[2020.03.01] "Hanachirusato News" Vol. 205 (March 2020 issue)

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine-translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2020.03.01

 

Source: https://www.iwanumaya.co.jp/news/132

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20200317045034/https://www.iwanumaya.co.jp/news/132

 

 

Sendai – The Hometown That Produced Shizuka Arakawa, Yuzuru Hanyu, and More

 

This issue's special feature is "Sendai and Figure Skating."
Sendai has produced many figure skaters, including Shizuka Arakawa and Yuzuru Hanyu.
We hope that this issue, which explores the connection between Sendai and figure skating, will help you discover new charms of Sendai.

 

Spoiler

With the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics drawing near, attention is focused on athletes from Miyagi, including hometown sports figures.

 

Now, before the Olympics, we'll be focusing on the 2020 Figure Skating Championships, the final event of this winter. The championships will be held in Montreal from March 16th, and Sendai native Yuzuru Hanyu will also be competing.

 

This time, we'll explore the connection between Sendai and figure skating, a city where skating fans from all over the country visit to follow in the footsteps of athletes like Arakawa and Hanyu.

 

■The Birthplace of Japanese Figure Skating

Near the Sannomaru area of Aoba Castle, right at the entrance of the Sendai City Museum, lies Goshikinuma (Five-Colored Pond), which is considered the birthplace of figure skating in Japan.

 

In the mid-Meiji period, foreigners living in Sendai began skating here. Later, in the late Meiji period, students of the former Second High School such as Saburō Tashiro and Kōzō Satō, who are called Japan’s first figure skaters, and Shirō Kawakubo, who founded the Japan Skating Association, are said to have received figure skating instruction from a German language teacher named Wilhelm.

By the edge of Goshikinuma stands a monument marking the "Birthplace of Figure Skating in Japan," as well as a bronze statue titled "Path to Infinity" of a male and female pair skater, created by sculptor Hiromi Okina.

 

While the pond no longer freezes solid today, in the Taisho era it was a popular winter recreation spot. In autumn, the leaves are beautifully colored, and the earthen embankments of Sannomaru visible to the south of the pond make it a must-visit for castle enthusiasts as well.

 

■Figure Skating Monuments

Directly across from Goshikinuma Pond, in front of International Center Station on the Sendai City Subway Tozai Line, there are three "Figure Skating Monuments" featuring handprint plaques.

 

The glass monuments honor the achievements of Shizuka Arakawa, who won gold at the Torino Olympics, and Yuzuru Hanyu, who won back-to-back golds at the Sochi and PyeongChang Olympics. Each monument displays an illustration that is nearly life-sized.

Arakawa, who grew up in Miyagi and studied at Tohoku High School, is loved by locals as their hometown gold medalist, and she is also active as a tourism ambassador for her hometown of Rifu Town. Her graceful Ina Bauer pose is accompanied by an adorable autograph, creating a lovely contrast.

 

Hanyu has two monuments, each showing the signature pose from his respective Olympic programs. Fans visiting the site enjoy posing in the same stance for photos or placing their hands over the handprints, making the experience interactive and very popular.

 

■The Skating Rink That Nurtured The Athletes

The Ice Rink Sendai, where both Shizuka Arakawa and Yuzuru Hanyu trained, serves as a training ground for athletes and is also a skating rink where anyone can enjoy skating.

 

Inside the facility, there are galleries dedicated to Arakawa and Hanyu, where visitors can view photos from their earlier years.

 

■“Sendai Tour” and Yuzuru Hanyu

In 2019, the city published a sightseeing guidebook called “Sendai Meguri” In the article, Hanyu, who is a tourism ambassador, says, “Sendai is the place I return to,” and introduces places connected to him.

 

Speaking of Hanyu, he recently won the gold medal at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships and achieved the “Super Slam” by winning six major titles, including the World Junior Championships and the Grand Prix Final. He is known worldwide as a top athlete.

 

For the people of Sendai, Hanyu is also someone who inspires and encourages them through his dedication to skating. It is well-known through the media that he lived in evacuation shelters during the Great East Japan Earthquake, struggled with whether it was right to continue skating in such difficult times, and later supported recovery efforts through charity events. The citizens of Sendai always welcome him back with open arms, saying, “Welcome home.”

 

■ People Who Care Deeply for Hanyu

By chance, we had the opportunity to briefly speak with Hanyu’s maternal grandparents. They shared how the whole family gathered to watch him during the Sochi Olympics. To this couple, Hanyu is simply their precious grandson, someone they are always watching over with care.

 

They said, “In the past, we worried about his health, but now he worries about us staying healthy,” and, “I think it’s amazing how positive he is and that he never runs away from challenges.” Seeing them speak like this naturally inspires in us a quiet wish for Hanyu’s continued success.

 

Surely, there are many others around Hanyu who feel the same deep affection and support for him.

 

 

Sendai has many more attractions besides the places introduced this time. When spring comes, why not take a walk using the “Sendai Meguri” guide as a reference?

 

※With permission from the couple, we have included their words in this special feature.

 

 

■ Official “Sendai Meguri” Website
https://www.sendai-meguri.jp/
A sightseeing guidebook published by Sendai City.
During the 2019 fiscal year, the digital version is available on the official website.
The guidebook is also distributed at our facility.
(Limited to guests staying overnight, one copy per person per night. Available until check-in on March 31, 2020.)