applause erupted from the audience, continuing without end.

 

For SEIMEI, the stage belonged solely to Nomura and Hanyu.

 

Dressed as the onmyoji Abe no Seimei, Nomura’s commanding voice rang out: "Ten, Chi, Jin… (Heaven, Earth, Man). Appear, Yuzuru Hanyu!"—summoning Hanyu into the performance.

 

Nomura moved across various spots around the rink, and in perfect harmony, Hanyu danced on the ice, responding seamlessly to each shift. Their dynamic interaction was nothing short of extraordinary.

 

Reflecting on these two collaborations, Hanyu shared:

 

"I was incredibly nervous. Especially for SEIMEI, I constantly felt an overwhelming sense of dignity and responsibility pressing behind me. The pressure was immense. I couldn’t afford a single mistake. Honestly, it felt like competing in the Olympics all over again."

 

"Bolero was a completely new challenge for me. As a figure skater, I couldn’t ignore the legendary ice dance performances set to this music. Even Shae-Lynn Bourne, who choreographed the piece and also performed in the show, mentioned how difficult it was. But by incorporating Mansai-san’s Bolero, we blended various movements and gestures unique to this collaboration. I truly feel we created a Bolero that could only exist in this moment, in this performance."

 

A Sense of Fulfillment on the Ice

"Now that this collaboration with Nomura has become a reality, I still feel like I'm floating in a dream. But… I’d like to believe that, even just a little, I was able to create a skate performance and show composition worthy of embracing the presence of Mansai-san, of Nomura Mansai himself. That’s the sense of fulfillment I have."

 

Though spoken modestly, he repeated the word "sense of fulfillment" twice. Yet, what he had demonstrated on the ice was something even greater.

 

At the end of the second half, Hanyu performed Haru yo, Koi. After the show, he thanked the people who watched the show, including the live stream, and said the following:

 

"Seeing everyone standing, applauding, and cheering, I was reminded, in this very moment of Notte Stellata, that we are all here, alive. Just as we found the strength to rise again after the earthquake, I truly hope that this bond between us continues to grow and spread further and further."

 

Then, he took the microphone once more for a final message:

 

"There are still many people who are suffering, so please don’t forget them. If this show can even slightly serve as a starting point for support, I would be so, so grateful. Not only March 11th, but also the Noto Peninsula, and so many other places affected by heavy snowfall and other tragedies. If you could extend even a little support to those in need, it would mean the world to me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for today."

 

During the event, there were also booths selling specialty products from Wajima City, which suffered great damage in Noto. It was like a way to encourage the "expanding of bonds."

 

An awe-inspiring performance on the ice, a deep empathy for disaster-stricken areas and those affected, and an unwavering commitment to remembrance—these elements all intertwined to shape the Notte Stellata ice show. Now in its third year, it concluded with an even greater brilliance and lasting impression than ever before.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.03.25

 

Source: S-style April 2025 issue, pg 82-91

Info: https://www.amazon.co.jp/せんだいタウン情報S-style-2025年4月号-S-style編集部/dp/B0DYDPWTT6

https://s-style.machico.mu/pickup/43628

 

Towa Pharmaceutical Presents: Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata 2025
Notte Stellata [Special Report]

 

The ice show Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata, led by Yuzuru Hanyu, was held from March 7 to 9, 2025, at Sekisui Heim Super Arena in Miyagi Prefecture. The performance was also broadcast live in movie theaters across the country, drawing a large crowd of enthusiastic fans to the venue. In this special report, we bring you exclusive photos and coverage from the opening night.

Photography: Kiyoshi Sakamoto  Reporting & Writing: S-Style Editorial Team

 

Spoiler

On the day of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Yuzuru Hanyu was in Sendai. That night, as his once-ordinary life crumbled around him, he looked up at the sky in the midst of a power outage—only to find it illuminated by a vast expanse of shining stars.

 

Seeing a "light of hope" in that sky, he began Notte Stellata in 2023 with a deep and special intention. Now in its third year, this time saw the realization of a long-awaited collaboration with the esteemed Mansai Nomura. The first act concluded with MANSAI Bolero, a collaborative program where Nomura stood at the center of the rink on a specially built stage, performing his powerful movements. One by one, skaters draped in black fabric entered, first lying down on the fabric before rising at Nomura’s signal. Finally, Hanyu, clad in a luminous kariginu-style costume, glided onto the ice, receiving Nomura’s intent like a creator guiding five skaters through the performance. Repeating the same musical phrases, accompanied by the sounds of birdsong and rainfall evoking the changing seasons, the program was rich with layered narratives of death and rebirth and the grand cycle of life.

 

Before the second act began, Hanyu repeatedly practiced his jumps in the bright white light, reminiscent of the "six-minute warm-up" from his competitive days. He landed his quadruple jumps flawlessly, earning enthusiastic applause from the audience each time.

 

The second act opened with a special version of SEIMEI, one of his signature performances, created exclusively for this event.

 

On stage, Mansai appeared as the onmyoji Abe no Seimei. Breathing life into a paper doll, he chanted, "Kyūkyū nyoritsuryō, appear—Yuzuru Hanyu!" In response, Hanyu, embodying Seimei’s shikigami (spirit servant), began to dance across the ice as Seimei’s alter ego. As Mansai performed ritual gestures in various spots around the rink, a luminous pentagram—formed by five glowing stars—gradually emerged on the ice.

Unlike the usual program where Hanyu himself plays Seimei, this unique collaboration placed him in the role of a shikigami, allowing for an innovative and unexpected interpretation. The audience reached a fever pitch, responding with a standing ovation and thunderous applause.

 

The first act evoked themes of requiem and sorrow, while the second act expressed hope for recovery and the joy of life. Every detail of the program reflected the significance of performing in Miyagi. Through this richly diverse performance, the audience could feel both Hanyu’s unwavering determination and the heartfelt passion of the cast who resonated with his vision.

 

After the show, both Mansai Nomura and Yuzuru Hanyu gave separate interviews. Below is the full transcript of Nomura’s Q&A session.

 

Mansai Nomura: Q&A Interview

--- This was your first ice show experience. How did it feel to participate?
Nomura: I could really feel the energy and excitement of the audience in this large venue. When so many living people gather in one place, the atmosphere becomes incredibly charged. This venue was once a temporary morgue in the aftermath of the disaster, and yet, here we are, turning this space into something meaningful. I think events like this are a way of embracing our history—both the good and the painful—and continuing forward as living beings. That shared experience made this a truly remarkable event.

 

--- What emotions did you have while performing "MANSAI Bolero" in this setting?
Nomura: I found myself overwhelmed at moments. At the beginning, just as the performance started, I felt—well, I wouldn’t say it was a supernatural presence—but it was as if I could sense the souls of those who had once been here. It felt like something was resting upon me, almost weighing on my shoulders. But that, too, is part of the duty of a Noh and Kyogen performer—to bear the unseen and give it form. This experience reaffirmed for me the meaning of my craft and my responsibility as a performer in such a significant space.

 

--- "SEIMEI" is a special piece for both you and Hanyu. How did it feel to perform together?
Nomura: Throughout the process of creating the performance, it was clear how much Hanyu loves Onmyoji. Honestly, I think he might be a bit of an otaku about it (laughs). He remembered details I had forgotten, sometimes he knew more than I did! Jokes aside, this is the piece that brought him Olympic gold, a monumental achievement. To be involved in something so precious to him was an immense honor for me. I wonder how the audience perceived our composition, especially the moment where the pentagram appeared on the ice. That moment carried a deep significance, tying back to the events of March 11. I feel incredibly privileged to have contributed to this program through both Bolero and SEIMEI.

 

--- Collaborating with figure skating must have presented some unique challenges. Was there anything unexpected?
Nomura: Yes, definitely. During rehearsals, when Hanyu and I alternated movements in sync with the music, I wanted to make each transition seamless. However, I realized that figure skating requires a preparatory movement—a slight push or glide—to initiate motion. Unlike on stage, where I can move instantly, skating requires an extra beat to gain momentum. That time lag was an interesting discovery for me.

 

--- How did you adapt to those differences?
Nomura: We used stage effects like smoke, and I also made my exit movements more dramatic to bridge the gaps. In SEIMEI, we started with the theme of "Heaven, Earth, and Man." This concept was something we had discussed in a past interview, about how a performer governs space and time, and "wears" the music. Watching Hanyu produce and direct these ice shows, I really felt that he embodies this idea—he orchestrates Heaven, Earth, and Man. Working with him, I saw firsthand how much he has grown, and I found that really reassuring.

 

--- It has been 10 years since your first conversation with Hanyu, and 10 years since "SEIMEI" debuted. How do you view his growth?
Nomura: I’m genuinely happy to see how far he has come. Back then, there were thoughts and ideas he held inside but had not yet put into words. Through experience, and maybe even through some of our past discussions, he has gradually broken out of his shell, and now his ideas are fully blooming. It’s wonderful to see.

 

As we age, we pass our knowledge to the next generation, and it brings me great joy to see someone like Hanyu carrying forward a legacy. Just as I inherited the traditions of Noh and Kyogen from my predecessors, Hanyu has taken what he has learned and transformed it into something extraordinary. Moreover, the central theme of this show—remembrance and mourning—adds even more depth.

 

At the start of my remarks today, I introduced him as “Profession: Yuzuru Hanyu.” That’s because I myself always introduce myself as “Profession: Mansai Nomura.” I see him not just as an individual but as someone who carries an immense responsibility. He’s not just a skater. His vision, creativity, and actions transcend the sport. This show was a culmination of everything he embodies. "Profession: Yuzuru Hanyu" is only going to continue achieving more, and I am grateful to witness that.

 

--- In a past conversation, you said, "Our culture is one of omission." How did you incorporate that into "MANSAI Bolero"?
Nomura: Yes, as we refined Bolero, we stripped away unnecessary elements, distilling it to its essence. The piece draws from the Noh-Kyogen Sanbasō tradition, but we reinterpreted it as a form of prayer, incorporating themes of March 11.

 

Originally, there were more concrete images—raising a child in distress, flowers blooming in hardship, rain falling, summer arriving. However, we abstracted these into broader, symbolic expressions. In the end, the piece reflects the human life cycle—glimpses of death, rebirth, and ultimately, flight into the next existence. The final jump in the performance ties into that theme. Though the performance may appear abstract, I believe that those who watch it with this understanding will see something profoundly special. I hope we can continue collaborating on Bolero in the future.

 

--- One last question. So in "SEIMEI," Hanyu was the shikigami?
Nomura: Ah, yes, in a way. When we were developing the piece, we considered what our relationship should be on stage. The moment I drop the paper shikigami at the start—that was deliberate. The idea of Hanyu waiting on the ice while I performed was actually conceived after we arrived at the venue. It just naturally came together that way.

 

--- Thank you very much.

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: Q&A Interview

 

— Thank you for your hard work. How do you feel now that you’ve finished your third "notte stellata" performance?
Hanyu: Honestly, I put all my physical and mental energy into today’s performance, to the point where it felt like a grand finale. I was completely focused, never letting my guard down for even a second. Together with all the skaters here, I performed while praying and hoping that our show could serve as a small step toward helping those affected by the 3/11 disaster and other tragedies.

 

— How was your collaboration with Mansai Nomura?
Hanyu: I was extremely nervous. Especially for "SEIMEI," I constantly felt a sense of dignity emanating from behind me, and I skated under the pressure that I absolutely could not make a mistake. It felt as nerve-wracking as the Olympics.

 

As for "Bolero," I had never used that piece before, but in the figure skating world, there’s already the legendary ice dance performance by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean at the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics. Choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne also said it was a very difficult piece. However, we incorporated various movements and gestures unique to this collaboration, making it a "Bolero" that could only be created with Mansai-san. I feel that we achieved something special.

 

— It’s been about ten years since you last worked with Mansai-san. Has your impression of him changed through this collaboration?
Hanyu: I feel like he has opened up to me a little. About ten years ago, I was just overwhelmed with nerves, like a dry sponge that couldn’t absorb anything due to its limited capacity. I was simply in awe. But this time, after gaining various experiences as a professional skater, I was determined to stand on the same stage and face him as an equal professional. I kept that in mind during our discussions and rehearsals.

 

For "Bolero," the choreography was gradually developed after everyone, including Mansai-san, arrived at the venue. When he first saw it, it was still incomplete, and even he seemed unsure of how to proceed. However, through numerous rehearsals, he made efforts to adjust to us, and I also thought carefully about how to match my movements with his. That process led to the final version of "Bolero."

 

— When I asked Mansai-san about meeting you again after ten years, he said...
Hanyu: Did he say I’ve become arrogant? (laughs)

 

— He mentioned that he had forgotten a lot about "SEIMEI."
Hanyu: For me personally, now that I’ve fully stepped into the professional and artistic world, I still feel like a novice. Collaborating with someone who has inherited and mastered Japan’s traditional performing arts is truly an honor. I felt a strong responsibility to present skating that is worthy of such a collaboration, to express artistry as a professional. During rehearsals, I kept that in mind, but honestly, I’d rate my performance today only about 50 points (laughs). I was really nervous...

 

— Mansai-san also said he was happy to see how much you’ve grown.
Hanyu: No... I still have a long way to go. I’ll continue to improve.

 

— How did it feel to perform "SEIMEI" with Mansai-san at "notte stellata"?
Hanyu: Every guest I’ve collaborated with at "notte stellata" was chosen not just for the sake of collaboration itself but to elevate the show to a truly remarkable level. From the beginning of "notte stellata," I had always wanted to collaborate with Mansai-san. "Bolero" is a story of mourning and rebirth, so I felt strongly about performing it. Now that it has become reality, it still feels like a dream. But I hope the skating and show composition were able to reach a level that could embrace and reflect the presence of Mansai Nomura.

 

— How do you feel about being able to continue performing this show in Miyagi, your hometown, during this time of year? What are your thoughts on moving forward, including your message to those in the disaster-affected areas?
Hanyu: Some people may have bought tickets but couldn’t attend due to health issues or transportation difficulties. "Grande 21" in Rifu isn’t easily accessible, so I know it’s not easy for everyone to get here. But before anything else, I’m grateful that those who did attend were healthy, and even those who couldn’t make it watched via livestream. That alone makes us incredibly happy.

 

We put everything we have into our performances, to the point of exhaustion. And I’ve noticed that my level of commitment and energy is spreading to the other skaters as well. Seeing them give their all made me really happy. I don’t think many people have ever seen Mansai Nomura running out of breath from a performance, so I feel a bit guilty (laughs). But he also gave his all in portraying "SEIMEI."

 

To be honest, our energy levels are completely drained, and physically, we’re far from "healthy" right now (laughs). But seeing the audience stand up and applaud, cheering for us, makes me truly feel that they are "alive in this moment." It’s something unique to "notte stellata"—this sense of connection and resilience. Just like how we managed to stand up again after the disaster, I hope that our bonds will continue to grow and spread.

 

During rehearsals, Mansai Nomura was out of breath, and I thought, "I've really put him through something tough." Especially at the end of "SEIMEI," he was constantly sprinting. I felt really sorry about it, but at the same time, I was once again deeply impressed by his incredible ability and capacity to rise to the challenge.

 

— We’re out of time, so this will be the last question.
Hanyu: I tend to talk too much (laughs). Sorry about that.

 

— Regarding "SEIMEI," Nomura-san mentioned that while he had forgotten many details, you remembered them all like a true enthusiast. Could you tell us what aspects you focused on this time and how you interpreted the performance, which he called your "signature piece"?
Hanyu: Usually, when I perform "SEIMEI," I embody the figure of Abe no Seimei himself. But this time, the actual Seimei was there (laughs), so I imagined myself as a servant or a shikigami (a spirit summoned and controlled by Seimei). That was the concept we developed and directed.

 

Because Abe no Seimei is a flawless and mysterious presence, the shikigami had to act accordingly—not as a perfect being, but as one granted power. I kept that in mind throughout the performance, channeling full energy the entire time, even more than in my usual "SEIMEI" routine. I envisioned a story where the shikigami is given a role, fulfills it, then returns to being a paper doll, only to be summoned again and assigned a new task. This dynamic between the two of us shaped the performance. It felt different from my usual experience with "SEIMEI." In a way, it even made me reflect on my own role, what my purpose is in being part of this "notte stellata" ice show and what it means for me to be alive.

 

— Sorry, but we’re out of time, so we’ll have to end it here.
Hanyu: I’m really sorry for talking so much. Thank you very much. This reminds me of the NHK Trophy when I kept talking, and they had to cut me off (laughs). Thanks again for always listening to my long answers. I appreciate it. Looking forward to next time!

 

— Thank you very much.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.03.27

 

Source: https://x.com/mansai_gozaru/status/1905211625373827123

https://radiotalk.jp/talk/1292623

 

Radiotalk: "Profession: Mansai Nomura" March 27 – Only 2 days left until broadcast!

 

On Saturday, March 29, from 9:00 PM to 10:30 PM on BS Nittele, the broadcast of "Notte Stellata 2025" is set to air. Be sure to set your reservations and tune in!
I had the honor of participating in "Mansai Bolero" and "Seimei", and the show received an overwhelmingly positive response. While it will only be available in video form, I highly recommend watching it to get a glimpse of its brilliance. I've heard that some people were a bit disappointed with the camera work in past video streams. I'm also curious to see how the editing turns out this time, so I'm looking forward to it.

 

Spoiler

I vividly remember the second day of open practice. After various training sessions, Shea gathered the performers, including Mura-san, and provided additional guidance on Bolero, explaining subtle adjustments to improve the performance. Over the course of three days, I could feel the strong desire to refine and elevate the piece beyond its previous execution. Their commitment to excellence was evident.

 

After practice, Hanyu-san addressed everyone with words that left a strong impression:

"We are honored to welcome someone as extraordinary as Mansai-san. We will give it our all, so I hope you all bring the same level of dedication."

 

While I may not recall his exact words, the sentiment was clear. Witnessing the synchronized rhythmic footwork alongside Hanyu-san, the beautiful precision in every movement, and the perfectly timed final leap was a privilege. Thank you.

 

It’s remarkable that such words could be overheard. I do recall hearing from Hanyu-san himself about his determination to push forward. Each performance is, of course, a moment of challenge, yet the true essence of artistry and sport lies in constant evolution—the drive to reach ever-greater heights with every repetition.

 

This applies equally to athletes and artists.

 

I found myself pondering, Does a tuna continue swimming through the vast ocean even at night without rest? It reminded me of when you recently compared yourself to a tuna, constantly swimming forward. After all, migratory fish must keep moving—if they stop, they won’t survive.

 

I also saw the overwhelming reactions on social media. Some attendees described Mansai’s portrayal of "Abe no Seimei" as a celestial presence, and his "Bolero" performance as that of a phoenix soaring across the vast universe. Hearing their impressions, I deeply regretted not being able to witness it in person. For those who couldn’t attend, I highly recommend watching the online streaming version when available.

 

One viewer described the stage as a microcosm of the universe, with the heavens and the earth merging through the divine performance. Their interpretation was fascinating—despite not seeing it firsthand, they envisioned the grandeur within their mind. This discussion brought forth the contrast between Eastern and Western cosmology.

 

In Abe no Seimei, fate and divine will are central, reflecting Eastern philosophical beliefs.
In Bolero, the performance revolves around the sun as the eternal source of life, resonating with Western cosmic imagery.

 

The relationship between fate (命運) and the source of life (生命の源) is an intriguing one. How were these elements interwoven into the performance? What was Hanyu Yuzuru’s role as a shaman-like figure in conveying this cosmic vision?

 

I can't possibly cover everything in this short time, so I'm sure I'll have another opportunity to talk about it in more detail at some point.

 

But in some way, I feel that I share this cosmic perspective with Hanyu-san. In that sense, Onmyoji is also deeply connected to the universe.

 

It embodies an Eastern cosmic view, and Boléro, set to a Western rhythm, expresses that very perspective of the universe. Focusing on the sun is not necessarily exclusive to the Western cosmology. In the mythology of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, there is a parallel in the Japanese performing arts history. The origins of sacred dance (kagura) can be traced back to the myth where Ame-no-Uzume danced before the cave to entice Amaterasu, who had hidden herself away.

 

The countless gods (Yaoyorozu no Kami) were so amused by Uzume's dance that they burst into laughter. Curious about the commotion, Amaterasu peeked out from the cave, allowing the concealed sunlight to shine upon their faces. This humorous and profound moment is said to be the origin of the Japanese word omoshiroi (meaning “interesting” or “amusing”).

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.03.29

 

Source: https://news.ntv.co.jp/category/society/1d60d2f62cb549599206990082b2eb13

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250329060139/https://news.ntv.co.jp/category/society/1d60d2f62cb549599206990082b2eb13

 

Yuzuru Hanyu travels from Tohoku to Noto... Bonds forged through the show, moving forward together

 

Thinking about disasters and disaster prevention with Yuzuru Hanyu: "Yuzuru Hanyu – The Message He Wants to Convey."

Hanyu performed in an ice show held in Miyagi around March 11. At the event, vendors from Wajima Morning Market, with whom Hanyu has built connections over the years, set up food stalls in the dining area. They shared their thoughts and the current situation in Wajima.

 

Spoiler

■ With Love for His Hometown and the Disaster-Stricken Areas
Expressing his thoughts on the Great East Japan Earthquake, Yuzuru Hanyu held an ice show in Miyagi for three days starting on March 7. He skated with love in his heart for his hometown and the affected areas.

 

Watching him closely were visitors from Wajima Morning Market in Ishikawa Prefecture. The day before, three women—Yoshiko Mizuguchi, Ryoko Yamashita, and Hatsue Yamashita—had arrived in Miyagi from Ishikawa.

 

Yoshiko Mizuguchi:
"We finally made it here."
"It's colder than I expected."

 

Yamashita and Mizuguchi, from Wajima Morning Market, were part of the ice show’s food and merchandise area, which featured local vendors supporting recovery efforts in the Tohoku region. This time, Wajima Morning Market also participated.

 

■ Wajima’s Recovery… Living Each Day with Determination to Move Forward
Wajima Morning Market was completely destroyed by fires caused by the earthquake. When Hanyu visited Wajima in June 2024, he spoke with the three women who had once run stalls there.

 

Yoshiko Mizuguchi:
"There’s nothing more painful than this."

 

Later, in September, torrential rains caused further devastation. Mizuguchi’s farm was also severely damaged.

 

Then, in February, at Wajima Morning Market, burned-down buildings were being cleared away, leaving vast empty lots.

 

Hatsue Yamashita:
"We hope to reopen the market as soon as possible..."
"But we know it won’t be easy..."

 

Even a year later, the road to recovery is still long. Each day, they remind themselves to keep looking forward. On this day, they were preparing for their stall at the ice show. One of the items they were making was straw sandals, which are believed to bring protection for the feet.

 

Mizuguchi, whose farm was damaged by the heavy rains, decided to sell shiso (perilla) furikake seasoning.

 

Yoshiko Mizuguchi:
"By listening to the stories of those affected by the disaster in Tohoku and sharing our own feelings, I hope we can find encouragement to move forward together."

 

■ Fukushima’s Naraha Town Shares Its Earthquake Experience: "If It Can Help Noto..."
Upon arriving in Miyagi, the three women met Kaneko Takahara from Naraha Town, Fukushima.

 

Kaneko Takahara:
"I can’t even find the right words..."

 

Yoshiko Mizuguchi:
"We’ve both been through it... It’s been 14 years for you, hasn’t it?"

 

Kaneko Takahara:
"It went by in the blink of an eye."

 

Naraha Town is located within 20 kilometers of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Takahara first met Yuzuru Hanyu in 2015. At that time, all residents of Naraha had been forced to evacuate due to the nuclear accident.

 

Back then, Takahara told Hanyu, "Hometown is like a mother’s womb... a place where you feel safe, like being in amniotic fluid."

 

Since then, the evacuation order has been lifted, and she now runs a sewing class in her beloved hometown of Naraha.

 

Wanting to offer some support to Noto, she spent January 2025 making small pouches and bags to gift to the people affected there. She said she created the items based on what she and others had wished for after experiencing a disaster themselves.

 

■ "Seniors" and "juniors" overcome disasters
From Naraha to Wajima—the gifts were personally handed over at the ice show.

 

Kaneko Takahara:
"Please use these, everyone."
"We’ve been through 14 years now. You’ll definitely be okay too."

 

Kaneko Takahara:
"Don’t push yourselves too hard. Let’s move forward while finding joy along the way."

 

Yoshiko Mizuguchi:
"In ten years, I hope to be like you—one of the ‘seniors’ in overcoming disaster."

 

Those who have overcome disasters and those still on their journey—"seniors" and "juniors"—sharing their experiences.

 

Meanwhile, the ice show was fast approaching.

 

To deliver his best performance, Hanyu was making final adjustments, landing difficult jumps like the quadruple loop one after another.

 

■ Worries About Sales… But Everything from Wajima Sold Out
Amidst the event, the merchandise area opened. Yoshiko Mizuguchi couldn’t help but feel anxious—"Will people actually buy our products?"

But then, visitors approached.

 

Visitor:
"Please keep going, everyone. Stay strong."

 

Visitor:
"Don’t give up. I understand, because I’m from Miyagi too."

 

Warm words from the people. And then—

 

Yoshiko Mizuguchi:
"This is the last one!"

 

With tears in her eyes, she said, "Everyone bought our products. I’m so happy."

 

Everything the three women had brought from Wajima sold out. And now, the long-awaited ice show was about to begin.

 

■ In Remembrance and for Rebirth—The Great East Japan Earthquake
Yuzuru Hanyu’s ice show featured a special guest: Kyogen actor Mansai Nomura.

 

On that tragic day—March 11, fourteen years ago—snow fell over Tohoku. To honor the memory of the disaster and symbolize renewal, Nomura created a performance to Boléro, in which Hanyu and other skaters joined.

 

So much sorrow. So many irreplaceable lives lost.

 

Against the backdrop of the seasons changing—just like the cycle of life—the performance was a prayer for rebirth. It was presented for the first time on the land of Tohoku.

 

■ "I Forgot Everything Else and Just Watched"
After the show, Hanyu rushed over to meet the three women.

 

Hatsue Yamashita:
"Thanks to you, everything sold out!"

 

Yuzuru Hanyu:
"That’s really great!"

 

For the three women, this was their very first ice show experience.

 

Hatsue Yamashita:
"It was amazing. A truly wonderful show."

 

Ryoko Yamashita:
"I forgot everything else—I was completely drawn in."

 

Yoshiko Mizuguchi:
"What if I get hooked on ice shows now?"

 

And then, there was Kaneko Takahara from Naraha.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu:
"Have you all gotten to know each other?"

 

Kaneko Takahara:
"They called me their ‘senpai.’"

 

Yuzuru Hanyu (smiling):
"Senpai."

 

Yoshiko Mizuguchi:
"Senpai!"

 

■ "They Did Nothing Wrong, and Yet..."
At the stall, there was a single photograph. It was of Kiyoshi Tsubasa, a 14-year-old middle school student who lost her life in the torrential rains of September 2024.

Her family was part of the Wajima Morning Market, and they had participated in the event.

 

Just a few months earlier, in June 2024, before the heavy rains, Hanyu had visited Tsubasa’s middle school for a special lesson, hoping to lift the spirits of students affected by the earthquake.

 

Tsubasa’s father, Kiyoshi Takaya:
"Tsubasa told me she met you, Hanyu-san. She was so happy."

 

Yuzuru Hanyu:

"Ever since I heard about it on the news, I wondered if it might be.. They haven't done anything wrong, but everyone.."

 

Tsubasa’s father:
"She was here today, watching the show with us."

 

Yuzuru Hanyu:
"Thank you... I’m glad I got to see you."

 

■ Moving Forward Together—Towards a Day We Can Smile Again
The days have been tough. The pain is heavy. And yet, may the day come when we can smile again. Together, we move forward.

 

Hatsue Yamashita:
"I feel truly happy. So many people are telling us, ‘Keep going!’"

"We’ll get back to the fields, grow vegetables again."

 

Yoshiko Mizuguchi:
"I need to start weeding."

 

Hatsue Yamashita:
"Our skin get burned, all dark again."

 

Yoshiko Mizuguchi:
"More sunspots coming my way!"

 

 

(From the March 21 broadcast of ‘news every.’)

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.03.30

 

All credits to Jess: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/yuzuruhanyuandotherfigureskatingtalk/viewtopic.php?p=454062#p454062

https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:5156871720599571

 

NHK program 'Tohoku Voice' - Yuzuru Hanyu x Ginji special interview

 

Narrator: Voices of Tohoku is a talk show where athletes connected to the Tohoku region speak honestly and from the heart. The interviewer is Ginji-san, ambassador of the Rakuten Eagles. Ahead of the conversation, he seemed just a little nervous.

 

Spoiler

Q: How are you feeling right now?
G: How am I feeling? Excited, I think? Yes!

N: And here’s our guest for today! 
Y: Hello.
G: Hello! It’s a pleasure to meet you!
Y: I’m Yuzuru Hanyu. Thank you for having me.
Y: Wow… To actually meet the Ginji-san in the flesh…
G: No, no, not at all! I’m honored to meet you.
Y: The honor’s mine. I'm grateful to be here.
G: Likewise, thank you so much.
Y: I’m super nervous. I mean… you’re seriously strong.
G: No, no, come on… You’re the crème de la crème!
Y: Not at all. I’m actually the type who totally falls apart under pressure.
G: No, no, you’re totally strong. Everyone knows how incredibly strong you are!
Y: I’m excited.
G: Same here. Thanks so much for being here today.
Y: Thank you. I’m in your care.
G: Likewise.

N: This is Yuzuru Hanyu, figure skater and two-time Olympic gold medalist. Even now, after turning professional, his elegant performances continue to captivate audiences around the world. Next is Ginji-san, ambassador for the Rakuten Eagles. Known in his playing days for his clutch batting and consistent hits, he helped lead the team to their first league championship and Japan Series victory. He remains a beloved figure among fans in the Tohoku region.

G: I have so much respect for you.
Y: Oh, please…
G: I truly mean it—I really admire you. It just comes out naturally, I can’t help it.
Y: Please, I’m really not that great or anything. Honestly, I’ve just been watching you on TV all this time… And like—for me, I’ve always admired your batting form. Not because I’m into home runs or anything, but I really love those clean hits.
G: Whoa, that makes me really happy.
Y: Like, “Maaan, he’s good,” kinda feeling. Like, how do you even hit that pitch there and still directing the ball? It honestly blew my mind.
G: You really love baseball, huh? You’re really observant. Wow, I’m touched.

N: Yuzuru Hanyu, a longtime baseball fan, took on the ceremonial first pitch for the Rakuten Eagles 15 years ago. He had the chance to step onto the mound he’d always admired—and truly enjoyed the moment.

Y: That’s nervewracking!
N: Nice pitching!
Y: Thank you! Though honestly, I was hoping it would at least graze the strike zone a little, so I was a bit disappointed. But I watch pro baseball a lot, so it was such a fun experience!

G: When you’re skating, there are moments where you just can’t afford to take it easy, right?
Y: Yeah, I mean, I want to ease off sometimes… But when it comes to something like the Olympics, you just can’t.
G: Really?
Y: So, well, in my case, I actually have a routine. Like, I try to flip a mental switch—to trick myself into thinking, “I’m enjoying this.” But the truth is, in that moment, there’s nothing enjoyable about it at all. So I immerse myself in music I love. Even just a brief moment of that “joy” can help me slip into the zone.
G: Whoaa…
Y: It’s something I’ve intentionally trained myself to do. I still do it, even now.
G: Wow… I just got chills.
Y: It’s nothing, really…
G: Seriously, I need to write this down...
Y: I mean, like, for all of us, routines and superstitions really matter, right?
Like in baseball, batters have their own way of stepping into the box, or pitchers when they go up to the mound,  or some players always touch the base once before doing anything, right? We have that kind of thing too in skating. A lot, actually.
G: I see… Wow, this is such an interesting topic…
Y: Feels like the kind of thing we’d end up talking about at an izakaya, right?
G: You think it’ll end up like that?
Y: Yeah, easily for like… an hour and a half, I think.

N: Yuzuru Hanyu himself was affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Each March, he holds an ice show from his hometown in Miyagi Prefecture, sharing a message of hope. This year marks the third installment of the show, and featured guest appearance by Kyogen actor Mansai Nomura. With heartfelt prayers and support for the disaster-affected regions, Hanyu performed pieces such as SEIMEI—his free skate from the PyeongChang Olympics, where he won the gold medal.

G: This time, I actually had the chance to attend your ice show.
Y: Thank you so much.
G: I went on notte stellata’s opening day. And because the theme was “a sky full of stars,” today…
Y: Whoa, I’m so happy! Thank you!
G: I wore a tie that once belonged to Senichi Hoshino*.
Y: That really means a lot.
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senichi_Hoshino


G: Honestly, it was so moving—like I could feel the spirit in your performance. I really felt your emotion in it. And within that, your expressiveness really stood out…
Y: Thank you.
G: And also... how should I say this... the sound? That little “swoosh” right before you jump?
Y: It’s surprisingly intense, isn’t it?
G: As I watched your performance, I couldn’t help but think how cool—and truly beautiful—that sound was.
Y: Thank you so much.
G: That was honestly incredible.
Y: Right? It actually has way more impact than you'd expect—especially when you see it live, not just on TV. The sound is intense too. And this time, with Mansai Nomura joining the show, there were elements like the sound of his footsteps on stage, and the sounds I create when I strike the ice…
If everyone could enjoy those kinds of details too, that would make me really happy.
G: It was really next level.

G: You jump so high, spin mid-air, and land—but what really surprised me was how silent your landing is.
Y: Well, that’s on purpose, yes.
G: That kind of precision—where does that come from?
Y: It comes from super detailed technique. Basically, I try to land as softly as I can, starting from the toe pick. I mean, in simple terms, it’s just about landing smoothly. But the blade itself is super thin, right? So if you land even slightly off, it can slip or cause you to fall. So for me, I always aim for the sweet spot. I try to hit it dead-on every time.
G: You mean, like, right in the center?
Y: Yeah—well, more like a very specific point I have to land on.
G: That’s incredible…
Y: And I aim for that sweet spot precisely every time. And Ginji-san, you don’t use a small bat, right?
G: Yeah, that’s right.
Y: The sweet spot’s a bit wider, since the core of your bat’s pretty thick…
G: Wha—?! Wow… you really know your stuff! Aren't you observant? I'm so impressed.

Y: If anything, I think the type of edge I use is probably the thinnest in the world.
G: Ohh…
Y: So the sweet spot I’m working with is incredibly tiny. But it’s exactly because it’s so small that when I land right on it, the flow comes out the most beautiful. That’s why I’m always aiming for what’s probably the smallest sweet spot in the world.
G: Makes sense...
Y: That’s how it is. But I still want to develop even better feel for it.
G: Wait, you can really tell when it's just a millimeter off?
Y: Yeah, I can feel it for sure.
G: Even one millimeter?!
Y: If it’s off even by that much, I can tell. Like, you know when you hit the ball just slightly off on a bat—you can feel that too, right?
G: Yeah, I totally get that.
Y: You’re like—“That wasn’t the spot!” Right?
G: Exactly. Ohh, that make sense now.

G: The way you rotate—it’s hard to describe, but it’s like something out of a manga.
Y: Ahh, it sure looks like that.
G: Like, nothing's off, you’re just spinning—and then landing. And watching it, I was like, “Wait… what just happened?” It makes you wonder if what you saw was even real.
Y: Sometimes even I lose track of how many rotations I’ve done.
G: You can’t? Really? But you still know when to land, right?
Y: It’s all about feel. Honestly, visually… it’s kind of like when you’re on the Shinkansen and everything outside is just flying by. It’s such a blur that I can’t really see anything clearly. But based on the sensation—like, this much height, this much force—I can sense how many rotations I’ve done,
and I instinctively know when it’s time to come down.

Y: I’ve never really said this out loud before, but the theory behind figure skating jumps and baseball batting is actually pretty similar. When we rotate to the left, if my left hip isn’t locked in, the whole jump falls apart. So I stabilize here and use my right shoulder to generate rotational force—
using extension, body weight, and a kind of stretch reflex—feels really close to how you generate bat speed.
G: Ah, so this moves back, but this part holds back as well?
Y: That’s right. It’s almost like what a right-handed batter does.
G: I see, I see, ohhh… I get the image now…
Y: Right?
G: Yes.
Y: That feeling ofー
G: So that’s why you don’t open your shoulder yet…
Y: That’s right, exactly.
G: You hold it in, hold it in, hold iiit…
Y: Keep it in, keep it in… then boom!
G: Yes, yes, yes, exactly!
Y: You haaang on all the way, and then—bang! Man, I’m seriously sweating now. That was so much fun.
G: That’s crazy!

G: The way you’re gathering and releasing energy right now looks so cool.I mean, it’s just amazing.
Y: But…
G: Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to sound like I’m talking down to you.
Y: No, no—you're my senior after all.
G: No, no, sorry about that…
Y: Not at all, it’s totally fine!
G: It’s just… you’re too amazing. Like, really.
Y: You know… what I really think is that, since we’re in the world of expression, it feels like we’re always trying to convey something. But honestly, I think it goes beyond ‘expression’ or even ‘sports.’ Whatever it is—if someone’s giving it their all with their whole soul, it will move people. No matter what it is.  Whether it’s someone desperately trying to score, defend, pitch—whatever they’re doing with all they’ve got—it’s all incredibly moving to me. So when I skate—like with this ice show too—I think it’s okay to go all out. Of course, elegance matters too, but I believe it’s in those moments where you’re fighting right to the last minute, giving everything, that something truly moving is born. And I feel like that kind of power… can become a real force. A force that supports recovery, that helps Miyagi move forward again.
G: That’s true.

N: Ginji-san has also been actively involved in supporting recovery efforts in the disaster-affected areas. One of his efforts was holding baseball workshops. He says that visiting these areas and connecting with all kinds of people gave him strength during his professional career.

G: For me too, honestly, things really changed after the disaster.
At the time, I’d been in the pros for about three years, and I’d let my guard down a bit. I honestly thought, “There’s no way I can keep going,” because the level around me was just so high.
But after the earthquake hit, being from Tohoku myself, I felt like I had to step up. I had to change. I felt this strong sense that I needed to bring energy and smiles to the people of Tohoku, to those affected by the disaster. Even when I stepped up to bat, no matter how far behind we were in runs, I always did it with everything I had—with my soul.
Because for some people, that was the only day they could come see the game...
Y: Yeah… everyone’s mindset really was different back then, wasn’t it?
G: Exactly. That’s why, no matter how far behind we were, I’d tell myself, “Let’s go! Hit it! Hit it!” That spirit really stayed with me.

G: Hanyu-san, how do you currently feel about your connection to the disaster-affected areas—your contributions and support activities there?
Y: You know… I’ve really come to feel that the biggest and most meaningful form of support is when people who cheer me on also get involved in those support efforts themselves. So many people have learned more about these issues just because of me—because I was the reason they found out—and then they’ve chosen to help, to contribute in their own ways. And seeing that support continue on, long after the moment, I think… that’s truly the best kind of support there is. That’s what I’ve realized this time around.
G: Wow… that’s incredible.
Y: That’s why… if I’m going to keep doing this show long-term, I feel really strongly that the show I do on March should continue to be held here in Miyagi Prefecture. Even if it’s not this show—or not just this show—I’ve come to feel more strongly than ever that I want to stay in a position where I keep speaking out, where I keep sharing messages, so that we never forget what happened on March 11. That feeling has only grown stronger.
G: I really feel the same way. I’ve been going to the disaster-hit areas and holding baseball workshops. As part of the recovery, I really want to see kids from Tohoku or those regions hits with disasters go on to become pro players. Because if that happens, the parents and people around them will naturally start supporting them, right? And that lifts everyone’s spirits. So I’ve been traveling around a lot, teaching baseball. And just me being there—me, you know?—even that alone makes people happy.
Y: Of course it does. That’s for sure.
G: If just me showing up makes them smile, if that alone can contribute even a little to the recovery, then I feel like it’s worth doing. And if I can keep doing this for as long as I live, that’d be great.

N: Two years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, in 2013, Ginji-san helped lead his team to their first-ever league championship and a Japan Series victory.
G: Thank you!!
N: At the victory parade held in Sendai, he shared that joy with fans across Tohoku. And following Rakuten’s Japan Series win, in the 2014 Olympics and again in the next Games, Yuzuru Hanyu captured back-to-back gold medals—bringing a light of hope to the people of Tohoku and those in the disaster-hit areas.

G: Would it be okay if I asked what got you into skating?
Y: Well, there was an ice rink nearby, and my sister started skating there… so I kind of just tagged along.
G: Tagged along, huh…
Y: Yeah, watching my sister skate made me want to do the same thing.
Although—well, I say “want” like it was spontaneous, but the truth is, I’d actually been doing tee-ball since I was about three… maybe even two.
G: That’s insanely early! Seriously!
Y: And I was trained to bat left-handed, too.
G: No way, really?
Y: My father believed that the ideal baseball player throws with the right hand and bats left-handed. So that’s how he trained me. Yeah… despite all that early left-handed batting practice from around age three, I ended up switching to skating.
G: That’s crazy…

G: Actually, the reason I started playing baseball was because I just thought the uniform looked cool.
Y: Really…?
G: Yeah. I just wanted to wear a baseball uniform, so I was like, “Alright, I’m gonna play baseball.”
Y: What kind of uniform was it? Like, which one exactly?
G: For the youth team…
Y: Like for youth league?
G: Yeah. I’d see the neighborhood kids wearing their little league uniforms, and I’d think, “I wanna wear that too.”
Y: Really? So it was like your older classmates or…
G: That’s right. I happened to see them practicing out in the schoolyard one day, and I thought, “Whoa, that looks so cool.” So I went to my parents and said, “I’m playing baseball starting tomorrow.”
Y: That’s amazing. So it wasn’t like you looked up to pro players or their uniforms or anything like that…
G: Yes. Just the local little league uniforms.
Y: That’s so close to home…
G: That’s where it all started.
Y: Interesting to know…
G: It really started from there. I don’t even know how it happened, but before I knew it, I’d become a pro.
Y: You just kept playing, thinking, “I wanna get better,” and next thing you knew, you were a pro…
G: That’s pretty much how it went, yeah.

G: Lately, I’ve had quite a few chances to go to the rink in Izumi.
Y: Oh? What for?
G: Well, actually… my daughter’s skating there now.
Y: Oh, is that so?
G: Yeah, she just started—it's been about a year or so. And you know, it’s true for both boys and girls, but especially the boys—you can really feel it.
There are kids who clearly see you as their goal. You can tell from their attitude, even their hairstyles. Some of them say outright that they’re training with you in mind. So I was wondering—do you have any kind of message for those athletes, those kids who look up to you like that?
Y: Whaa…? What to say… Firstly, they don’t have to love skating, and it’s okay if they don’t like training. Um, how to put it, but I hope they never lose that desire to become like someone they look up to.
G: Ohhh, that’s so cool.
Y: It doesn’t have to be me that they look up to—but for me, as a figure skater, of course I had role models in skating. But when it came to mindset and spirit, I always thought, “I want to be like Ichiro-san,” or like other people from totally different fields who I thought were just really, genuinely cool. I think Ichiro-san had a huge influence on me in particular…
G: Same here.
Y: And I do want to become someone like that, someone others can look up to. But more than anything, I think that striving to become like someone you truly admire from the heart—that’s probably the biggest key to improving and getting better at anything.
G: Ohhh…
Y: I was super picky—if I wasn’t interested, I just didn’t watch. But if I liked a skater, like Plushenko, I’d rewatch them nonstop. Those images helped shape how I saw myself when I skated. That kind of mental image is important. Even when I couldn’t skate, I’d do a lot of image training. If you have a clear idea of who you want to be and what kind of jumps you want to do, you’ll naturally get stronger.
G: Whoa…

G: So, it’s about your attitude as an athlete, right? What’s your take on that?
Y: Of course, I think about it from the perspective of being an athlete.
But I think how you live—how you act—it naturally comes out in your everyday life, from deep within you.
So for me, yes, skating is a big part of that, but it’s not just about skating. Whatever I do, I try to give it everything I have, so I can live without regrets. Because then, when I look back someday, I can say, “I’m glad I did it that way,” or “That experience shaped who I am now.” That’s the kind of life I want to lead.
G: Interesting… Very thought-provoking… wow.

G: Lastly, could you share a message for the people of Tohoku?
Y: Let’s see... Well, even though 14 years have passed since the disaster, of course, there are still many people in Tohoku who are still suffering. And even among those who say they're doing okay, I believe many still carry deep emotional scars. I want us to be someone who can tell them, “You’re going to be okay.” And I want to keep skating in a way that gives people something—something that helps them keep motivated, something that makes them look forward to tomorrow, something that gives them energy to face the day ahead.
G: Thank you very much.
Y: Thank you very much.

G: Wow!
Y: Whoa…
G: This is from Hanyu-san…
Y: Wow, it’s so beautiful…
G: This is really something.
Y: I’m happy.
G: Alright, please go ahead.
Y: Is it okay if I sign it first?
G: Of course.
Y: Not you (the senior) first?
G: No, it's fine. You can go first.
Y: Amazing…
Y: Unreal… a real live Ginji autograph… from THE actual Ginji-san…

Q: How was the talk session?
G: I learned so much, and honestly, today was a blast. It was a really happy day.
Y: It felt like a hero interview, right here next to me… Like THE Ginji-san from THE Rakuten Eagles doing a full-on hero interview…
Honestly, I’ve always really loved baseball, so just getting to meet Ginji-san was already such a huge joy for me. And I got to hear all these really thoughtful details about his mindset and approach too. But more than anything, just sitting and talking together like this… it really felt like such a warm, happy place.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.04.03

 

Source: https://www.sanspo.com/article/20250403-WD22INK7FBBNXBBAFRPXY4RBZE/

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250403092622/https://www.sanspo.com/article/20250403-WD22INK7FBBNXBBAFRPXY4RBZE/

 

Yuzuru Hanyu and Mansai Nomura to Hold a Two-Week Consecutive Dialogue on NHK Radio 1

 

It was announced on the 3rd that Yuzuru Hanyu (30), who won consecutive gold medals in men's figure skating at the 2014 Sochi and 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, will have a talk with Kyogen performer Mansai Nomura (58) on NHK Radio 1's "Mansai Nomura's Radio Fukubukuro" (Mondays 8:05 p.m.). The special dialogue will be broadcast over two consecutive weeks on April 7 and 14.

 

The program, hosted by Mansai, has moved to a new Monday night time slot starting in April, and this special dialogue marks its relaunch. Hanyu, who was deeply inspired by the film Onmyoji, has been significantly influenced by Mansai, including receiving direct guidance from him. The two recently performed together for the first time in March at an ice show in Hanyu’s hometown of Miyagi, where they collaborated on MANSAI Bolero and SEIMEI. The two will discuss how the beautiful stage was created,  their shared aspirations, and the similarities between figure skating and Noh and Kyogen.

 

 

 

2025.04.03

 

Source: https://www.dempa-times.co.jp/entertainment/19607/

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250403093557/https://www.dempa-times.co.jp/entertainment/19607/

 

A big talk between Yuzuru Hanyu and Mansai Nomura has been realized! NHK Radio 1 "Mansai Nomura's Lucky Bags on the Radio"

 

NHK Radio 1’s Nomura Mansai no Rajio de Fukubukuro, hosted by world-renowned Kyogen actor Mansai Nomura, has moved to a new time slot on Monday nights at 8 PM. Starting in April, it will be broadcast on the first and second Mondays of each month.

 

Spoiler

To commemorate this relaunch, the guest for April will be the immensely popular professional figure skater, Yuzuru Hanyu. Ever since being deeply moved by the film Onmyoji, Hanyu has been greatly influenced by Mansai, even receiving direct guidance from him.

 

Earlier this year, Hanyu held an ice show in Sendai, one of the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, where he invited Mansai as a special guest. The two artists shared the stage for the first time in breathtaking performances of MANSAI Bolero and SEIMEI.

 

How was this beautiful stage, as if a god had descended from heaven, created? What were the artistic ideals that both pursued? This extraordinary dialogue explores the connections between figure skating, Noh, and Kyogen—an exchange rich in depth and mutual respect.

 

Both Hanyu and Mansai are artists who set their sights high and dedicate themselves to artistic expression. Their exclusive conversation is filled with unique insights that could only be made possible by their mutual respect for each other. Whether you're a fan of Hanyu, a fan of Mansai, or someone unfamiliar with their worlds, this program promises to be an engaging and fascinating experience.

 

■ Program information
: "Mansai Nomura's Lucky Bags on the Radio"
[Scheduled broadcast] Monday, April 7th and Monday, April 14th (NHK Radio 1) 8:05pm to 8:55pm
[Starring] Yuzuru Hanyu, Mansai Nomura
*Simultaneous and catch-up streaming available on NHK's radio app "Radiru★Radiru"

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.04.07

 

Source: https://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2025/04/07/kiji/20250407s00041000319000c.html

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250407130036/https://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2025/04/07/kiji/20250407s00041000319000c.html

 

Yuzuru Hanyu talks about the behind-the-scenes collaboration with Mansai Nomura: "I'll never forget it," but "the rehearsals were really tough..."

 

Yuzuru Hanyu (30), a professional figure skater and consecutive Olympic champion, appeared as a guest on NHK Radio 1's "Nomura Mansai's Radio Fukubukuro" (Mondays 8:05 p.m.) on the 7th. He talked about the behind-the-scenes of the ice show "Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata 2025," a collaboration with the personality and kyogen performer Nomura Mansai (59).

 

Spoiler

The ice show kicked off in March at Sekisui Heim Super Arena in his hometown of Miyagi. At the beginning, he performed "Notte Stellata," and later showcased a collaboration number with special guest Mansai Nomura. With a lineup of top skaters, they performed "MANSAI Bolero × Notte Stellata" with Nomura, as well as the legendary program "SEIMEI" from the PyeongChang Olympics, which conveyed a feeling of mourning. For the grand finale, he skated expressively to the piano piece "Haru yo, Koi".

 

Nomura conceptualized "MANSAI Bolero" as a story of mourning and rebirth. Hanyu recalled the moment when the footsteps of Noh and the sound of skating synced, saying, "The resonance between our sounds at the moment of synchronization felt incredibly sacred."

 

While Nomura usually performs Bolero as a solo piece in his stage productions, he reflected on the collaboration with the top skaters, saying, "It was really exciting." Hanyu also shared, "I will treasure it forever, and never forget it."

 

"This was our first collaboration, so I did some things that were already established and relied on the people around me to adapt some parts," Nomura said. Hanyu laughed as he recalled, "The rehearsals were tough." He continued, "I think this is something that only we on the set can really feel. The rehearsals were really tough, and I think Mansai must have been anxious as he watched." 

 

Nomura's direction included a scene where a skater falls onto the ice. When Nomura asked, "How long do you think you could do that?" Hanyu laughed and said, "It's all about willpower. If you have the willpower, you can do it for as long as you want."

 

 

 

Source: https://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2025/04/07/kiji/20250407s00041000324000c.html

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250407134251/https://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2025/04/07/kiji/20250407s00041000324000c.html

 

Mansai Nomura comments on the similarities between Noh, Kyogen and figure skating: "It may be a bit of a stretch, but..."

 

Kyogen performer Mansai Nomura (59) appeared on NHK Radio 1's "Mansai Nomura's Radio Fukubukuro" (Mondays 8:05pm) on the 7th. He welcomed Yuzuru Hanyu (30), a professional figure skater and Olympic champion, as a guest, and looked back on the ice show "Yuzuru Hanyu notte stellata 2025," which was a collaboration between the two, and mentioned the similarities between Kyogen, Noh, and figure skating.

 

Spoiler

The ice show opened in March at Sekisui Heim Super Arena in Miyagi, Hanyu's hometown. At the beginning, he performed "Notte Stellata," and later showcased a collaboration number with special guest Mansai Nomura. With a lineup of top skaters, they performed "MANSAI Bolero × Notte Stellata" with Nomura, as well as the legendary program "SEIMEI" from the PyeongChang Olympics, which conveyed a feeling of mourning. For the grand finale, Hanyu skated expressively to the piano piece "Haru yo, Koi".

 

Nomura said, "The ice rink and the Noh stage are the same, although it might be a bit of a stretch." While touching on the shape of the rink and the stage, he continued, "It's about gliding or showing through footwork. Jumping or leaping, too. When you include those elements, I realized how similar they are after performing in the ice show for the first time."

 

In response, Hanyu mentioned, "When I talked with Mansai-san during 'SEIMEI,' he said 'the stage itself is the universe,' and I had the feeling that the rink is the same kind of thing," referring to the "common point."  He continued, "In the universe of skating, we, in a sense, create our traces with blades, just like Onmyoji carve constellations in the sky," adding, "Figure skating originally started from drawing shapes, so in that sense, it might be similar."

 

Hanyu shared, "When there’s something like a spell, a uniquely Japanese view of spirituality that I hold dear in my heart — a sense of whether or not a god resides in a person, an object, or nature — it brings the performance even closer to ceremonial dance (舞 - mai). Rather than figure skating simply becoming closer to dance, I feel it becomes more akin to 'mai', Noh, or Kyogen,"

 

Nomura, pondering this, laughed and said, "I wonder if this difference can be conveyed to the listeners... Dance and ‘mai’—when translated into English, both are called dance."

 

[Wintek]

*machine translation reviewed by Japanese fan*

Lengthy foot notes added for additional context and clarity
 

2025.04.07

Source: https://mainichi.jp/articles/20250407/spp/sp0/006/312000c 

Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20250407164237/https://mainichi.jp/articles/20250407/spp/sp0/006/312000c 

Nomura Mansai Reflects on Commonalities Between Noh, Kyogen, and Figure Skating: “It might be a bit of a stretch, but...”
The Mainichi, April 7, 2025

Spoiler

Kyogen performer Nomura Mansai (59) appeared on the April 7 broadcast of “Nomura Mansai no Rajio de Fukubukuro” (NHK Radio 1, Mondays at 8:05 PM), a show he hosts. His guest was Yuzuru Hanyu (30), the two-time Olympic gold medalist in men’s figure skating who now performs professionally. Together, they looked back on their collaboration in the ice show “Yuzuru Hanyu notte stellata 2025” and discussed the unexpected parallels between figure skating and the traditional performing arts of Kyogen and Noh.

The ice show premiered in March at the Sekisui Heim Super Arena in Hanyu’s hometown of Miyagi. It opened with a performance of “Notte Stellata”, followed by a collaborative number with Mansai. Highlights included “MANSAI Boléro × notte stellata”, performed with Nomura and a star-studded cast of skaters, and a reprise of “SEIMEI”, Hanyu’s legendary free skate from the Pyeongchang Olympics, performed with a deep sense of remembrance. He closed the show with an emotionally rich skate to the piano piece “Haru yo, Koi” (Come, Spring).

“There’s a way in which the skating rink and the Noh stage are alike,” Nomura said. “It might be a bit of a stretch, but the shape of the stage, or the rink, and the way you captivate through footwork, or perhaps through gliding, jumping, leaping, all of it taken together, this being my first time in an ice show, I found myself thinking, ‘We’re not so different after all.’”

Responding to this, Hanyu recalled, “When I spoke with Mansai-san during SEIMEI, he told me, ‘The stage itself is the universe.’ That really resonated with me. I’ve always had this feeling that the rink is that kind of space.”

He continued, “In this universe of skating, what we do—drawing traces with our blades—is, in a sense, like the ritual steps of an onmyōji (henbai(1)), as if we were sketching out(2) constellations. And figure skating originally began as a practice of tracing figures and patterns on the ice, so in that sense too, I think it’s very similar.”

That act itself feels, in a way, like the ritual steps of an onmyōji’s henbai… like we’re sketching out constellations across the ice.”

Hanyu then shared a more personal layer of his thinking:
“When you bring in something like a majinalike(3) ritual element—something tied to the spiritual awareness I hold dear—there’s a uniquely Japanese sense of the divine. Whether it’s toward the gods, or toward people, or even toward things… there’s a way of sensing whether a spirit resides within or not. And when that kind of sensibility is present, I feel figure skating edges closer not to dance as we typically imagine it, but to mai [舞], to Noh, and to Kyogen.”

At that point, Nomura laughed gently and said with a trace of uncertainty, “I wonder if listeners will be able to grasp this difference… between mai(4) and dance. You know, both end up being translated as ‘dance’ in English.”

Translation Notes:

(1) へんばい: Henbai is a ritual walking method used in onmyōdō (陰陽道), the esoteric cosmology practiced by onmyōji, the yin-yang diviners of classical Japan. It’s a ceremonial form of movement, often used to: purify space, repel evil spirits, seal off negative energy, and mark sacred boundaries. It’s intentional movement that transforms the ground itself into a protected or empowered zone.

 

(2) つづって(from the verb 綴る). It can mean: to spell or to write (like forming letters), to compose (as in writing essays or poetry), to weave together thoughts, feelings, or words. It implies intentional composition, stringing together something meaningful.

 

(3) まじない (majinai), can be translated as charm, incantation, spell, amulet, ritual for protection or healing. However, it’s not always as theatrical or "magical" as these English words suggest. Majinai has a more folk-religious, often subtle and everyday feeling. It refers to small rituals or symbolic acts that carry a spiritual or protective meaning, rooted in ancient belief systems—often Shinto, Buddhism, or animism. An example is tying omamori (amulets) to a bag or purse, or writing and hanging an ema (wooden plaques) with prayers or wishes at a temple.
When Yuzuru says “uniquely Japanese sense of the divine,” we have to consider the influence of Shinto in Japanese culture and society. Shinto is an animistic religion, which revolves around supernatural entities called the kami (神= deity, divinity, spirit). The kami are believed to inhabit all things, including forces of nature and prominent landscape locations. More information about Shinto and it's influence.

(4) Mansai-san  says, “舞とダンス、英訳すると舞もダンス”, noting the loss of nuance in translation. Though 舞 / mai and ダンス (dance) might both be translated as “dance”, their feel, purpose, and philosophy are very different. 舞 / mai is a traditional form of movement in Japanese performing arts like Noh (能) and Kyōgen (狂言). It’s often slow, circular, and restrained. “Mai” is spiritual, ritualistic, symbolic movement (like meditation in motion). Often seen in Noh, Kyōgen, or kagura. Connected with nature, emotion, and the cosmos.

“Mai” is less about rhythmic movement to music (like Western dance) and more about:

• Symbolism: Every gesture carries spiritual or emotional meaning.

• Stillness and silence: Negative space—pauses, slowness, and minimalism—are essential.

• Floating quality: Movements can feel like gliding or hovering.

 

“Mai” often expresses “ma” (間), the Japanese concept of space or pause. It’s about being in harmony with time, space, and intention.
 

To help with some examples for those familiar with other forms of "dance" that are not for performance or show but tied to ritual, spirituality, and communal meaning, the definition may also resonate with “dances” such as Sufi Whirling (Turkey / Middle East), Hula (Hawaii), Kathakali (India), among others.

 

Transcription from NHK radio broadcast.
This part comes immediately after the section included in the previous article.
Transcript was done by a Japanese fan. The translation is a machine translation, inaccuracies exist.

Nomura: In a way, composing space within that kind of cosmology… it might be closer to mai (舞), rather than dance. Of course, dance can also have that element, but because it all begins in an empty space, creating a world within that space—that's probably the kind of plan you have in mind for your skating performances, isn’t it?

Hanyu: Yes, I think so. And maybe, for me, there’s also a strong sense of offering(1) something.

Spoiler

Nomura: Then that makes it even more aligned. After all, the origins of the (Japanese) performing arts(2) lie in offerings to the gods.

Hanyu: Right… I feel like I’ve always been offering something. Of course, it’s for the people watching, but especially ever since 3.11, from the position of someone who has continuously been supported, there’s this feeling that I’m there, that I keep skating, in order to meet the expectations of those who support me. And more directly too, there are programs I have that carry meanings of mourning or rebirth in relation to the earthquake. Because I’ve been offering those things through skating, maybe that’s why my performances have such a strong mai-like quality.

Nomura: In that sense, this year’s Notte Stellata can be seen as a kind of grand ceremony… a ceremony of mourning and rebirth. And in that case, you were truly like the ritual master(3), the officiant(3) of the ritual.

Hanyu: Well… yeah, it’s not easy. Especially when there are skaters from overseas, I think it’s really difficult to share that kind of worldview. Even among Japanese people, it’s not easy to share that sense or feeling. But this time, it felt like all the skaters truly came together in heart and spirit, and carried out a kind of ritual together.

Translation Notes:

(1) 捧げている / sasagete iru, from the verb 捧げる / sasageru. It literally means “to offer,” “to dedicate,” or “to devote.”

It often carries a spiritual or ceremonial nuance, especially when used in the context of offering something to a deity, to the dead, or to something greater than oneself.

 

(2) 芸能 / geinō. This term doesn’t exactly translate as “performing arts” in the western academic sense (e.g. ballet, opera, or theatre). Geinō is a broader and older concept in Japan. Historically,  geinō includes:

• Traditional ritual performance, like 神楽 (kagura)—music and dance offerings to the gods

• 能 (nō) and 狂言 (kyōgen)—classical stage arts with spiritual and ceremonial roots

• 舞 (mai) and 舞踊 (buyō)—ritualistic dance

• Even folk entertainment that emerged from agrarian festivals

(3) 祭主 / saishu, literally means "festival/ritual master." It’s a Shinto term that refers to the chief officiant of a ceremony, often the one who offers rituals to the kami (gods) at a shrine. This is a deeply sacred role: the person who leads the act of offering, purifying, and invoking presence.
司祭 / shisai. A Buddhist and Christian term in Japanese. In broader usage, it's often translated as "officiant" or "minister"—someone who presides over a spiritual or ceremonial function.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.04.10

 

Source: https://www.ninomiyasports.com/archives/130292

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250410124954/https://www.ninomiyasports.com/archives/130292

 

After the radio broadcast of Mansai Nomura and Yuzuru Hanyu, Meteor came to my mind.

 

On the 7th, Yuzuru Hanyu appeared as a guest on NHK Radio 1's "Nomura Mansai's Radio Fukubukuro." The two performed together at "Notte Stellata 2025," held at Sekisui Heim Super Arena (Grande 21) on March 7th, 8th, and 9th. They talked about the feelings they put into the ice show, as well as requiem and rebirth.

 

Spoiler

The Second Part of the Radio Show Airs on the 14th

During the radio program, the two reflected on their feelings during the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake. First, Mansai Nomura spoke:

 

“On the day of 3.11, I was actually in Paris. Hearing the news from Japan, I felt extremely frustrated. I couldn’t be there. My family was in Tokyo, but I was still very worried about many things.”

 

Mansai then asked Hanyu, “Was it the starry sky you looked up at when you felt like you’d hit rock bottom?”

 

To which Hanyu responded, “It was still a time when I hadn’t competed much internationally...” and then continued:

 

“There was a news report that a meteor shower would be visible, so I once went up a mountain to see it. The starry sky I saw after the disaster... it had a different kind of sacredness from the way the stars had shone back then.”

 

Hanyu, who was affected by the disaster, found hope in the star-filled sky he saw from the evacuation center. Incidentally, the Italian title of the ice show, notte stellata, means “a sky full of stars” or “a starry night” in Japanese.

 

While feeling hope from the stars, he also spoke candidly about how painful that time was:

 

“I wondered whether I should even want to skate when I had completely lost the foundation of my livelihood. Was it even alright to say the word ‘skating’...? That’s what I thought at the time.”

 

Similarities in terms of "dance"

Still, Hanyu stood up again with a strong will as a figure skater. On the radio, he resonated with Mansai’s comment that “figure skating and Noh/Kyogen share similarities in terms of ‘dance.’” As a two-time Olympic champion, Hanyu said:

 

“Since 3.11, I’ve been in a position where I’ve received so much support. I continue to skate to meet the expectations of those who have supported me.”

 

From these two comments, the phrase "Meteor" (ミーティア) crossed my mind. "Meteor" is a song by T.M.Revolution (Takanori Nishikawa), featured in the anime Mobile Suit Gundam SEED. Nishikawa and Hanyu performed this song together during the 2024 Fantasy on Ice tour at the Makuhari show (May 24–26) and Aichi show (May 31–June 2).

 

I wrote the following on this site after covering the opening day of the Makuhari performance:

 

“'Meteor' means 'shooting star' in Japanese.Once, after suffering a disaster, a young man found hope in the starry sky he saw at an evacuation shelter. (Omitted)

 

In the anime, the protagonist of Gundam SEED goes to the battlefield with the conflict of not wanting to fight, but knowing that if he doesn't fight, many people will not be saved.

 

In the same way, this young man questioned himself: "I wonder if I should be skating in this situation. But I am able to skate thanks to the support of many people. People will be happy with the results I achieve." We know the young man who resolved to walk the thorny path to become a champion.

 

With determination, he pushed forward along the thorny road, and at the end of it all, the young man won two Olympic gold medals. He matured beyond his sport, achieving an extraordinary collaboration with a Kyogen master.

 

What will he share with us next?

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.04.07

 

Radio archive: https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:5152891220983881

Source:
https://weibo.com/1683522853/PmcKvEkhp

https://weibo.com/1683522853/Pmg5DrL7p

https://weibo.com/1683522853/PmgD0tRjq

https://weibo.com/1683522853/Pmh9EhfzN

https://weibo.com/1683522853/PmhhPonFL

 

 

NHK Radio 1's "Nomura Mansai's Radio Fukubukuro" featuring special guest Yuzuru Hanyu Part 1 - BOLERO

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu: "The 'NS' in the Notte Stellata ice show originally stands for 'a sky full of stars.' After the March 11, 2011 disaster, the city was devastated - there was no electricity, everything was pitch black. When I looked up at the night sky, it was incredibly beautiful. That beauty wasn't something simple. It's hard to even say it was about 'hope' or 'healing.' And yet, I was completely overwhelmed by how beautiful it was. For me, it's an incredibly important memory, how should I put it... it felt like a fated encounter. By chance, I came across Notte Stellata, and it became a piece I performed for gala exhibitions. Because I treasure that program so much, I made it the title for the ice show. Starting from 2023, we created this ice show with the hope of supporting not only the earthquake disaster recovery but all those affected by disasters across Japan."

Mansai Nomura: "On that day - 3.11 - I was actually in Paris. I only learned about it through the news, and it was agonizing, an overwhelming sense of helplessness. Even though I wasn't there, my family was still in Tokyo. So you were looking up at the stars that night, carrying feelings of sadness and loss. March must have been so cold... I can almost imagine breathing in that kind of air."

Yuzuru Hanyu: "At that time, I hadn't had many chances to travel abroad for competitions yet. When there was news of meteor showers, once, I had climbed a mountain to watch the stars. But the night sky then after the earthquake wasn't the same as during a meteor shower. It was shining in a completely different way. In a sense, it felt sacred. Maybe because we were facing such a massive disaster... In a city littered with broken glass, I felt like there weren't many people who would even think to look up at the sky. And yet, that night sky was so beautiful, a beauty we usually overlook. The stars were shining as if they were lighting the way for us."

Mansai Nomura: "This ties into the idea of a 'cosmic perspective,' doesn't it? The stars themselves, they don't change."

 



Yuzuru Hanyu: "Exactly. Just like how people from the Heian period were already reading the stars... Looking up at the same sky, at constellations whose positions haven't changed. As performers, we're also polishing the same things over time. We inherit the expressions and artistry passed down by those who came before us - the masters - and we transform them into something new. That's what we do, isn't it?"

Mansai Nomura: "The stars... If you think about it, the biggest star we can see from Earth is the sun. The sun, the moon - they are still watching over us. Over a long time, they've helped us grow stronger. Even during COVID, I kept wondering: Why do we have theater? Why were these spaces built? And thinking about that made me feel: We cannot give up. We have to survive. The stars are still there, watching over us. We can rebuild. When you go to a theater, and you experience a live performance, you can truly feel that you're alive."

Yuzuru Hanyu: "Yes, exactly. Even during COVID, and back during the 3.11 earthquake, I happened to be practicing skating at the time. I still vividly remember the damage to my home rink. After the rainstorms that followed, the rink became unusable. As someone who experienced the disaster firsthand, with so many people around me losing their lives, losing everything... At the time, I didn't even know if I could continue skating. I wondered if it was really okay for me to even think about skating when the very foundations of survival were lost. Was it right to even mention skating at all? Later, when I heard the call to organize charity ice shows, it gave me a way to skate again. The venue for Notte Stellata ice show was once used as a temporary morgue after the disaster. Of course, besides Notte Stellata, I've had other chances to skate too... But skating there on 3.11, in that place, I kept wondering deep in my heart: Is it really okay for me to skate here? It felt like I was retracing the past as I performed the entire show."

 



Nomura Mansai: This ties into the idea of performing rituals for the repose of souls, and also how those who are still alive must look forward. Considering that the venue was once a place where bodies were laid to rest, in a way, the thoughts and feelings of those who passed away with regrets linger there. It serves as a reminder to the living that we must continue moving forward, carrying a spirit of rebirth. These abilities are like divine gifts, entrusted into our bodies by the gods.

Yuzuru Hanyu: Hearing you say that... it truly makes me proud to be Japanese.

Nomura Mansai: Whenever I talk with you, Hanyu-san, our conversations always naturally lead to topics like this. It feels like destiny in a way. For ordinary people, it's natural to wonder: How far should we go in honouring and comforting the spirits? At Grande 21, that place where souls remain, I personally feel a strong sense of their presence.

Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, I do feel a bit of fear as well. Every time I skate there, I'm very aware of it. In Noh plays, there are also movements where you stomp on the ground, right? We lay down ice in that place, put on makeup, and create a show... but I feel it's not something we should do just for entertainment or for fun. If I can transform it into an act of "stepping on the ice, sounding out the souls," then that's the feeling I bring into my skating.

Nomura Mansai: In Noh performances, each piece has its own particular foot-stamping patterns. Different plays have different rhythmic foot patterns, and especially in the piece Sanbasō, we use a lot of foot-stamping. This also appeared in the movie Onmyoji. There's a scene called "offering the sake cup," where this foot-stamping movement is performed. In a sense, it's a ritual for awakening souls from their winter slumber, encouraging rebirth with the arrival of spring. It fits perfectly with what we're discussing now. When you invited me this time, I thought carefully about what I could contribute. Of course, people are familiar with my connection to you through SEIMEI. When the 3.11 disaster happened, I was overseas, and after hearing the news and returning to Tokyo, I kept wondering what I could possibly do. I ended up choosing Boléro by Ravel. It became like a requiem, a ritual dance piece for me. Even though 10 years have passed, when I received your invitation, I thought: I want to perform it once more. This time, perhaps a bit boldly, I took the liberty of setting up a Noh stage right on the ice.

 

Nomura Mansai: It's not very common to move the stage to the center like this, is it?

Yuzuru Hanyu: It's the first time I've seen it.

Nomura Mansai: Such passionate skaters, truly. For us, the Noh stage is something quite fixed in form. Boléro is a very famous ballet piece and Maurice Béjart's Boléro is known worldwide. I personally interpreted it as a kind of Bon dance (Bon Odori) that could be performed on a Noh stage. Especially since Béjart's version had a red platform in the center, waiting for the melody to begin, with dancers surrounding it. That's why I thought of moving the red stage out from the entrance, like passing through a torii gate.

Yuzuru Hanyu: Hearing you explain it like that, I'm realizing it for the first time.

Nomura Mansai: Even the platform itself was designed like a torii gate.

Yuzuru Hanyu: Ahh, I really want to see it again!

Nomura Mansai: That concept connects to Sanbasō too. Doing footwork on the ice adds another layer of meaning.

Yuzuru Hanyu: When I performed with you, I wasn't always in sync with the footwork on the ice. The sound of stepping on the ice stage was actually different from the sound of our hard stepping on the ice. But when we resonated in those brief moments, I felt something sacred. When skating, realistically, we can't keep stomping the whole time. Even so, I feel like we managed to create something truly meaningful, something offered up to the spirits.

Nomura Mansai: Yes, when we perform the footwork (stamping), the music seems to respond to us. It's like the sound itself heard our steps. So it's not just a one-sided act. We respond to the sound too. Perhaps it's the resonance of the stage, but it feels almost as if we're surrounded by the earth god. It's as though the souls are there. In your case, Hanyu-san, you use your blades to touch the surface, and when the ice responds to that, maybe that's the gift of the "earth" itself.

Yuzuru Hanyu: With ice rinks, you can create sounds in other venues too. But I feel there's a sound unique to this particular venue. No matter how many layers of ice you lay, the floor, the concrete, the air that fills this space, the density of the air, the texture of the walls, they all make the sound feel close and intimate. I truly feel this is a sound that can only be born in this place.

Nomura Mansai: Before, I performed Boléro solo, but this was the first time collaborating with Hanyu-san, and with a group of incredible skaters. Choreographed together with Shae-Lynn as well, and it all came together into a great climax.

Yuzuru Hanyu: This is a treasure I will never forget for the rest of my life.

Nomura Mansai: I see. It was my first time performing together with you too. I simply tried to perform my part as best I could, while everyone around supported and built the performance together.



Yuzuru Hanyu: The rehearsals were truly tough. There were things that only those of us there could feel. Mansai-san must have been feeling anxious, checking on us while performing at the same time.

 

Nomura Mansai: When we depicted the scene of disaster victims suddenly collapsing, I asked the skaters to fall one after another. And I wondered, how many minutes should they lie there?

Yuzuru Hanyu: It depends on the willpower. They can lie down as long as they want.

Nomura Mansai: Ah, but you're all athletes, and now you have to act too. It must have been really tough to hold that for minutes at a time.

Yuzuru Hanyu: It was definitely cold. The weather wasn't particularly warm that day either. That special ice we used, it wasn't freezing cold, but it's not like it's warm either. Lying down like that must have been quite chilly.

Nomura Mansai: The five skaters lying gracefully, representing the disaster victims... Then they were reborn, and afterward, you, Hanyu-san, appeared as a golden angel soaring through.

Yuzuru Hanyu: When I saw the photos afterward, it really looked like a bird. I could feel everything you said every day, Mansai-san, it really felt like a firebird, or a painting of a bird flying. The costume, too, at rest it's sewn tightly, but it's very big, so performing in it was really difficult.

Nomura Mansai: You kept improving day by day. Flying and soaring must have been so hard.

Yuzuru Hanyu: No, no- rather, I treated the role you performed, Mansai-san, as a kind of mirror for me to imitate, trying to match that feeling as closely as possible. Each time, I would carefully study your movements and absorb them into myself. Even though I don't fully understand traditional kata (forms), I tried to activate all my cells and perform them.

Nomura Mansai: Our synchronization improved every single day, from the first day to the very last.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: Mansai-san really adapted himself to us a lot, didn't he?

Nomura Mansai: No, no - watching you perform from the front, I thought syncing up would be even more fun. That way, we could push each other even further, and that's even more powerful than performing alone.

 



Hanyu: This is the version from Paris.

Nomura Mansai: It depends on the conductor. Previously, with a very strong-willed version, it didn't quite match well. This one is more standard, or perhaps calmer and more composed.

Hanyu: It's the same in figure skating. It's not about "completing" the music. We perform figure skating along with the music. If the final product isn't done well, the whole performance collapses. There are types where, if you do it in a formulaic way, it just falls apart. In the end, the music must bring out the beauty and excellence of figure skating. So, choosing the right music is extremely important.

Nomura Mansai: After this performance, I received many impressions and feedback from people around me - all very positive. Everyone naturally, and emotionally, ended up in tears.

Hanyu: I skated with strong faith in that belief.

Nomura Mansai: It was my first time performing Boléro on Tohoku soil. What did that mean? It might sound strange, but it felt like the most fitting place to dance Boléro. I originally created my Boléro inspired by the earthquake disaster, and now I was fortunate to perform it there in person. I might be forcing the comparison a bit, but I feel that figure skating and Noh theater are actually very similar. My stage is a fixed, front-facing direction, while the ice rink is rectangular. In a space with almost nothing else, it's basically oriented toward four directions - north, south, east, west. Although it might sound a little strange, you always have an awareness of which direction you're facing. Including the way you skate, the way you step, the way you jump, the way you take off - when you perform with figure skating, it's actually quite similar to traditional stage performance. Perhaps Hanyu-san, you can naturally sense "heaven, earth, and people" (th) and that may be why you're interested in Kyogen.

Hanyu: When we talked about SEIMEI, you said that the stage itself is like a universe. I actually had that same feeling when I was a child skating at the rink. I don't know if every figure skater feels this, but within the rink, that "universe", we carve out miracles and draw shapes with our blades. It's very similar to the idea of rituals in Onmyoji, where you're creating and connecting constellations. Figure skating originally started with the practice of drawing figures. In that sense, it's extremely similar. This is something I personally treasure deeply, it might even be a uniquely Japanese sense of spirituality: a belief in gods, in humans, and in objects - the sense that something divine resides in them. Because of that uniquely Japanese feeling, I think figure skating might actually be closer to ceremonial/ritual dance (舞-mai), Noh or Kyogen than it is to dance.

 



Nomura Mansai: I'm not sure if the audience fully grasped it, but perhaps the space that forms the universe was unfolding right before their eyes. Maybe that's what dance is, creating a certain world in an otherwise empty space. And Hanyu-san, what you're doing is probably designing and performing a world within the environment of the ice rink.

Hanyu: Also, what we believe in and what we follow is a very strong force in itself, and it is originally about believing in gods. I have always supported that, especially in relation to 3.11, and to everyone who has supported me. I feel the need to respond to them by continuing to skate. It's also about calming the souls of the disaster victims, as well as rebirth, and these programs have supported me. So, these elements are very strong for me.

Nomura Mansai: This time, if we say it's a ritual for calming the souls and rebirth, it could be said that you are the priest or the officiant of the ceremony.

Hanyu: It is quite difficult. There are overseas skaters involved too, and it is difficult to share such values. Even among Japanese people, it's not easy to share this kind of feeling. But this time, everyone worked together as one, and we performed the "ritual" as a unified effort.

 

[Wintek]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

Endnotes added for additional context and to help defining Japanese-specific terms.

https://www.nhk.or.jp/radio/ondemand/detail.html?p=1K5J894M9V_0
 

2025.04.07

 

Nomura Mansai’s Lucky Bag on the Radio- Part 1: Yuzuru Hanyu Specia Guest

 

This machine translation is based on the transcript of NHK Radio Show “Nomura Mansai Rajio De Fukubukuro” (Part 1) done by @yuuzuuruu_jay.
Episode Air Date: April 7, 2025

Host:  Kyogen Actor Mansai Nomura

Guest: Pro Figure Skater Yuzuru Hanyu
This translation is also available as a Google doc with hyperinks to the endnotes for easier reading.

 

[50:00]

 

Mansai Nomura:
“Nomura Mansai’s Lucky Bag on the Radio!”

 

Spoiler

🎶🎶

How is everyone doing? This is kyogen actor Nomura Mansai.
These days, the spring sunlight is a joy, isn’t it? I imagine many of you are feeling that flutter of excitement with the start of a new chapter in your lives.
And, what do you know — this program has also been renewed! (applause)
We’ve moved to Monday nights and will now air twice a month. All of this is thanks to you, our listeners who’ve supported the show, and I’m truly grateful.

Well, I have to say, though my hosting… or DJ skills might still be pretty rough, it makes me happy that the show’s gotten more frequent, and in a better time slot, too. I’ll keep working at it with a spirit of improvement, so please continue supporting us just as warmly as before.

And now — to mark this memorable first episode after our renewal, I’m honored to welcome professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu-san as today’s guest.
In March, I had the joy of performing in “notte stellata 2025,” an ice show where Hanyu-san serves as director. I was deeply touched by the significance behind it.
This was the third time the show has been held since it began in response to the 3.11 earthquake and tsunami. I was invited as a special guest, and truly… I felt how much thought and care Hanyu-san pours into the concept, and how that’s received and carried by the other skaters as well. I was grateful to be part of it, and today, I’d love to talk more about all of that in depth.

So then—let’s begin “Lucky Bag on the Radio”!

🎶 Mrs. GREEN APPLE – Dance Hall 🎶

 

[47:35]  

Mansai Nomura:
Let’s start with this song. It was the ending number for “notte stellata 2025,” the one that filled the entire venue with the smiles of skaters and audience alike.
Here’s “Dance Hall” by Mrs. GREEN APPLE.

🎶 Mrs. GREEN APPLE – Dance Hall 🎶

[44:33]  

Mansai Nomura:
Even now, I can vividly recall that energized scene. It truly was a joyful moment.
And now, let me introduce him—professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu-san.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Thank you for having me.

Mansai Nomura:
Thank you for coming. And again, thank you so much the other day.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Thank you so much.

Mansai Nomura:
Really glad you could be here today.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
It’s a pleasure.

Mansai Nomura:
 Do you do radio sometimes?

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Ah, I’ve been on a few shows as a guest, but… yeah, I still get nervous.

Mansai Nomura:
(laughs)

Yuzuru Hanyu:
I mean, it’s not my main thing, after all. Yeah.

Mansai Nomura:
Is “nervous” a word you find yourself using a lot?

Yuzuru Hanyu:
All the time. I really am someone who gets nervous easily.
Even when I was a kid—I was always nervous. Like, in my very first competition… you know how in skating, we have to take a starting pose before we begin the program? I was so nervous that I slipped and fell before I could even get into the starting pose. I’ve always been that kind of person.

Mansai Nomura:
Is that so. Well, I think maybe that comes from wanting to make everything just right—striving for perfection, which in its own way, is a positive kind of tension.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Ahh, yes, I do have high ideals. It’s probably because my expectations for myself are so high that I end up clinging a little too tightly to wanting to fulfill them.

Mansai Nomura:
Well, someone like that isn’t going to win two Olympic gold medals by accident.
Winning back-to-back golds… that’s not something just anyone could do.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
No, no, no! (laughs)

Mansai Nomura:
I mean, it might sound rude the way I’m saying it, but—

Yuzuru Hanyu:
It’s hard to say I’m not ordinary when I’m sitting right here in front of someone who clearly isn’t! (laughs)

Mansai Nomura:
(laughs) No, no, no! (laughs)
Well, still, I felt that we might have a few things in common (Yuzuru: Yes), actually—at least, that’s the sense I got working with you the other day (Yuzuru: Thank you). It really was the first time we stood on stage together, with me borrowing your spotlight, so to speak, (Yuzuru: No, no) for “notte stellata.”
But first, I’d like to ask: what exactly is this event, “notte stellata”?

[42:23]

Yuzuru Hanyu:
So, “notte stellata” is an Italian phrase that means “starry night.”
On March 11th, 2011, I was standing in a city that had been destroyed… with the streetlights and all the electricity gone, and I looked up at the night sky. And the stars were just—so incredibly beautiful.

But, you know, it’s hard to put that beauty into words like “hope” or “healing.” Those words don’t quite fit.
Still, that beauty just completely captivated me… and the memory of that moment has become something deeply, deeply important to me.

Then, by sheer coincidence, I came across a piece of music titled Notte Stellata. That became the music for one of my exhibition programs. Because that program means so much to me, I gave that name—“notte stellata”—to this ice show, which began in 2023.
I started it with the hope that it could somehow support not only those affected by the 3.11 disaster, but also people affected by other disasters throughout Japan. Even if just a little, I wanted it to become a catalyst for something positive.

Mansai Nomura:
On 3.11, I happened to be in Paris. And hearing the news from Japan… I felt so helpless. I couldn’t be there. My family was in Tokyo, but I still worried about all kinds of things.
But yes, the night sky that you saw at that moment—when you’d been thrown into such despair, when everything had fallen out from under you—looking up like that…
March is still cold, and the air is usually quite clear. I imagine the stars must have had a strange, otherworldly glow that night.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Exactly. At the time, I wasn’t really competing internationally that much yet. But once, when a meteor shower was forecast, I went out to the mountains to see it.
The way the stars sparkled then was beautiful, but that night during the disaster… it felt entirely different. There was a kind of… sacredness to it.

Maybe it was because we were right in the middle of experiencing the disaster—but standing there, with glass shards scattered all around our feet, it hit me how rarely we look up at the sky in our daily lives.
And yet, those stars had always been there—shining quietly above us, lighting the way, even when we couldn’t see them. That realization stayed with me.

[39:24]

 

Mansai Nomura:
I see. In a way… I feel like this kind of touches on a view of the universe, maybe. Stars—they don’t change, do they?^[1]

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Right, exactly. That’s why, you know—just like how people have been reading the stars since the Heian period^[2]—we look up at them, and the constellations haven’t shifted. In a similar way, I feel like as performers (hyougensha)^[3], we keep polishing the same thing over and over. We inherit^[4] what those before us, those great people^[5],wanted to express, and we carry it forward, renewing it in our own way^[6]. It’s like a cycle of that same process, repeated endlessly.

Mansai Nomura:
Yes, that’s true. I mean, from our perspective on Earth, the biggest star would be the sun, right? The sun, the moon, the stars—they’ve all been watching over us for so long. And within that long passage of time, we’ve survived, we’ve endured, and we’ve stayed connected. I often think about this, even during the pandemic. Like, why do we do performing arts? What is the purpose of performance spaces? And I’ve come to feel that—we must never give up. As long as we keep living, the stars will keep watching over us, and we’ll find ways to come back. That connection continues.
And through watching performances—in a theatre, or going to an ice show—you feel alive. Only someone who is alive can go to these places. And when you cry, or laugh, or feel uplifted there, something inside is released—a catharsis. You leave thinking, “I’m glad I’m alive. I’m glad I came.” That, I believe, is our mission.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Yes, exactly.

Mansai Nomura:
And this show, "notte stellata", was created with that very purpose in mind, wasn’t it?

[37:14]

Yuzuru Hanyu:
It was. Even during the pandemic—but especially during the 3.11 earthquake—I was actually practicing at the rink when it hit. I still remember the sound and the shaking, watching my home rink fall apart. And afterward, we weren’t able to use it anymore.
As a victim myself, and seeing so many around me who had lost their lives or lost so much—it didn’t feel right to think about skating. I didn’t even know if it was okay to want to skate again. Could I even say the word “skate”? That’s how deeply I questioned it.
Then, I received invitations to take part in charity ice shows, and that’s when I slowly started skating again.
But especially with notte stellata—the venue itself, during the disaster, served as a temporary morgue^[7]. Of course, I skate in other places too, but skating there, around March 11th… every time I’m on that ice, I feel as though I’m being asked whether I’m truly ready—whether I can really skate there. It’s a feeling of deep resolve, every time.

[35:31]

Mansai Nomura:
That’s exactly why, when I joined notte stellata, I did so with the spirit of calming the souls (chikon)^[8], which lies at the heart of Noh and Kyogen.
Knowing the venue had once housed the bodies of those who died with regrets (munen)^[9]… in performing there, we are offering a feeling—acknowledging their presence—and at the same time, we who are still living must look forward and keep walking. It’s a form of rebirth.
That’s how I see it. And I think those kinds of Noh-like elements… they really are woven into the performance.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Really? (laughs) Hearing you say that makes me feel so proud to have been born Japanese.

Mansai Nomura:
(laughs) Well, yes. I feel like every time we talk, our conversation ends up like this—it feels almost destined.
I don’t know how much the average person thinks about requiem or souls… but there’s definitely something there. Especially at that venue, Grande 21, I too felt something.

[33:15]

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Yes. There’s always a sense of fear when I skate there.
In Noh as well, there’s that act of “stepping firmly,” (fumishimeru)^[10] right? And for us, we lay down the ice, almost like applying makeup over the ground—and we build entertainment on that surface. But I feel like we shouldn’t stand on it because it's simply interesting or simply fun. Instead, as we skate—creating sound with each step—I hope that somehow, those sounds could be sublimated (shōka)^[11] into something like a cry of the souls that once existed there. That’s what I’m thinking as I skate.

 

Mansai Nomura:
I think it really drew a lot of inspiration from Sanbasō^[12], so in that sense, stamping our feet on the ice—well, it felt quite emotional.

[30:23]

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Yeah, yeah, even while I was doing it with you, it wasn’t like we were always perfectly in sync with the foot stomps or anything—but the sound of stomping on the stage set on the rink and the sound we worked hard to make by striking the ice with our blades were completely different.
But in the moments when they synced up, the resonance (kyōmei)^[13] of those sounds between us—it felt incredibly sacred. How should I put it... While we can't objectively observe ourselves while we're skating, even so, I really felt like we were doing something meaningful, something good. Like we were offering up something to the soul, giving what we could.

Mansai Nomura:
I see. You know, when we do foot stomps, the sound especially bounces back to us, right? (Yuzuru: yes)
We hear that sound. So it’s not just a one-sided action—it feels like there’s a reaction to the act itself.  It might just be the floorboards resonating—but still, it feels like it’s responding to something, like a soul buried in the earth, echoing back to us.
In your case, Yuzuru-san, you're producing sound with the blades of your skates—but when the ice responds, I think it’s also a kind of resonance with something within the earth itself.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Yes, of course. Really.

Mansai Nomura:
Well, it was a bit of a bold production, or rather, it was my decision, to set up a Noh stage in the middle of the skating rink, or rather, to bring it out. Isn’t that something that doesn’t happen often?

Yuzuru Hanyu:
No, I’ve never seen anything like that before. Yes.

Mansai Nomura:
To set a stage in the sacred skating rink, you know, that Noh stage also serves as a model for our own dance. And the famous ballet choreography, Maurice Béjart’s Boléro, which is known worldwide, actually has a deep awareness of Bon Odori and Noh stages, I believe. Especially Béjart's version, where there’s a solo dancer on something that looks like a red table, with a surrounding group of dancers forming a rhythm. The red tray-like thing actually comes from the idea of a torii gate.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Ah, I see. Well, now that you mention it, that makes sense.

Mansai Nomura:
So the legs, you see, actually form a shape like a torii gate.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Ah, I’ll have to take another look at that.

[28:42]

Yuzuru Hanyu:
That’s right. Also, for me, the act of pounding the ice to make sound, I’ve done it in other venues as well, but it’s a sound that can only be made in that particular venue. No matter how much ice you lay, the sound is completely different depending on the floorboards of the gym, or if it’s concrete, or the weight of the air in that space, or the texture of the walls. When you think about that, it feels like that’s the only place where that sound could have come from, and that makes me feel like I need to take it in more deeply.

Mansai Nomura:
I had been doing Boléro by myself for a while, but with you, Yuzuru, and other wonderful skaters, along with the choreography from Shéa-Lynn Bourne, it really became something incredible.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Yes. I thought to myself, I’ll make that an unforgettable treasure for the rest of my life.

Mansai Nomura:
I see. Well, you know, of course, since this was the first performance, I did what I could with what was already more or less put together, and there were parts where I relied on the people around me to adjust accordingly.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Yeah, the rehearsals were tough, too, really. (laughs) I think this is something that only those of us on-site could truly feel, but the rehearsals were really difficult. I’m sure Mansai was watching us with some frustration too, wasn’t he?

[27:10]

Mansai Nomura:
No, no. But, you know, I wanted to express the idea of life suddenly collapsing, with the earthquake in mind, and the idea of people suddenly falling down, representing death. So I asked the skaters to fall down and lie on the ice. How long do you think you could actually do something like that?

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Well, it’s all about willpower. (laughs) If you’ve got the willpower, you can do it for as long as you want.

Mansai Nomura:
Really? But, you know, everyone’s an athlete, and they still have to perform after that, so I thought it might be tough if you did it for too long.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Well, it’s cold, that’s for sure. It wasn’t exactly warm on the day, and I don’t think there are many places with such a cold makeshift rink like that.

Mansai Nomura:
Oh, I see.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
I don’t think it’s been that cold before, either. I think the skaters lying down probably felt cold.

Mansai Nomura:
But those five people lying down, they truly symbolized the people affected by the earthquake, and then, they revived, and from there,and then when they are resurrected, a golden angel played by Yuzuru Hanyu flies in.

[25:48] 

Yuzuru Hanyu:
When I look at the photos, I can really feel what Mansai was saying day by day, that it looked a bit like a bird. It really did look like a phoenix, or like a bird soaring, now that I think about it.

Mansai Nomura:
Yes, like a phoenix.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
As for the shape of the costume, when it’s still, it’s more like a hunting costume... a "kariginu"^[14]...

Mansai Nomura:
Yes, that’s right. A skating costume with sleeves that big is... (inaudible)... it’s rare, isn’t it?

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Yes, it really was quite difficult to handle.

Mansai Nomura:
But you really got better at it day by day, with the way the costume fluttered and all.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
(laughs) It’s embarrassing... I'm embarrassed.

Mansai Nomura:
No, no.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Well, every time, well, I tried to bring myself as close as possible to Mansai's existence, like a mirror of the real world of the character he was playing. So, every time, I’d watch Mr. Mansai’s performance and try to channel his essence into myself. Even though I didn’t know the specific forms, I tried to let Nomura Mansai's actions spread throughout my cells every time.

Mansai Nomura:
(laughs) Thanks to that, I think the synchronization rate really went up, from the first day to the second and third.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Yeah, I really felt that Mansai adjusted a lot to help us.

Mansai Nomura:
No, no, but you know, as I watched you perform from the front, I thought it would be more interesting if we synchronized more. And when that happens, our strengths combine, and it really amplifies, much more than if we did it individually.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
It was amazing, really.

Mansai Nomura:
Well then, let’s listen to Ravel’s Boléro.

🎶Bolero🎶

[23:42]

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Is it from Paris...?

Mansai Nomura:
Well, I've listened to various conductors, like Karajan^[15] and others... but when the conductor has a strong individual personality, sometimes the music and the dance don't quite match. I think this one is a more neutral, maybe quieter one.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
That’s true. Yeah. It’s the same in figure skating too.

Mansai Nomura:
Is that so?

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Well, music is already complete as music, right? And when you overlay figure skating on top of that, if one’s not careful, it might end up destroying^[16] something that’s already complete. Or, you might try to visualize something that’s already packaged, and in doing so, end up destroying it. So, in the end, the music needs to bring out the beauty of the figure skating, the performance itself. So, choosing the right music is very important.

Mansai Nomura:
 I see.

🎶Bolero🎶

[17:27]

Mansai Nomura:
But, you know, regarding this Bolero in notte stellata, the feedback I've received around me has been very high.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Thank you very much.

Mansai Nomura:
Everyone’s saying they naturally shed tears, and I’ve received a lot of feedback like that.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Well, for me, I also thought to myself, “This is a sacred act,” as I danced.

Mansai Nomura:
Really? Well, for this event, it was my first time performing Bolero in Tohoku. In that sense, it’s a bit strange to say, but it felt like it found its true place here. I created it with that in mind, and I’m really grateful for this opportunity.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
No, thank you.

Mansai Nomura:
I’ve realized that the ice rink and a Noh stage are quite similar. It might sound like a stretch, but while an ice rink is rectangular, we use a square stage. Still, both are empty spaces, and each has its four corners. Here in Tohoku, the directions—north, south, east, and west—are clear. And, whether skating or showing your footwork, jumping, or leaping, there’s a similar element. It made me realize, in a way, it’s similar. By performing in an ice skating show, I could feel this connection. Maybe because you, Hanyu-san, already felt this kind of similarity, you’ve become interested in Noh and Kyogen, haven’t you?

Yuzuru Hanyu:
That’s true. However, when I spoke to Mansai about SEIMEI, he said that "the stage itself is the universe," and even though I was still a child, I somehow got the feeling that the skating rink was something like that. I’m not sure if all skaters feel the same, but in this universe of skating, what we do—drawing traces with our blades—is, in a sense, like the ritual steps of an onmyōji (henbai^[17]), as if we were sketching out^[18] constellations. And figure skating originally began as a practice of tracing figures and patterns on the ice, so in that sense too, I think it’s very similar.”

Mansai Nomura:
I see.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
When you bring in something like a majinalike^[19] ritual element—something tied to the spiritual awareness I hold dear—there’s a uniquely Japanese sense of the divine. Whether it’s toward the gods, or toward people, or even toward things… there’s a way of sensing whether a spirit resides within or not. And when that kind of sensibility is present, I feel figure skating edges closer not to dance as we typically imagine it, but to mai [舞], to Noh, and to Kyogen.

Mansai Nomura:
This difference... do the listeners understand it?

Yuzuru Hanyu:
I’m not sure if they do... (laughs)

Mansai Nomura:
Even though we call it "dance," the difference from "mai" is quite profound^[20]. If you were to translate it into English, "mai" is also a type of dance, but in some sense, it’s about creating space within the universe. Dance certainly has this element too, but when you’re working in an empty space, you draw out the world that exists within it. That’s probably the essence of how you approach your performance on the ice.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Yes, I think so. And maybe, for me, there’s also a strong sense of offering^[21] something.

Mansai Nomura:
Then that makes it even more aligned. After all, the origins of the (Japanese) performing arts^[22] lie in offerings to the gods.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Yes. I’ve always felt that way, especially since the 3.11 disaster. I’ve been in a position where I’ve been supported, so I feel like I’m skating to repay the support and meet the expectations of those who have been cheering me on. But also, with my programs, I’m expressing my condolences and my wishes for recovery. Because I’ve dedicated my performances, that’s why I feel there’s a stronger element of “mai” in them.

Mansai Nomura:
In that sense, this year’s Notte Stellata can be seen as a kind of grand ceremony… a ceremony of mourning and rebirth. And in that case, you were truly like the ritual master, the officiant of the ritual^[23].

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Hmm... Well, it’s difficult. You know, it’s really hard to share those values, especially with foreign skaters. Even if it were just Japanese skaters, it would still be hard to share that sense. But this time, I really felt like all the skaters were united in heart, and we were performing a kind of ritual together.

Mansai Nomura:
I see. We could talk forever, but we’ll stop here for now. Let’s continue this discussion next time. Thank you very much.

Yuzuru Hanyu:
Thank you.

🎶MISIA - Kibou no Uta (Song of Hope)🎶

Mansai Nomura:
It’s already time to say goodbye. MISIA’s Kibou no Uta. This song played during the finale of notte stellata 2025, and it was such a wonderful sight, seeing all the skaters unite their hearts in this space, with MISIA’s embracing voice accompanying them.

It was amazing to witness the unity in the venue, feeling the shared thoughts of everyone, like a single large space. Hanyu-san’s notte stellata had such deep meaning because you, as someone who experienced the disaster, can feel and act on it. I really felt that. We’ve mainly talked about Bolero today, but next time, I’d like to focus on SEIMEI, the program that brought him his Olympic gold in PyeongChang. Look forward to it!

Mansai Nomura:
See you next time.

Closing remarks:

🎶MISIA - Kibou no Uta (Song of Hope)🎶

—- End of Broadcast —-

 

 

---

[1] 星は変わらない (“the stars don’t change”) has a strong symbolic and cultural resonance in Japanese thought. Stars represent permanence, guidance, and are often tied to fate and destiny, particularly in Heian-era literature and philosophy.

 

[2] The Heian period (794–1185), known for its refinement of court culture and literature, including astrology (星読み hoshi-yomi), which was a major part of decision-making, rituals, and calendar systems.

 

[3] 表現者 (hyougensha) — More than “performer,” this term emphasizes one who expresses or conveys meaning. It's broader than “actor” or “artist”; it includes anyone who channels meaning into form — like a skater, an actor, or a Noh performer.

 

[4] 受け継ぐ — “To inherit/pass on” — in Japanese culture, this often implies a duty not just to preserve, but to adapt respectfully.

 

[5] 先人 / 偉人 — “Predecessors” and “great people.” Reverence for those who came before is a key cultural value in Japan. This idea is part of 継承 (keishō), meaning “inheritance” or “passing down” — a concept common in arts like Nohgaku, martial arts, tea ceremony, etc

 

[6] 新しくしていって — “To make it new” — this expresses the balance between tradition and innovation, a recurring Japanese theme seen in 守破離 (shuhari): obey, break, leave — the stages of mastery.

 

[7] The venue refers to Sekisui Heim Super Arena, also known as Grande 21, in Miyagi Prefecture. It was used as an emergency mortuary for 3.11 victims.

 

[8] 鎮魂 (chinkon). A ritual or concept meaning “repose of the soul.” In traditional Japanese arts (especially Noh), performances often serve to honor the spirits of the dead and bring peace to lingering souls. This is deeply tied to Buddhist and Shinto views of the afterlife and remembrance.

 

[9] 無念 (munen). A key concept in Noh drama. It means “regret,” especially at death. Many Noh plays center around a spirit unable to rest because of unresolved emotions, and performances serve as a release or purification.

 

[10] 踏みしめる (fumishimeru). This is a deliberate motion in Noh, often symbolic of connection to the earth or spiritual grounding.

 

[11] 昇華 (shōka). “Sublimation.” In Japanese aesthetics, this often means elevating something worldly or emotional into a form of beauty or spiritual expression.

 

[12] Sanbasō A celebratory and sacred dance in Noh and Kyōgen theater, performed to pray for peace, prosperity, and bountiful harvests. It often involves rhythmic stomping (足拍子 ashibyōshi) as a symbolic act of grounding and invoking spiritual resonance with the earth. By bringing this into the skating context, it links modern performance with traditional Japanese ritual.

 

[13] 共鳴 (kyōmei): “Resonance,” but with a layered meaning—both physical (sound waves) and spiritual (sympathetic emotional/spiritual resonance).

 

[14] 狩衣 (kariginu), "hunting garment" and refers to a traditional Japanese robe worn by men, particularly by Shinto priests, nobles, and samurai.

 

[15] Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian conductor. He was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years.

 

[16] 壊しにいってしまう, verb “壊す” (kowasu) = to break, to ruin, to destroy.

 

[17] へんばい: Henbai is a ritual walking method used in onmyōdō (陰陽道), the esoteric cosmology practiced by onmyōji, the yin-yang diviners of classical Japan. It’s a ceremonial form of movement, often used to: purify space, repel evil spirits, seal off negative energy, and mark sacred boundaries. It’s intentional movement that transforms the ground itself into a protected or empowered zone.

 

[18] つづって(from the verb 綴る). It can mean: to spell or to write (like forming letters), to compose (as in writing essays or poetry), to weave together thoughts, feelings, or words. It implies intentional composition, stringing together something meaningful.

 

[19] まじない (majinai), can be translated as charm, incantation, spell, amulet, ritual for protection or healing. However, it’s not always as theatrical or "magical" as these English words suggest. Majinai has a more folk-religious, often subtle and everyday feeling. It refers to small rituals or symbolic acts that carry a spiritual or protective meaning, rooted in ancient belief systems—often Shinto, Buddhism, or animism. An example is tying omamori (amulets) to a bag or purse, or writing and hanging an ema (wooden plaques) with prayers or wishes at a temple.
When Yuzuru says “uniquely Japanese sense of the divine,” we have to consider thee influence of Shinto in Japanese culture and society. Shinto is an animistic religion, which revolves around supernatural entities called the kami (神, deity, divinity, spirit). The kami are believed to inhabit all things, such as illustrious ancestors, forces of nature, animals, rocks, and prominent landscape locations.

 

[20] Mansai-san  says, “舞とダンス、英訳すると舞もダンス”, noting the loss of nuance in translation. Though 舞 / mai and ダンス (dance) might both be translated as “dance”, their feel, purpose, and philosophy are very different. 舞 / mai is a traditional form of movement in Japanese performing arts like Noh (能) and Kyōgen (狂言). It’s often slow, circular, and restrained. “Mai” is spiritual, ritualistic, symbolic movement (like meditation in motion). Often seen in Noh, Kyōgen, or kagura. Connected with nature, emotion, and the cosmos.
“Mai” is less about rhythmic movement to music (like Western dance) and more about:

• Symbolism: Every gesture carries spiritual or emotional meaning.
• Stillness and silence: Negative space—pauses, slowness, and minimalism—are essential.
• Floating quality: Movements can feel like gliding or hovering.

“Mai” often expresses “ma” (間), the Japanese concept of space or pause. It’s about being in harmony with time, space, and intention.

To help with some examples for those familiar with other forms of "dance" that are not for performance or show but tied to ritual, spirituality, and communal meaning, the definition may also resonate with “dances” such as Sufi Whirling (Turkey / Middle East), Hula (Hawaii), Kathakali (India), among others.

 

[21] 捧げている / sasagete iru, from the verb 捧げる / sasageru. It literally means “to offer,” “to dedicate,” or “to devote.”

It often carries a spiritual or ceremonial nuance, especially when used in the context of offering something to a deity, to the dead, or to something greater than oneself.

 

[22] 芸能 / geinō. This term doesn’t exactly translate as “performing arts” in the western academic sense (e.g. ballet, opera, or theatre). Geinō is a broader and older concept in Japan. Historically,  geinō includes:

• Traditional ritual performance, like 神楽 (kagura)—music and dance offerings to the gods
• 能 (nō) and 狂言 (kyōgen)—classical stage arts with spiritual and ceremonial roots
• 舞 (mai) and 舞踊 (buyō)—ritualistic dance
• Even folk entertainment that emerged from agrarian festivals

 

[23] 祭主 / saishu, literally means "festival/ritual master." It’s a Shinto term that refers to the chief officiant of a ceremony, often the one who offers rituals to the kami (gods) at a shrine. This is a deeply sacred role: the person who leads the act of offering, purifying, and invoking presence.
司祭 / shisai. A Buddhist and Christian term in Japanese. In broader usage, it's often translated as "officiant" or "minister"—someone who presides over a spiritual or ceremonial function.

 

[Wintek]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

(Endnotes added for clarity and context)

 

2025.04.21

 

Nomura Mansai’s Lucky Bag on the Radio (NHK)- Part 2: Yuzuru Hanyu Specia Guest

(Machine translation using the Japanese transcript made by yuzuru_jay)

 

Spoiler

Nomura Mansai:
 This is the segment where I invite guests I’m currently curious about to have a conversation with me—“Mansai’s If I Say This, Then… Friend Talk.” Once again, I have with me today professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Thank you for having me!

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Thank you very much for coming.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Yay!

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Last time, we talked about notte stellata, and especially about Boléro. It felt like we barely managed to wrap it up because we had so much more to talk about.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 (laughs) Yeah, they had to cut us off. (laughs)

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Right? We didn’t have enough time. And we haven’t even talked about SEIMEI yet. So today I’d like to continue and hear more about SEIMEI. Originally, you and I became connected through that program—SEIMEI. It’s based on the theme music used mainly in the ending of the film Onmyoji, which I starred in. You chose it for your free skate, right? And went on to win the gold medal.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Yes, I really feel like that music—no, that whole program—saved me.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 But you know, after we had some conversations, I watched your performance again, and it really struck me—how you embodied tenchijin (heaven, earth, and humanity), how you wore the music, so to speak. You had a clear sense of purpose in your skating. This might be a bit of an outsider’s opinion, but in judged sports, athletes often have to perform with scoring in mind. That’s something I can’t really imagine myself. But creating a world through performance is something entirely different, isn’t it? (Yuzuru: Right.) And I kind of selfishly thought this—but maybe skating for the sake of expression like that is exactly what led to higher scores as a result.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Yeah, yeah. And also, I think SEIMEI was the program that really made me start thinking deeply about things like making jumps a part of the expression. Of course, in a program like Sanbaso, just doing the jump itself holds a lot of meaning, but within figure skating as a competitive sport, I don’t think we often stop to think about the meaning of a jump.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 They’re more of a tool for earning points, right?

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Exactly. There’s a strong tendency to view them just in terms of scoring. And then there are also skaters who aren’t necessarily thinking in terms of winning or losing, but are more focused on pushing their own limits. So for them, jumps are more about attempting something at the edge of their ability. But with SEIMEI, after speaking with you about the story embedded in the music and the choreographic forms that embody that story, I realized that in that kind of context, successfully landing a jump wasn’t the end goal. It was assumed that the jump would succeed—it had to—and from there, the jump became a passage, an element of expression. That was the first time I stopped thinking of jumps as “just something you do,” and instead saw them as a part of the overall expression. That shift started with SEIMEI.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 So in a way, it became inevitable, or natural.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Yes, exactly. Of course, that doesn’t mean doing SEIMEI guarantees I’ll land all my jumps—it still requires an extraordinary amount of effort. But it definitely triggered a transformation in mindset. I felt like I was finally liberated from that idea of “jumps = points.”

 

Nomura Mansai:
 When you skate with the aim of earning points, do you feel more tense?

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Yeah, I do. But I also started thinking more about what kind of jumps are suited to a particular piece of music. There are basically two main types of jumps: the kind where you push off the ice with your leg, and the kind where you use centrifugal force to spin yourself—like whirling.^[1] So I started to ask myself, “Does that whirling sound fit here? Does it have meaning in this moment?” Or, conversely, when you slam your foot hard into the ice to launch a jump—does that match the sound or not? I became much more aware of things like that.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Yeah, after talking with you and then seeing your SEIMEI performance up close again, I was truly amazed by how you wear the music—how committed you are to embodying its meaning. You’re really exceptional at that. And this time, since we worked together on the SEIMEI piece, everything felt so meticulously calculated. Did you also edit the music yourself?

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Yes, I edited it myself. Of course I didn’t just use the track as-is. That was actually my first time editing the music myself—adjusting the tempo and so on. I also worked on how the sound effects (SE) were added, and even reversed some parts to create entirely new sounds. I experimented with how I could achieve a certain texture, and how to ensure that the coolness of the choreography and the narrative arc—introduction, development, turn, conclusion—would clearly emerge. I put a lot of thought and calculation into creating that.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 And then I barged into that perfect creation of yours. (laughs)

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 No, no, not at all! If anything, I was the one barging in!

 

Nomura Mansai:
 (laughs) No, no.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 You said in an interview that it finally felt like SEIMEI had passed on to me, right?
And some of your fans said things like, “Wait, does this mean Mansai-san won’t be doing SEIMEI anymore?” But then you went all out, in full costume, and they were like, “Hanyu-kun, thank you for making that happen!”

 

Nomura Mansai:
 (laughs) Oh, really?

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Yeah!

 

Nomura Mansai:
 I was thinking to myself, “Wow, it’s been over 20 years since I wore this outfit. Look how much I’ve aged!”

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 (laughs) No way—that’s not true at all.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 No, no. Well, Boléro was more my own work, so I took the lead there. But SEIMEI—spelled out in Roman letters—that’s the program you won your gold medal with. (Yuzuru: Yes.)
It’s truly a milestone. So I really had to think hard about how I should be involved. (Yuzuru: laughs). In the end, I helped with some direction here and there, and we all created it together, and I think it turned out really well.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Yes, absolutely.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Was it okay for you?

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
I was truly happy. I thought, “Wow, the real thing finally showed up!”

 

Nomura Mansai:
 (laughs) No, no, no… Well, you know, I actually went back and rewatched a film I did over 20 years ago after a long time, and while trying to recreate parts of that, I also wanted to make sure I didn’t get in the way of Hanyu-san’s performance, and instead maintained a good relationship between our parts. That’s the spirit I had going into it. Originally, when you think of a long rectangular stage set lengthwise, the performer would normally be all the way at the other end of it. That would be the usual setup. But I thought, “If I’m just operating remotely from over there, it’s not very interesting.” So this time, I decided to run along the rink side.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 I gave it my all, really—and I’ve said this in other interviews too—but I truly thought, “Don’t make Nomura Mansai run out of breath!” That’s honestly how I felt.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 No, no, no. Well, but—you perform with your soul, right? So, on my end, I can't take the easy way out, and I mustn’t get in your way either. In some ways, rather than acting on a smaller stage, I actually thought more about how I should handle the transitions, the movements between locations.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 No, really—watching Seimei dash across the stage like that, I just thought, “Wow, it's exactly like in the movie.”

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Is that so? Well, you know, as I was chanting spells and forming hand signs, it might have looked like I was simply watching over your performance. But the truth is, I was calculating—“I need to get to the next spot in how many seconds?” So yes, in that sense, just like in the film, we used human-shaped figures, and it was almost like summoning a shikigami^[2]—and Yuzuru Hanyu would suddenly appear and begin performing. And then, as if calling upon the Four Gods of Onmyōdō,^[3] I’d chant a spell and you’d begin to move. That’s kind of how we structured it, wasn’t it?

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Honestly, until I arrived on site, I really didn’t know how it would turn out. So I prepared to skate the entire routine fully, just in case. And once we actually started, I figured—if it turns out that it works best when Mansai-san chants while I’m doing the full routine, then I guess I’ll just have to skate it in full every time.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 (laughs) Yeah, but your body wouldn’t be able to handle that!

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 It really didn’t. Honestly, with “SEIMEI,” I never imagined I’d go through something even more nerve-wracking than the PyeongChang Olympics—for three days in a row. It was seriously intense.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 That’s why we added a six-minute warm-up, which wasn’t originally planned...

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Right. That was because performing “SEIMEI” with Mansai-san—I had to be in a fully prepared state. The level of tension, pressure, and responsibility was just too high. So we decided to create that warm-up time, prioritizing the quality of the performance above all else.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 No, no, but it felt really good. I mean, yes, I did have to do a bit of running here and there, but I managed to pull it off decently.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 No, no, not at all. Actually, I have a question. You know, figure skating is originally a Western art form, right? And even though the program “SEIMEI” incorporates a lot of Japanese elements—thanks to the choreographers and everyone who studied those influences—it’s still fundamentally Western in its structure. Mansai-san, you’ve taken traditional forms like kyōgen and nōgaku and, well, even with “Boléro,” you’ve reimagined them in various ways. So when it comes to interacting with Western culture, what do you see as the advantages and disadvantages?

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Well, I think the worldview that nō and kyōgen deal with is actually quite broad. But there are still plenty of aspects of life that we can’t fully express through those forms alone. And it’s when Western culture enters the picture that new perspectives emerge—or that our techniques find fresh relevance. “Boléro” is a perfect example of that. I’ve even heard that Ravel, the composer, may have been inspired by Japanese aesthetics when he composed such a repetitive piece.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Really? Huh, that’s interesting!

 

Nomura Mansai:
 There’s a biographical film about Ravel where he’s seen in a factory, and he becomes completely absorbed in the repetitive rhythm of the machinery. That kind of sensibility makes him a little different from other composers. But it’s exactly because of that repeated rhythm that the music builds in intensity. In a way, that’s a form of reaching toward us—Ravel, Béjart too—they both found a connection to Japan. So when a piece like that exists as a bridge, we can participate from our side too. I think that’s why such pieces are often chosen for these kinds of collaborations.

And when you think of it in terms of drawing geometric shapes—scientific figures, so to speak—we also move deliberately on a nō stage. We’re constantly aware of the patterns we’re forming. From a bird’s eye view, we might draw a semicircle, for instance. That’s not unlike figure skating.
(Yuzuru: Yes, that’s true.)

Another thing that really struck me this time was rhythm and the way you kick with your feet—or how you glide beyond the rhythm. I don’t know if “letting it flow” is the right expression, but with just one push, you glide smoothly across the ice. We do the same. At first we carry ourselves in rhythm, but then we suddenly shaa—go beyond it. That sort of rhythmic escape felt like a strong parallel to me.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Yes, absolutely. I feel like, in every discipline, there are these points of similarity. Ultimately, expression flows from some kind of common core—like a bloodstream that connects everything underneath. Like you mentioned earlier about form, or the concept of “tenchijin” (heaven, earth, and human), or even how we apply ma^[4] and merihari^[5]—contrast and modulation. The idea of jo-ha-kyū^[6] as a framework too. I think even composers are probably aware of that structure when they create music.

 

And that thing about Ravel’s fascination with repetitive factory sounds—that really overlaps with minimalist music too. In our case, repeating the same thing can also be a form of expression. Beauty, emotion—what moves people—is like a kind of frequency. Whether you're acting it out with your body, hearing it through your ears, or seeing it with your eyes... it might all be tapping into the same wavelength.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Yes, yes, exactly. I mean, I didn’t know for sure, of course. But I had a feeling, even 10 years ago, that if we presented our way of thinking, it might resonate. And really, it comes down to how you play with space and time. If you do the same thing over and over, people get bored. But if you precede the big moment with silence—or with deliberate stillness—it can make that moment feel twice as impactful. That kind of sensitivity... well, I’ve met many people, but I think it’s something you’re born with.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Really? (laughs)

 

Nomura Mansai:
Well, you know, even if someone says, "You can do it scientifically, like, if you create a pattern like this mathematically," sure, I guess you could. But I feel like it's in things like tame^[7] and nobiyakasa^[8]—that sense of poised stillness and expansive movement—that Kyōgen and skating are really close. In expressing the rhythm we were talking about earlier—the rhythm that comes from pushing off—it goes beyond that, and just flows.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 No, really—keeping rhythm in figure skating is incredibly difficult, and honestly, there are so many skaters who’ve just given up on it. And I don’t think there’s anyone else who skates as much in rhythm, or in sync with the music, as I do. So, if anything, I tend to enter from a space that’s deviating from the rhythm, or outside the melody. But that dissonance feels uncomfortable—so I want to match the rhythm, I want to align with the melody. And I feel like the balance I’ve achieved now comes from continuing to push myself to do that.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 I see. Actually, with Boléro as well, there are parts where I followed the rhythm, and parts where I followed the melody. Especially when you’re dancing solo, you’re constantly shifting between the two—trying to strike that balance was something I really wrestled with.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 That’s exactly what we figure skaters are always doing.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 I see.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 How much you can—well, one of the artists I really admire is Michael Jackson. And I think, even if you muted the music while watching him dance, it’d still be cool. Even though no music is playing, you kind of get this sense, like, “Maybe this song is playing?” or “This is probably where that sound effect kicks in, and the lighting hits like this.” All of that just kind of gets conjured up in your mind. That made me think—his body itself is like an instrument.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 I see. You can even perceive the ornamental notes.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Exactly. So, when I perform through figure skating, I want to stay close to the music as much as I can. And if I want to cherish the “role” I’m portraying, or the “visual story” I’m trying to express— then I need to thoroughly ask myself: Am I the background right now? The character? Which sound am I? And even if there’s no added staging, even if there’s no music— I want to become the kind of performer where those things are still visible through my movement.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 That’s wonderful. Just standing there should make people go “whoa.” Even just raising a hand—it has to be cool.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 That’s already cool. (laughs)

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Michael’s exactly like that, right? Every single move feels like it’s from another dimension. Even with singers like that—even if you don’t understand the lyrics, the moment they let out a sound, you’re like, “Wow.”

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 It’s amazing, isn’t it? But you, Mansai-san, are exactly the same.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 No no no. (laughs)

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 No, really. Even just how you move when entering Boléro—from the way you spread out your hakama and lower yourself to the floor, the sound of your knees touching the ground— that sense of quiet, of dominance over the space, it felt like the universe was expanding outward. I felt that the whole time.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 I see.
Well then—speaking of what everyone’s buzzing about… well, maybe it’s just us two buzzing here. (laughs)
(Yuzuru: laughs)
Let’s listen to the original theme used in “SEIMEI,” from the film Onmyoji.

 

~“SEIMEI” music plays~

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Even now, when I hear this… I can clearly picture Hanyu-san starting to skate.
(Yuzuru: laughs)
It just comes to mind, naturally.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 I start thinking—How should I perform this? How should I dance this?
 Honestly, the moment I hear it, my brain jumps into image training. So I try not to listen to it too much. (laughs)

 

Nomura Mansai:
 (laughs)

 

~“SEIMEI” music plays~

 

Nomura Mansai:
 When you’ve finished performing this piece—this program—do you usually feel an intense sense of fulfillment, like “I did it!”? Do you feel like you’ve fully expressed what you intended?

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Well, especially this time, I was constantly thinking about how long I could remain as “Shikigami Yuzuru Hanyu.” I was really conscious of staying in that role as a shikigami all the way until the curtain completely fell. But, at the PyeongChang Olympics, I was just so happy that “Yuzuru Hanyu” kind of burst out with all the cheers. I remember that clearly. (laughs)

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Right, but actually, in notte stellata this time, it was the opposite, wasn’t it? At the end, you called out “kyuukyuunyoryitsuryou”^[9] and returned to human form with a dramatic burst—and then a pentagram appeared on the rink. In a way, I feel like even that moment expressed our intention of requiem—through the presence and the music of SEIMEI, it felt like something deep was being conveyed. And, well, in any case—“Profession: Yuzuru Hanyu.” (laughs)
(Yuzuru: Thank you! [laughs])
That’s a phrase I just randomly started saying, and now it seems like you’re actually using it! But really, this notte stellata... Even as someone who participated, I felt it—this wasn’t just a “show,” it was something far beyond that.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Thank you very much.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 There really aren’t many people who can do this.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 No...

 

Nomura Mansai:
 In so many ways.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Thank you.

 

Nomura Mansai:
Truly… as I’ve even said publicly to the media, I feel that you're no longer just a “private individual,” (個人/ kojin) you’ve become a truly public figure (公人/ kōjin)– a symbolic presence. And going forward as well, I think it’s fair to say “Profession: Yuzuru Hanyu.”  And the very existence of “Yuzuru Hanyu” is no longer just “Yuzuru-kun.” I know it sounds presumptuous of me to say so...

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
Well, yes… But I think that the “Yuzuru Hanyu” that continues to grow and expand in everyone’s imagination has, in a sense, gone beyond the vessel of my physical self and is flying off into a form that aligns more and more with the ideals I aspire to. There's no doubt about that. That’s exactly why—I want this real, physical me, Yuzuru Hanyu, to always keep working hard to grow closer to that image everyone holds of me. To become the ideal people hope for. Also, I’ve received so much support from so many people. And I want to keep supporting what I care about, especially 3.11, and all the other disasters. I want to continue keeping my heart close to those affected.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Wonderful. I don’t think there are many Japanese men out there right now who can do something like this.
(Yuzuru: laughs)

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 No, that’s not true at all.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Well, we could go on forever, but time is not unlimited. So, until next time—maybe not too soon, but in a few years, I’d love to meet again, and see how much further “Profession: Yuzuru Hanyu” has grown.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 (laughs) Definitely, absolutely.

 

Nomura Mansai:
 Thank you very much for today.

 

Hanyu Yuzuru:
 Thank you very much.

 

NOTES

---

[1] Yuzuru is referring to the difference between toe jumps (toe loop, flip, and Lutz) and edge jumps (Salchow, loop, and Axel).

[2] Shikigami (式神): Supernatural entities or spirits summoned and controlled by an onmyōji to carry out tasks. Often depicted as invisible spirits, paper familiars, or beings that take human or animal form. In fiction and folklore, they may serve as guardians, messengers, or even combatants, depending on the power of the onmyōji who summoned them.

[3] Onmyōdō (陰陽道): traditional Japanese esoteric cosmology, heavily influenced by Taoism, Buddhism, Shinto, and Chinese yin-yang and five-element theory. Practiced from the Heian period (794–1185), it was used for divination, exorcism, and state rituals. Practitioners were called onmyōji (like Abe no Seimei), who served the Imperial Court as specialists in interpreting celestial events and warding off evil spirits.

NOTES:

[4] Ma (間), this term refers to the concept of space, pause, or interval in Japanese culture. It's often used to describe the space between two objects or moments, whether physically or metaphorically. In music, art, and performance, ma refers to the intentional pause or silence that holds significance and balance. It's important in traditional arts like theater and martial arts, where timing and pauses are crucial for dramatic impact.

[5] Merihari (メリハリ), refers to variation and contrast, especially in rhythm, intensity, emotion, and pacing. It’s the art of modulation—knowing when to slow down or speed up, when to be subtle or bold, when to use quiet versus loud, or stillness versus motion.

[6] Jo-ha-kyū is a three-part structure that describes the progression and tempo of a performance or action. It can be translated as:
序 (Jo) – Introduction. A slow, measured beginning. This sets the mood and establishes the groundwork. Calm, steady, and deliberate.

破 (Ha) – Development / Break. A change or disruption. The tempo accelerates, tension builds, and the narrative or movement develops more dynamically.

急 (Kyū) – Climax / Rapid Finale. A fast, intense conclusion. This is the peak of energy or emotion, often followed by a sudden end or a sharp return to quietness.

[7] Tame (ため): A moment of intentional stillness or pause before movement, filled with tension and presence. Often used in Noh and Kyōgen to heighten expression.

[8] Nobiyakasa (伸びやかさ): Graceful extension or fluidity of movement. It implies unforced, elegant motion that feels expansive and free.

[9] 「急急如律令」（kyūkyū nyo ritsuryō). This is a classical incantation phrase used in Onmyōdō rituals and Chinese Taoist practices. It appears at the end of spells or commands to give them formal power and urgency. 急急 (kyūkyū): “urgently” or “immediately”, 如律令 (nyo ritsuryō): “as per the law” or “in accordance with the legal code” So the whole phrase loosely means: "Swiftly, as commanded by law!"

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

2025.04.14

 

Radio archive: https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:5156907199954996

Source: https://weibo.com/5437806211/PoMEMkESM

 

 

NHK Radio 1's "Nomura Mansai's Radio Fukubukuro" featuring special guest Yuzuru Part 2 - SEIMEI

 

Spoiler

Nomura: …This time, let’s talk about SEIMEI! Our connection really began with SEIMEI, didn’t it? The music comes mainly from the movie Onmyoji, which I starred in, and you chose it as your free skate program, right? And you won the gold medal with it.

 

Hanyu: Yes, absolutely. I really feel like that piece, that program, helped me.

 

Nomura: After we had a lot of conversations back then, I saw your performance and thought, “He governs heaven, earth, and man, cloaked in the soul of music.” I felt that perhaps skating with a clear intention and purpose was a real strength for you. I hope you don’t mind me saying this so bluntly. But in judged sports like figure skating, I imagine you have to perform with the awareness of scoring points, don’t you? That’s something almost unimaginable for us in traditional theater. I feel it’s quite different from performing to create a world or an atmosphere. That’s why I ended up rambling about this, but then again, I also feel that performing for the sake of expression can itself lead to higher scores, right?

 

Hanyu: That’s true. And also, it was from this program onward that I really started to think deeply, very deeply, about how to use jumps as part of artistic expression. Programs like Sanbasō (a traditional Japanese dance), for example—the jumps in those performances already have deep meaning built into them. But in figure skating, we hadn’t really considered the meaning of jumps that much.

 

Nomura: You mean jumps are seen more as a scoring tool?

 

Hanyu: Yes, they’re mostly viewed in relation to points. There are also skaters who try jumps not for scores, but purely to push their own limits. In that sense, they jump with a mindset of “challenge.” But with SEIMEI, after having all those conversations with you, learning the background of the story, and understanding the movements as kata (forms) within a larger expression, jumping stopped being the “end goal.” Instead, it became something that must be done as part of the program. Jumps became just one of many elements along the way, tools to support the expression. That mindset really started with SEIMEI.

 

Nomura: It feels like a natural progression, too.

 

Hanyu: Of course, not every jump went perfectly when I performed SEIMEI. It definitely demanded extraordinary effort. But in terms of mindset, I freed myself from the idea that jumps = points. It was a big shift in consciousness.

 

Nomura: When you’re aiming to score, your focus gets super tight, doesn’t it?

 

Hanyu: Yes. Also, when I look at a piece of music, I think carefully about what kind of jump fits that particular moment. There are jumps that launch from a forceful push off the ice with your foot, and others that rely more on centrifugal force to spin up. You can basically group them into those two types. I consider things like: is there a sound in the music that fits the spinning motion? Does this move have meaning in that musical moment? On the other hand, for the jumps where you kick off hard from the ice, I have to think about whether the toe-pick movement matches the music.

 

Nomura: After our conversations, and especially after seeing you perform SEIMEI up close this time, I could truly feel the music swirling around you. I felt your dedication to the music and your incredible ability to express its meaning. Performing SEIMEI together this time, I sensed that you had meticulously designed every part. You edited the music yourself too, didn’t you?

 

Hanyu: Yes, I did edit the music myself. Of course, I didn’t use the version I edited all on my own, but that was the first time I handled the music editing—including tempo adjustments. I also added sound effects and used reverse playback to insert unique sounds. I was trying to figure out how to create the right texture, how to highlight the coolness of the choreography, and how to convey the progression of the story.

 

Nomura: And then I had to go and insert myself into such a perfectly constructed piece…

 

Hanyu: No, no, no! Please don’t say that. I’m the one who inserted myself into your world! Didn’t you say in an interview, “Seimei has finally transferred into Hanyu,” and then your fans started worrying, like, “Does that mean Nomura-san won’t play Seimei anymore…?” That’s why people were saying, “Thank you, Hanyu-kun!” when you appeared in full Seimei regalia again this time.

 

Nomura: Haha, is that so? It had been over twenty years since I wore that costume. I thought, “Wow, I’ve really gotten old and lost my charm…”

 

Hanyu: No way, not at all!

 

Nomura: Boléro is my own creation, but SEIMEI—written in Roman letters—was the music that brought you Olympic gold. In that sense, it’s an immortal milestone. So figuring out how to enter into that was honestly quite a challenge. But I think what we created together turned out pretty well. What do you think? Not bad, right?

 

Hanyu: Yes! I'm truly a fortunate guy! Watching you, I thought, "Ah! The real Seimei has finally arrived!"

 

Nomura: I also rewatched that movie from over 20 years ago, trying to recreate its elements while maintaining a subtle relationship without interfering with your performance. Originally, my stage was set at the end of that vertical rectangle, which is typical, but I thought it would be boring like remote control, so this time I ran along the edge of the ice rink.

 

Hanyu: You really ran with all your might! I also mentioned in other interviews, "How could I do something that makes Mansai Nomura-san out of breath?!"

 

Nomura: It’s fine, it’s fine. You were performing with your soul, so of course I couldn’t take it easy or get in your way. Even when I’m performing on a smaller stage, I’m always thinking about how to move between the stage areas without disrupting things.

 

Hanyu: Seeing Seimei dashing across the space with such vigor made me think, “Ah! It’s just like the movie!”

 

Nomura: Is that so? Well, I managed to chant incantations while forming hand seals at the same time. Even though it may have looked like I was merely observing Hanyu's performance from the side, in my head I was already thinking, “I have just a few seconds to get to the next position!” And just like in the movie, I used a hitogata (paper doll), as if summoning a shikigami. Yuzuru Hanyu would suddenly appear and begin to perform, and I would chant as though summoning the four guardian spirits of Onmyōdō. That was the concept.

 

Hanyu: Before arriving at the venue, I really didn’t know how it would all turn out! I had actually prepared to skate the full version of SEIMEI, thinking that if we found it worked better to include Mansai’s chanting during the full version, I’d need to skate the entire program every day. But then…

 

Nomura: Your body couldn’t keep up, huh?

 

Hanyu: Yeah, I couldn’t sustain it. For this SEIMEI, I honestly felt even more nervous than I did during PyeongChang. I didn’t expect to do it three days in a row, it was quite tough.

 

Nomura: And you even added a six-minute practice session, which wasn’t originally planned.

 

Hanyu: Right! That was because performing SEIMEI with you, Mansai-san, I couldn’t afford to go in unprepared. I was so nervous, there was just too much pressure, responsibility, and anxiety, so I added that practice step to ensure I could prioritize the performance quality.

 

Nomura: Ah, your dedication… I may have been running around, but honestly, it was nothing compared to what you were doing.

 

Hanyu: I actually have a question for you. Figure skating isn’t originally a Japanese art—it comes from the West, right? But with SEIMEI, including all the choreographers and everyone involved, I think we managed to present something with a Japanese flavour after a lot of study. Still, the foundational elements of figure skating remain Western. On the other hand, you’ve adapted Kyogen and Noh into many forms, including something like Boléro, which fuses with Western culture. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of doing that kind of cultural fusion?

 

Nomura: Ultimately, the worldview of Noh and Kyogen is incredibly vast. There are many aspects that we haven’t fully grasped yet. By bringing in Western culture, we can shine a light on those parts and let our own techniques evolve in new ways. Boléro is a perfect example. I heard that Ravel—the composer—was inspired by something in Japan when creating that music. I watched a biographical film about him, and it said he got the idea from the repetitive industrial sounds in a factory. That kind of inspiration is common for composers, but it’s precisely because of the repeated melodies that the piece builds toward a climax. In a way, you could say they are approaching us. Ravel did, and Béjart (the choreographer) also had some connection to Japan. Because of those musical works acting as a bridge, we too can take part in them.

That’s why pieces suitable for this kind of cross-cultural work get selected. From a more analytical perspective—like drawing shapes—we can see how we move on a Noh stage, for example: “From this point to that point, move in a semicircle.” This act of drawing forms is very similar to figure skating. And something I really felt this time is that sometimes you strike the ice in time with the rhythm, but other times you—

 

Hanyu: —make a move that breaks away from the rhythm.

 

Nomura: Yes, exactly. Those movements that detach from the rhythm. I’m not sure if “lightly passing through” is the right way to put it, but it's like giving a swift push with your foot—whoosh—and then gliding gently. We’re the same, really. Our initial steps follow the rhythm, but sometimes there’s a sudden swoosh, a foot movement that breaks away from the tempo. That kind of thing makes me feel a strong similarity between us.

 

Hanyu: That’s very true… And I think many different fields share that in common. In the end, maybe the essence of expression flows with the same kind of blood. You’ve mentioned before the idea of kata (form), and also the concept of “Heaven, Earth, and Man,” and the idea of dynamics—light and heavy, fast and slow—and the structure of Jo-Ha-Kyū (introduction, development, rapid finale). When I listen to music, I feel that many composers are also consciously aware of these things. Even what you just said about Ravel getting inspiration from repetitive factory sounds, that’s not so different from minimalist music. And sometimes we also express through repeating the same motion. I think the wavelengths of what humans perceive as beauty, or what stirs their emotions—whether through physical expression, auditory perception, or visual reception—might all be fundamentally the same…

 

Nomura: Hmm… While I can’t say for sure they’re the same, at least ten years ago I was consciously trying to share with you, “This is how we think.” The delicate manipulation of space and time is really important. If you just repeat the same movement over and over, it gets dull. So, before you unleash a big move, you create a moment of stillness. By restraining yourself first, the eventual explosion becomes twice as powerful—it’s that kind of feeling. How should I say this… I’ve seen many people perform, and I truly believe that kind of instinct is determined by one’s innate taste.

 

(Hanyu: Really!?)

 

Trying to boil that kind of thing down into scientific or mathematical formulas—it’s not impossible—but doing so makes it hard to grasp the nuance of flow and modulation. I think that’s something figure skating and Noh/Kyogen have in common. For example, what I mentioned earlier—actions that match the rhythm, like kicking the ground, versus moments that go beyond just matching the rhythm and instead “pass lightly” through…

 

Hanyu: Actually, in figure skating, keeping in sync with the rhythm is really hard. So a lot of people give up on trying to do that. I think I might be the only skater who really carves out the rhythm and synchronizes with the music to this degree. So in contrast to you, I actually came into it from the opposite side, starting with movements that didn't follow the rhythm or melody. But I felt uncomfortable with that, so I made efforts to match rhythm and melody. That struggle eventually brought me to the balanced state I’m in now.

 

Nomura: Boléro also has segments that align with rhythm, and parts that follow the melody. Especially when I’m performing it solo, I treat adjusting that balance while walking around the stage as a key focus.

 

Hanyu: That’s exactly the kind of effort figure skaters are constantly making too. One of the performers I really admire is Michael Jackson. Even if you turn off the music and just watch him dance, he still looks cool, doesn’t he? Even with no sound, you can remember what song is supposed to be playing there, what sound effects are used, what kind of lighting there is. That’s why I think his body itself is like a musical instrument.

 

(Nomura: You can even see the grace notes!)

 

Exactly! That’s why, when I perform figure skating, if I want to get as close to the music as possible—if I want to cherish the character and the imagery I’m portraying—then I also need to work hard to fully capture the background, the character, and the sounds. I want to become the kind of performer where, even without sets or sound, people can still see those elements through me.

 

Nomura: That’s wonderful! Just standing there makes people go “wow,” and then you simply raise one hand—

 

Hanyu: —and it looks so cool, right!?

 

Nomura: It really is cool! MJ was exactly like that. Every move was in a whole different dimension. To use singers as an example, it’s like even if you don’t understand the lyrics, the moment they sing, you just feel, “Wow.” There’s something inexplicably powerful about it.

Hanyu: But I think you are exactly like that, Nomura-san! For example, when you enter during Boléro, every single movement you make—from spreading your hakama sleeves to kneeling down with that one impactful sound—it instantly silences the atmosphere. Your command of space feels like you're unfolding an entire universe there.

 

Nomura: I see… We’ve really gotten fired up about this topic. Well, I say “we,” but it’s really just the two of us getting excited here (laughs). Anyway, next up is the original piece used in SEIMEI, the theme song from the film Onmyoji!

 

<music plays>

 

Nomura: These days, whenever I hear that piece, I immediately picture you skating to it. It’s really become like that for me.

 

Hanyu: When I hear it, I always start mentally rehearsing how I should perform and express myself, how I should move to it, so I actually try to avoid listening to it too often.

 

Nomura: Every time you finish skating to that piece, you look really satisfied. Like you’ve truly done it. That feeling of having fully expressed something, right?

 

Hanyu: Especially this time, I focused a lot on maintaining the persona of “Shikigami Yuzuru Hanyu” until the final moment when the curtain dropped. I had to stay as a shikigami the entire time. But during the Pyeongchang Olympics, I was just so happy that “Yuzuru Hanyu the person” ended up bursting out during the cheers.

 

Nomura: On the flip side, in this time’s notte stellata, right after I shouted “Kyūkyū nyoritsuryō,” there was that boom and you returned to a paper doll (hitogata - a human-shaped talisman). Then a pentagram appeared on the ice. In that moment, I truly felt that our wish to bring peace to souls had been conveyed through SEIMEI. That’s what I call “Professional Yuzuru Hanyu.” That’s just a label I’ve personally made up, but participating in notte stellata, I felt this deeply meaningful endeavour has gone far beyond just being an ice show. There really aren’t many people who can achieve something like this from so many angles! I’ve said it in interviews too, but I used the word “public figure.” I feel like you’re no longer just an individual, you’ve become a public presence. Going forward, “Professional Yuzuru Hanyu,” and even the existence of “Yuzuru Hanyu” itself, may no longer belong solely to you—though I hope that’s not too forward of me to say.

 

Hanyu: Haha, yes. This ever-expanding idea of “Yuzuru Hanyu” that exists in everyone’s imagination has, in a way, already left my physical self behind and is flying off toward an ideal version of me. Because of that, this flesh-and-blood version of Yuzuru Hanyu wants to keep striving to catch up, to become the ideal “Yuzuru Hanyu” that everyone envisions and needs. As for the “3.11” disaster, from which I received so much support, I want to continue supporting others in return, and keep my heart close to all kinds of disasters and those affected by them.

 

Nomura: That’s truly admirable. There are hardly any men in Japan these days who can do what you’re doing!

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.04.15

 

Source: https://www.ninomiyasports.com/archives/130397

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250416090600/https://www.ninomiyasports.com/archives/130397

 

"Seimei," who preached the necessity of controlling the space, and "SEIMEI," who mastered that art – Mansai Nomura × Yuzuru Hanyu

 

　Yuzuru Hanyu appeared as a guest on NHK Radio 1's "Mansai Nomura's Lucky Bag on the Radio" on the 14th. Hanyu's appearance follows the first part that aired on the 7th. The two talked about their way of being as performers through the program song "SEIMEI" that they performed together at "notte stellata 2025."

 

Spoiler

"That song saved me."

 

As Hanyu joined the show, Nomura introduced him by saying, "Our connection originally began with SEIMEI. It’s the theme used mainly in the ending of the film Onmyoji, in which I starred as Abe no Seimei."

 

Hanyu reflected, “That song really saved me... or rather, that program saved me.”

To this, Nomura added supportively, “In judged sports, it's inevitable that you have to focus on earning points.”

 

SEIMEI was the program Hanyu used in the free skate at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, where he achieved his second consecutive Olympic gold medal, following Sochi 2014. But his words — "that song saved me" — weren’t merely about the victory. It wasn’t just a literal reference. It likely pointed to something deeper: how the program helped him navigate the tension between being an athlete and an artist. This interpretation was echoed by Nomura’s remarks.

 

　Let's turn the clock back to 2015. At the end of that year, Mansai and Hanyu had a conversation on a TV program. They discussed where to focus their attention during a performance, and Mansai said the following.

 

"Gather your energy in all four directions in the space. For example, focus your energy on the four pillars here. Approach everything. It's also a form of greeting that draws everyone's attention to you."

 

“Awareness across the whole venue”

 

Hanyu responded from an athlete’s perspective:
"We have to direct our awareness toward the judges. Honestly, it ends up being mostly about the judges."

 

But then, he showed signs of inner conflict as an artist:

"But as you said, the audience surrounds us 360 degrees. Their reactions may not affect the scores, but if we consider ourselves expressive artists, then we absolutely have to captivate them..."

 

Nomura responded, building on the point:
"Not focusing solely on that one person — the judge — but rather thinking about efficiency. For yourself, for the judges, for the audience. To control the space, you have to make the space your ally. That’s why I want to direct my awareness to the entire venue."

 

From Nomura’s tone, one could sense the expectations he held for Hanyu — as if to say, “Even the judges are just part of the overall space.”

 

Back to April 14’s radio segment. Hanyu shared:
"SEIMEI was the program that made me think strongly about making jumps part of my expression."

He continued, "It felt like a kind of awakening — I was released from that mindset of 'jumps and scores'."

 

After the opening performance of notte stellata 2025, Nomura smiled gently and reflected:

 

"Back when we spoke 10 years ago, everything we see in him now was already within him — it just hadn’t been verbalized yet. With a few words from me, and with his own experience, he began to crack the shell, sprout, and now, he’s in full bloom. We may be aging, but it brings me such joy to see the next generation inherit our spirit."

 

Mansai Nomura, who played Seimei on screen, once emphasized the importance of “controlling the space.” A decade later, Yuzuru Hanyu has mastered that very art through SEIMEI. Now, the two have reunited — not just as collaborators, but as fellow expressive artists.