[2026.02.06] Yuzuru & Olympics 2026

[Wintek]

Although Yuzuru is not competing, there have been articles and TV programs featuring him.

[Wintek]

[2026.02.06]

 

*Machine translation from Portuguese to English, inaccuracies exist*

 

Source, “The Olympics”, article in Portuguese: https://www.olympics.com/pt/milano-cortina-2026/noticias/por-onde-anda-hanyu-yuzuru-idolo-japones-patinacao-artistica

Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20260207221912/https://www.olympics.com/pt/milano-cortina-2026/noticias/por-onde-anda-hanyu-yuzuru-idolo-japones-patinacao-artistica

 

Where is Hanyu Yuzuru, Japanese idol of figure skating, these days?

Two-time Olympic Champion left competitions after Beijing 2022, but continues sharing his art with the world. Check out what he has been doing in recent years.

By Sheila Vieira
February 6, 2026, 02:36 GMT-8

Four years ago, one of the most popular figure skaters in history, the Japanese Hanyu Yuzuru, competed for the last time in the Winter Olympic Games. His thousands of fans around the world, including in Brazil, felt a bit orphaned without his unique way of expressing himself on the rink.

However, even though Hanyu’s Olympic career came to an end after Beijing 2022, the Japanese skater did not stop skating. Currently 31 years old, he has been producing shows that fill the largest arenas in his country, in addition to charity performances.

“I want to cling to hope for my future and enjoy the opportunities that appear,” said Hanyu at the time.

First tours and mastery of the craft

His first foray into the new venture was a re-edition of his golden performance from PyeongChang 2018 entitled “Seimei,” broadcast on YouTube [note: in reference to SharePractice]. The livestream accumulated more than three million views in one month on the platform.

Also in 2022, he launched his saga entitled “Ice Story”, with the presentation “Prologue,” lasting 90 minutes, going through eight skating routines, including quadruple jumps and the triple Axels.

In 2023, Hanyu brought the first chapter of the franchise, “Gift,” filling the Tokyo Dome, an arena with a capacity of 55 thousand people, and traveling to other Japanese cities. He was accompanied by an orchestra, other dancers, and a band. The show was later made available on Disney+ [still available worldwide except in Europe].

While many see figure skating as a sport in which athletes lose (physical) performance while still young, Hanyu feels that he is at his peak.

“I always thought there was a regression at this age as a skater. But if you look at baseball or football, your 30s are when you start putting everything together: experience, technique. That’s when you master the craft.”

[Link to @YUZURUofficial_ twitter post with Echoes of Life edit]

Hanyu Yuzuru’s next show is already scheduled for 2026

In the 2023/2024 season came the sequel “Repray Tour”, once again exploring themes such as humanity and technology. The skater added music from the world of video games, bringing new fans to the spectacle.

The next chapter was the “Echoes of Life Tour” in 2024/2025, with impressive visual and scenic effects.

“In Echoes, we ask about the future and the past. I think the future is much brighter than I expect,” explained the skater.

In 2026, Hanyu will present the show “Realive” in two performances, on April 11 and 12, at the Sekisui Heim Super Arena in Rifu, in the region where he was born.

[Link to @HANYUYUZURU2624 official YouTube Channel, “Mass Destruction” (P3R) video]

Hanyu Yuzuru’s solidarity with the victims of earthquakes in Japan

In addition to his professional performances, Hanyu also puts on many charity shows. Since March 2023, the skater has promoted the annual show “Notte Stellata” (Starry Night), honoring the victims of the earthquake that devastated eastern Japan in 2011.

This spectacle includes the participation of other stars from the arts and Japanese sports. The 2026 edition will take place on March 7, 8, and 9, in Rifu, at the arena that served as a morgue after the earthquake. At that time, the skater needed to sleep several nights in an evacuation center.

“On March 11, 2011, a day of losses for many people, I looked at the sky at dusk and it was beautiful. I think it would be very simplistic to say that I took hope from the stars I saw that night, but I remember how beautiful it was, and that became an important memory for me,” commented Hanyu, about the inspiration for the title.

Hanyu also held a charity performance after the earthquake in Noto, in 2024, selling more than 10 thousand tickets and keeping the structure of the spectacle as streamlined as possible to reduce costs and increase fundraising.

“I feel that I still have a lot to offer, to move forward.”