[2016.02.29] Figure Skating Magazine 2015-2016 Season Climax (B.B. MOOK 1286)

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

Source: https://weibo.com/p/1001603949342242286508

Info: https://www.amazon.co.jp/フィギュアスケート・マガジン2015-2016シーズンクライマックス-B・B-MOOK-1286/dp/4583624204

 

Bonds with Otsuchi Town, Iwate: Yuzuru Hanyu and Iwate Otsuchi MOMO HOUSE

Text: Shinichi Yamaguchi

 

[In order to make others happy besides yourself]

 

On January 9th, the day of the Special Exhibition for the Great East Japan Earthquake held near Morioka City in Iwate, Yuzuru Hanyu visited Otsuchi Town, a coastal area that was severely affected by the disaster. He toured local government offices, schools, and a small bakery called MOMO HOUSE Otsuchi. This bakery was founded with the goal of supporting the community and helping to revitalize the town through handmade bread. Hanyu’s visit this time felt like a ray of hope for everyone there.
 

Spoiler

"I've heard there's a bakery in Otsuchi that has a connection to me… I wonder what kind of place it is. I'd really like to see it for myself."

 

Through TV coverage, I had a rough image of what the area looked like. But once I actually stepped foot on that land, the devastation was far beyond anything I had imagined. Mounds of earth were scattered all along the coastal area, and it was hard to feel any sign of daily life. Everywhere I looked, it was just “earth.” That barren landscape seemed to speak wordlessly: “Recovery doesn’t come easy. It still takes time.”

 

If you visit the town’s homepage, it’s clear how deeply the earthquake still defines it. Almost the entire site is filled with earthquake-related content. Once a town blessed by both sea and mountains, rich in marine resources, Otsuchi became widely known after being hit hard by the Great East Japan Earthquake in the spring of 2011. Roughly 10% of the population, or about 1,300 people, lost their lives, and around 4,000 had their homes completely destroyed.

 

In January of that year, Yuzuru Hanyu visited the town. Amid preparations for the NHK Special Exhibition, he carved out time to make the two-hour drive from Morioka to Otsuchi.

 

One of the places Yuzuru Hanyu visited was the bakery MOMO HOUSE Otsuchi. While it’s easy to understand visits to government offices or schools, some might wonder: why make a point of going to a bakery?

 

MOMO HOUSE is operated by a Kanagawa-Yokohama-based nonprofit organization called the Great East Japan Earthquake Employment, Education, and Health Support Organization. In their efforts to support recovery in Otsuchi, they had sent out a survey to residents in the disaster-stricken area asking: What is something the town needs right now?

 

Among the many responses, one stood out repeatedly:

 

“We want a bakery where we can eat fresh, warm, delicious bread.”

 

And so, in 2012, the second year after the earthquake, MOMO HOUSE was born.

 

At the same time, the organization had also been searching for a symbolic “image character” to represent and support the town’s recovery. Their criteria were: someone young and energetic, who embodied a sense of speed, freshness, and vitality, and most importantly, someone who could genuinely resonate with the cause of reconstruction.

 

Among the candidates who matched these qualities were figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu and sprinter Chisato Fukushima. When the organization reached out to Hanyu's father, they received two generous responses:

 

They were free to use Hanyu’s photo in their posters and pamphlets.

There would be no fees required from the organization for this usage.

 

Fast forward to this January. While Yuzuru was in Morioka for the NHK Special Exhibition performance, he himself expressed a desire to finally visit the bakery:

 

“That bakery in Otsuchi that I’m somehow connected to, what kind of place is it really? I’d really love to go see it.”

 

And just like that, the long-awaited visit became a reality.

 

“This is really delicious.” Those few words from Yuzuru Hanyu became a treasured memory for the little bakery and a huge boost of encouragement for everyone there.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu is coming.

 

That news reached the small shop on January 6th, just one day before his visit. It was right after the New Year holidays, barely into the start of the new year’s business. Though they had just finished the big year-end cleanup, the staff scrambled once again to make everything spotless and presentable to welcome their very special guest.

 

We spoke with Ms. Akemi Sugiyama, the woman in charge of running Bakery MOMO HOUSE Otsuchi, to hear what the visit was like on that unforgettable day.

 

“Hanyu-senshu arrived at the shop around 4 PM. He greeted us with a casual ‘Hello, everyone~,’ just like that. But even such a simple greeting made everyone in the store totally "doki-doki" nervous, like hearts pounding like little deer. I was so nervous I actually hid behind the bread rack,” said Sugiyama-san with a laugh.

 

Sugiyama-san is a longtime figure skating fan herself.

“Watching Hanyu-senshu skate always gives me this deep sense of comfort. He always chases ‘beauty’ in every single program. So when we heard he would be visiting us, it was such a shock! He’s an Olympic gold medalist, of course, but more than that, he puts in an extraordinary amount of effort to perfect his performance and set new records. To be in the same room with someone so exceptional was an honor, and I felt truly lucky.”

 

Along with Hanyu, a group of TV crew and journalists accompanied the visit, and the cozy shop quickly became packed.

 

As it happened, the visit fell on the bakery’s designated “Bread Day.”

Local favorites like the nostalgic hot dog buns (コッペパン) and Napolitan spaghetti-filled buns (ナポリタン惣菜パン), longtime staples beloved by the people of Iwate, were laid out on the table. After Sugiyama-san introduced each type of bread, Hanyu responded with sincere interest: “Hee~!” “Ohh, I see!”

 

In the back of the shop, where the bread and sweets are baked, factory manager Hiroshi Sasaki recalled with a chuckle:

 

“I had imagined he might be taller in person than he looks on TV... but actually, not really! (laughs) Since the number-one skater in the world was coming to our store, I mentally prepped myself to act a bit more proper... But when I met him, he was just a very normal young guy.”

 

That said, Sasaki admitted he had been so nervous at first that he was stiff with tension in the kitchen.

 

Hanyu also visited Sasaki's baking space, where he was invited to try a new product still in development "Ice DE French," a soft and slightly moist coconut sembei (rice cracker) sandwich with mascarpone cream cheese in the center. It's a gentle, sweet treat with a unique texture.

 

“I asked Hanyu-senshu to try it, and he said it was really delicious,” Sasaki said, visibly pleased.

“He didn’t seem like someone who normally eats sweets, but he told me, ‘If it’s a dessert like this, I could eat it.’ Originally, we planned to start seriously selling it in April, but after getting Hanyu-senshu’s compliment, I really felt encouraged and motivated.”

 

Hanyu and the media crew stayed in the shop for about 30 minutes.

Before leaving, Hanyu picked up a few more items: a Curry Yakisoba Bun, a MOMO Dog (hot dog), and added a sweet bread (お菓子パン) to his order.

 

Store manager Sugiyama microwaved the bread for him, but since Hanyu didn’t have time, he wasn’t able to eat it on the spot.

“When I handed him the bag with the warmed-up bread inside, he looked so genuinely happy,” Sugiyama recalled.

 

After Hanyu and his team left, Sasaki said with a laugh:

“How do I put it... we were so nervous. Everyone in the shop felt completely wiped out, like we’d just run a marathon.”

 

And so, the unexpected "storm" that blew in at the start of the New Year quietly passed.

“When I’m physically and mentally exhausted, feeling pain and disappointment, the memory of Hanyu’s visit to our shop becomes my source of strength.”

 

After Hanyu and his group left, the evening sun was setting, casting deeper hues over Otsuchi. As the sun dipped below the horizon, fewer pedestrians and vehicles remained on the streets, and the bustle and noise faded away. This silent world taught me that a tremendous amount of energy is still needed for recovery.

 

At the same time, I gradually came to understand why the local people’s first hope for revival was “to have a small bakery where we can buy freshly baked bread.” The aroma drifting from the bakery seemed to herald the beginning of peaceful days. The earthquake had pulled the people of Otsuchi away from such ordinary moments.

 

In the time after the disaster, people across Japan felt deeply connected to the affected areas. Even from far away, everyone’s hearts were united. Many offered warmth to the disaster zones, through both goods and donations. But what is the situation like today, five years later? Surely people all over Japan have not forgotten about the disaster areas.

 

Yet the people living in Otsuchi still hold onto feelings of uncertainty.

 

“If the population of Otsuchi keeps declining like this, even selling out all the bread in the store will become difficult. After starting work here, I realized many problems were crashing down on us,” said Sugiyama.

 

Originally from Shizuoka Prefecture, Sugiyama came here as an earthquake volunteer. She lived in Otsuchi and nearby Kamaishi City for two years and got to know many elderly people. Thinking about what would happen to them in the future, she found herself unable to leave Otsuchi. Because of this, someone asked her if she wanted to work at MOMO HOUSE.

 

“In truth, after I started working here, I encountered many things that made me feel discouraged and hopeless.”

 

That’s precisely why Yuzuru Hanyu’s visit held such great significance.

 

“That day’s visit is like a protective charm for me. You could almost feel the kindness and warmth radiating from Hanyu’s heart. That’s just the kind of person he is. Even though he only stayed for about 30 minutes, having such an outstanding athlete come to our shop was incredible. Though he’s younger than me, I feel like he’s a mentor in my life. Whenever I feel mentally and physically exhausted, recalling moments from meeting Hanyu helps me find the strength to move forward.”

 

When Hanyu was about to leave, Sugiyama conveyed the gratitude of Jun Tanaka, the director of the disaster relief organization, for his visit. Hanyu replied, “No, I haven’t done anything extraordinary. From now on, I just want to keep doing what I can.”

 

A reporter suddenly asked Sugiyama, “Is there anything you want to say to Hanyu? Just one sentence.” Sugiyama instantly answered, “He is a sacred person.” After she said that, Hanyu came over, struck a pose, and joked around making a funny face saying, “Onmyoji!”

 

When Hanyu and his group were finally about to leave, Sugiyama warmed up the bread Hanyu had bought in the microwave. After 40 seconds, the microwave beeped, and amidst the crowd of reporters, Hanyu cheerfully asked, “Is the interview done already?” Clapping his hands and singing, “Bread♪ bread♪ bread♪ bread♪,” he came over to Sugiyama like a child to take his bread. Moments like this became treasured memories for the little bakery.

 

After the footage of Hanyu’s visit aired on TV, it sparked a huge response. There were orders coming from Kansai, and even a company employee on a business trip to Morioka said, “My wife asked me to buy the exact same bread that Hanyu ate,” and drove two hours just to purchase it.

 

“Situations like these really help us out. I think Hanyu knows this too, which is why he supports us,” Sugiyama said.

 

There is a song that goes, "The first person to get ready in the morning is ——". Every day at 6 a.m., Mr. Sasaki stands in the kitchen of MOMO HOUSE, filling the air with the smell of freshly baked bread. The variety of breads laid out on the breakfast table gives people energy to carry them through the day.

 

Similarly, early risers aren’t just in the bakery. Skaters are the same. Avoiding the rink’s public hours, they train either in the early morning or late at night. While most people are still cozy in their warm beds, skaters are already on the ice. Their dedication to refining their skills mirrors that of the artisans working in the bakery, both exude the spirit of true craftsmen.

 

Everyone wants happiness for themselves, and also for those around them. It’s truly beautiful when the things we love and the passions we pour ourselves into bring happiness to others. Bringing joy to others enriches not only their lives but our own as well.

Regarding the revival of Otsuchi, Sugiyama said, “I want to move forward together with Yuzuru Hanyu.” Ultimately, that’s no exaggeration.

 

Wanting to bring happiness to others.

 

I believe this is one of the reasons Yuzuru Hanyu continues skating. The same reason why, even after falling on the ice, he stands back up and keeps jumping.