Japanese Men's Figure Skating Fan Book: Cutting Edge 2012

Info: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4789962032

*machine translated, inaccuracies exist

Source: https://weibo.com/5224452744/GCffaEq9G

2011.12.16

Johnny Weir's "Fashion Check: Japanese Men's Edition"

—Last season, you designed his costume and it became a topic of conversation. As a designer, Johnny, what kind of "model" was Yuzuru Hanyu for you?

Yuzuru, you know, is perfectly suited to both skating and fashion. That’s because he’s tall and very slim. With that slender build, you can try all sorts of things with his costumes—even things you couldn’t do with other people. His arms and legs are so long!

Also, I feel that, among Japanese skaters, Yuzuru is the one most like me. That’s why, when designing for him, I wanted to create something as beautiful as possible. At the same time, I thought about something appropriate for his age. I wanted the costume to show that he was now in the process of becoming a grown man from a boy... That’s why I placed pink against dark colors like this (for his 2010–11 free skate, Zigeunerweisen). His mother handled the sewing based on my design, and she did a wonderful job. It was such a fun project.

—It was a costume where you could immediately tell, “Ah, this is a Johnny design.” Somehow, it made me happy just to look at it.

But, you know, that design was very simple. I think he could pull off so much more, including many different looks. He has the ideal physique and appearance for fashion, so I think his costumes will only continue to get better from here on out.

—So, Yuzuru is the Japanese skater most like you. Interestingly, this autumn, he’ll be training in Russia, a country you admire so much.

Who will he be training with? Bobrin and Bestemianova! Yes, I think training in Moscow is a good thing. Japan doesn’t have as deep a tradition in ballet and dance as Russia does, does it? It’s also quite difficult to learn how to express passion in Japan. [omitted] I’m sure training in Russia will be very meaningful for him.

—It sounds as though we can expect him to make a big leap forward this year.

Yes, I want Yuzuru to become the Japanese national champion. He’s one of my peers, and he’s my favorite male skater. He’s talented and has a very fresh quality about him, along with a distinctive style that other skaters don’t have. He has extraordinary potential, too, and the ability to compete in three Olympic Games from here on. It’s rare to find someone with all those qualities... I want him to become Japanese national champion, world champion, and Olympic champion.

—But he might become your rival at the Sochi Olympics.

That’s true (laughs). But I don’t mind. I’ll compete for my fans, my family, and myself. The time when I should have been able to win an Olympic medal has passed. In 2006, I made mistakes. In 2010, I felt that I should have won a medal, but... well, that was the result. So, at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, I intend to compete in order to support the sport of figure skating. Yuzuru, on the other hand, will surely be competing to win. I think we’ll be in very different situations. That’s why, in Sochi, I’ll be cheering Yuzuru on and shouting for him.

*machine translated, inaccuracies exist

Source: https://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309404746696470167600

Yuzuru Hanyu: “A Shining New Star”

60 Ice Shows

The first ice show I participated in during the off-season was the Kobe Charity Ice Show (April). After that came the Toyohashi Charity Ice Show, FaOI in Fukuoka and Kanazawa, THE ICE, PIW… Yesterday, I counted them up together with a reporter, and if we include CaOI (October), that makes a total of 59 ice shows. (Actually, you also made a guest appearance as a surprise guest at Japan Open after that, bringing the total to 60.) Hehehe, I've really become just like Disney on Ice!

That's really… exhausting! With ice shows, you have to deliver a flawless performance, even more so than in competitions. Of course, you need to be mistake-free in competitions too, but ice shows are purely about putting on a performance for the audience. So I feel that "I have to give them a beautiful performance without making a single mistake." Having to keep that in mind while skating in dozens of ice shows was quite exhausting.

Even so, despite the packed schedule, my physical condition… was fine! There was just one occasion, in July, when I was travelling back and forth between Higashi-Kanagawa and Sendai. I seemed to have caught a bit of a cold, and then developed a stomachache, so I had to stop training for two days. But that was all. (Yumi standing next to him: No, no, there's more).

Ah, after skating at DOI (June 22-24), the FaOI charity ice show in Fukuoka (July 2-4), and then PIW Tokyo (July 15-18), I felt like, "Ah, I don't want to practice anymore!" (laughs). At that time, I was really... truly exhausted. Especially at PIW Tokyo, it was 4 consecutive days with two shows each day, making eight performances in total! Doing two shows every day was really tiring. But strangely enough, even though it was so exhausting, that was when my quad jumps were in their best shape. I kept landing one after another, and it was the first time I had landed a 4S in front of the public. Just like that... there was a time when I felt like all my energy was used up (laughs). I was mentally exhausted and felt like, "I don't want to practice anymore, I can't do it anymore..." Even Coach Nanami was worried and kept asking, "Are you okay? Are you sure you're okay?" And I told her, "Sigh, sensei... I can't do it anymore." (laughs)

So, if I said that I wasn't physically struggling or that it wasn't exhausting, that would be a lie. But conversely, precisely because I was in that kind of environment, I got to practise a great deal alongside all sorts of skaters, and that gave me energy. My quad jumps also improved during that time. Even when things were at their most difficult, my condition kept getting better.

As for the quadruple jumps… if we count all 60 ice shows, I'd say my success rate was around 80%, right? At the very beginning, during the PIW Yokohama shows (April 30–May 5), I couldn't land them at all. Out of those eight performances, I only managed to land two or three. But by PIW Hachinohe (May 14–15), I was landing them without any mistakes. The same went for the Okazaki shows (August 13–14): every quad I attempted during the Finale was successful. So, all things considered, I managed to land about 80% of them. At THE ICE, I even landed a quad while wearing jeans! Especially at the Osaka performance (July 30–31), I was in super good form. In my short program at the last show, I even did a triple Axel after my quadruple jump. And during the men's group number in the Finale, I landed a quad while wearing jeans!

Actually, my performance at the ice show the previous evening hadn’t gone very well, so I felt a desire for a bit of redemption. During the finale that day, I was wearing jeans, yet I managed to land two quadruple jumps. Right at the very end, after the finale had officially concluded, I thought to myself, "Is this really how it ends? Alright, let's go for a quad Salchow!" So I gave it a try, and I ended up landing it.

Even though there was no ice rink available and I couldn't even complete my normal training, why did my quad jumps keep improving? It was really thanks to the support of so many people. First of all, Mura-san (Takahito Mura). He was always giving me advice. It was Mura-san who taught me the 4S during the Toyohashi show (May 7), and he also gave me advice during THE ICE Osaka and Nagoya shows. He was always calling out to me, saying, "Let's practise together!" He even complimented my 3A. I was so happy. Then there were Takeshi Honda and Soji-sensei. Takeshi guided me at every single PIW performance, starting from Yokohama. Soji-sensei, who had also taught me at the Sendai ice rink, was with me throughout the PIW ice shows as well.

It wasn’t just the Japanese skaters and coaches who helped me. Thanks to opportunities like ice shows, skaters from abroad also taught me a great deal. During THE ICE, I practiced with Adam (Rippon). When he was doing his 4Lz, I tried imitating him, and I managed to get a little feel for it. I started being able to rotate more. At FaOI, Stéphane (Lambiel) was also participating. Apparently, he had landed a 4Lo before, so I said to Stéphane, "Teach me!" (laughs). At first, I also asked Stéphane for some advice on my 4T. He said, "Why don't you try jumping it first?" So I showed him. After watching, he said, "…Is there really anything I need to tell you?" (laughs).

Then we started talking about what other quads I could do. I told him, "I can more or less land the 4S now, but I can't do any of the others yet." He replied, "Well, I can do the 4Lo." So I said, "Then teach me the 4Lo!" And that's what happened. After Stéphane gave me a little guidance, I still wasn't able to land it, but I had at least started being able to complete the rotation.

So, I think my improvement was really down to receiving so much advice from all these people: various skaters, including those who are now coaches but used to perform quadruple jumps themselves. Recently, my 4T has become even more consistent, and my 4S has also stabilized considerably. All the jumps I want to perform are improving, and that makes me really happy. Because of that, I didn't dwell too much on the physical exhaustion and was able to give my all throughout all 60 ice shows!

Breaking Through My Limitations Once Again

Recently, what Coach Nanami and people from the skating federation have been telling me is that I need to "expand my personal space and broaden my range of expression." For example, younger skaters tend to skate with tremendous intensity, don't they? But they often confine that intensity to the space immediately surrounding their own bodies. Senior-level skaters, on the other hand, make the entire rink their own as they skate. Take Patrick Chan and Daisuke Takahashi, for instance. I feel that they make incredibly expansive use of the ice. I want to become more conscious of things like this, paying attention to my gaze, the expressiveness and tension in my fingertips, and so on, so that I can broaden my range of expression.

In that respect, someone I thought was incredibly cool was… Philippe Candeloro, who performed alongside us at FaOI! Wow, he really is… just so incredibly cool! If I had to describe how I felt in one word, it would be "moving." Watching his D'Artagnan performance, I actually found myself on the verge of tears. It had been such a long time since a figure skating performance had moved me to tears like that. Although Candeloro managed to land a triple Lutz during practice, he didn't quite manage to land it in the actual performance. But even so! I still thought, "He's amazing!" There's just something extraordinary about him… His presence is truly in a league of its own. Looking at the finer details, his ability to change facial expressions is incredible. His D'Artagnan program has so many changes in scenes and music, and he adjusts his facial expressions and hand movements to match each one. The expressions he uses in one scene are completely different from those in the next… I was genuinely amazed by that. But of course, it's not just that. He creates an atmosphere that encompasses the entire performance. Somehow, watching Candeloro skate doesn't even feel like watching figure skating. It feels more like watching ballet or a musical.

That's the kind of thing I'd like to be able to express myself someday! Lately, my quadruple jumps have been gradually becoming more consistent, and I've started to really enjoy jumping them. In any case, I personally feel that a program has to include quadruple jumps. I'd be really happy if people came to associate the "new Yuzuru Hanyu" with quadruple jumps. But at the same time, I also want to show everyone that there's more to me than just those jumps. When I was younger, my jumps weren't particularly consistent, so I was actually better known for my skating skills than for my jumps. That's why, even now that I've moved up to the senior level, I don't want to become a skater who's all about jumping. I want to be a skater who is appreciated for other aspects of my skating, too.

Still, there are so, so many things I'm lacking at the moment. As for how I've grown over these past few months… well, the only thing that's really grown is my height. I really want to develop a style of expression that only I can bring to the ice, but I haven't quite gotten there yet. (laughs)

But if there's one thing that has changed, it's that I'm no longer as hesitant about performing itself. Lately, I've gradually started to feel that, "Maybe it's okay to just express myself in my own way." When it comes to developing my own style, whether in skating or dancing, I've begun to think that all I need to do is give it everything I've got and do the very best I can with what I'm capable of. Perhaps the turning point for this way of thinking was the "Dance Battle" at THE ICE. I had never truly let loose like that in front of an audience before.

The "Dance Battle" was a one-on-one dance competition, held in a knockout format as part of THE ICE ice show. I really, really didn't want to lose! My first opponent was Florent Amodio. Before the competition, Narumi Takahashi and I looked at the tournament bracket together, saying things like, "As long as we can get through the first round, we'll be fine!" and "Let's both do our best!" After all, Narumi's first opponent was Jeffrey Buttle, while mine was Florent. We were both up against formidable opponents. Then, as soon as the competition started, Florent gave me this look that practically said, "I'm going to win!" Honestly, just seeing that kind of intensity almost made me want to cry! But I didn't back down. I went for it! After all, I really, really didn't want to lose! I'm basically someone who hates losing whenever there's a competition involved.

After managing to beat Florent through sheer determination, although I suppose I was only able to win because it was an ice show in Japan, I really let myself go! In the following rounds, I imitated Candeloro, did Dai-chan's footwork from Swan Lake, and even threw in some "Dodosuko" moves (t/n: a comedy routine; the hip-wiggling movement around the 45-second mark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kai0zMnFh9U).

Rather than dancing, it had practically turned into a comedy routine (laughs). But eventually, I ran out of material, and in the semifinals, I lost to Narumi, the very person I'd made that little pact with before the competition began. Well, I never really thought I could beat Narumi at dancing in the first place (laughs). Compared with Narumi, I'm still pretty hopeless…

So, I wouldn’t say that experience actually improved my dancing ability, but it was a lot of fun! After all, once you've let yourself go like that in front of everyone and broken through that barrier just once, you start to feel, "Hey, I can do anything!" I’ve never been the type to feel shy about dancing, but I’ve also never been one to let loose to that extent. But I feel that the "Dance Battle" was the catalyst for something inside me that had been lying dormant to finally awaken. It's like a switch got flipped! (laughs) Should I aim to win next year? Ah, no, maybe not another dance-off? I'm just not cut out for it. When it comes down to it, what I really want to do on the ice is jump! Could we make it a "jumping contest" next year instead? Something like a contest where whoever manages the most rotations wins!

What I Gained in Moscow

Well, Russia… was tough (laughs). Although it was supposed to be a week-long training camp in Moscow, I was the only skater there! My coaches were Coach Bobrin (the 1981 World Championships men's singles bronze medallist) and Coach Natalia (the ice dance gold medallist at the Calgary Olympics). They’re a married couple. Sometimes I had the rink all to myself with them, and other times I’d share the ice with some young children. But honestly, I would spend an entire hour and a half repeatedly skating through my programs without doing a single jump, focusing purely on skating. Then I'd take a 20-minute break, after which I'd go straight into another hour and a half of skating. I thought I was going to die! Believe it or not, the endless repetition of spins and footwork sequences is actually much more grueling than practicing jumps.

The Russian coaches weren't particularly strict, but they taught me with incredible attention to detail. And I mean really minute details. They were also very thorough in the way they explained things. Since the main purpose of the training was to refine my short program and free skate, quite a lot has changed compared with how I performed them during the summer, hasn't it? The footwork, in particular, was completely reworked. For example, when doing crossovers, the coaches told me not to focus solely on the pushing action. Instead, I should also incorporate beautiful upper-body movements to make my skating look more fluid. Even if my legs were pushing as hard as they possibly could, my upper body still had to look effortless, beautiful and elegant. The coaches told me, "You have to move like a swan."

The two coaches would demonstrate the movements themselves as they guided me, saying things like, "This way would look better," or "No, that's not quite right." They would discuss their ideas with each other as they worked on the choreography. Since I don't understand Russian, I couldn't tell exactly what they were saying. But I imagine their conversation went something like, "How about this?" "No, this way is better." They would go back and forth like that, gradually working out the best possible choreography for me. I thought it was really impressive to be able to witness that whole process of trial and error, and see how they worked together to refine and polish the program.

When you think about it, Russian figure skating is something that has been firmly established, and its influence is recognised throughout the world. There was a period when Russia wasn't producing many prominent skaters, but now skaters like Tuktamysheva have emerged again. And there are plenty of younger skaters coming up behind her, aren't there? While I was in Moscow, I watched the Russian national team's test skates. They were held in a format similar to an exhibition, and I saw so many junior skaters already attempting triple Axels! Gachinski, Zhan Bush and Sergei Voronov were there, too. Voronov even knew who I was, which really surprised me!

What made me especially happy was that even the Russian coaches praised my skating, particularly my flexibility in elements like the Biellmann spin and the Ina Bauer. Regarding my Ina Bauer, one coach even said, "You could arch your back even further!" and showed me how to position my arms to help me bend deeper.

Previously, when I did the backbend, I would stop almost as soon as I started. But now, I begin to arch my back as I raise my arms, and once I've bent back a little, I lower my hand and push myself further down. That's how I've changed the movement. It's become so much easier now! I was really happy about it, so I started practising it over and over again. The same goes for the Biellmann spin. The coaches told me, "Keep pushing!" There aren't many male singles skaters who can still do a Biellmann spin once they reach the senior level. They told me, "There isn't anyone else who can spin as beautifully as you do, so you should practise it even more!" Of course, hearing that made me really happy. Flexibility is something I've worked particularly hard to develop as one of my special strengths. I've put in so much effort because I wanted to be recognised as the best in this area. So, to have the Russian coaches praise me for it made me feel that all my hard work had really paid off.

Although I learned so many things during this training camp, I think the biggest takeaway was definitely the spins. Getting spins to the required levels is really difficult, but I do have quite a wide variety of positions in my repertoire, and I suppose I'm one of those skaters who can earn a fair number of points through spins. For example, since I can do both the A-spin and the Biellmann spin, I don't have to force myself to perform the intermediate positions. These are my strengths, and they're things other skaters can't do, so I want to make sure I continue to develop them. I also spent a lot of time practising flying camel spins and doughnut spins. My camel spin has become considerably faster, too. In addition to expanding the variety of spins I can perform, the coaches also taught me how to use spins as a means of artistic expression.

For example, raising your arm while spinning in a doughnut spin is a way of adding expression to the movement. Raising my arm during the doughnut spin… that's something I simply couldn't do before. I remember trying to imitate my older sister when she did it, but I just couldn't pull it off. But in Russia, the coaches told me, "Give it a try." So I really concentrated and gave it my best, and I actually managed to do it! It made me realise that even things you once thought were too difficult are possible if you focus and practise hard enough.

But Russia… there weren't any hotels near the ice rink! (laughs) I stayed in a place that was more like a small clinic. The bed was so tiny that my feet kept hitting the end of it. The window wouldn't close properly, either. Once you opened it, you had to push really hard to get it shut again. It was already so cold in September, so I can't imagine how awful it would be to stay in that room during the winter… And then there's the food in Russia, too… I'd really like to visit Coach Natalia and the others again, but I wonder if I could stay at a nicer hotel next time!

Towards the World Championships

The World Championships… Well, of course I want to go! My fans keep telling me things like, "We've already bought our tickets!" and "We've got tickets for both the Grand Prix Final and the World Championships, so Yuzuru, you'd better show up, or we'll be upset!" Oh dear, oh dear… Even if you put it that way… (laughs)

First, there's the Grand Prix Series. The fields at the two events I'll be competing in—the Cup of China and the Rostelecom Cup—are incredibly strong. There are skaters like Brian Joubert, Tomáš Verner and Jeremy Abbott. And Artur Gachinski is competing at both events! It looks like it's going to be a really high-level jumping competition. At least Patrick Chan won't be there, so that's a relief. (laughs) First of all, I need to qualify for the Grand Prix Final, and I think that's going to be quite difficult. But I'm genuinely excited to have so many strong competitors! Just having Gachinski there gets me fired up already! (laughs) After all, unless I can beat these skaters, I won't make it to the Grand Prix Final. And if I can't beat them, I won't stand a chance when I face Dai-chan and the others at the Japanese National Championships, either. That's why I think I need to give every competition my very best from the very first event onward, taking them one at a time.

Then, at the All-Japan Championships, I want to stand on the podium. Actually, why not go all the way, win the title and qualify for the World Championships? Honestly, I want to take first place. I’m already in my second year as a senior, so I can’t keep saying my goal is just "to reach the podium." If I’m serious about aiming for a podium spot at the Sochi Olympics, I have to compete with total focus starting this year.

To keep improving and become an even stronger skater before Sochi, of course, it's important that I work hard myself. But I also want to put myself in a position where I'm the one being chased by others. And if I'm going to become even stronger, I want the other skaters to become stronger, too. When they improve, I'll be driven to catch up with them and surpass them, and that will push me to become even stronger myself. For all of us to keep challenging and pushing one another, I need to become stronger first. That's why I have to start aiming to win the Japanese National Championships this very year.

I want to become number one as soon as possible, and then… well, become a skater who leads everyone and ushers in a new era! But what's important is this year. I feel that this is where things really begin. Are you looking forward to it? I certainly am! After all, there's nothing more exciting than competing. Sometimes I hear skaters say, "I hate competitions," and I find myself thinking, "Then why do you practice?" Isn't the whole point of training to compete and to win? That's why competitions are fun! Of course, when I make a mistake, it hurts. I'll feel disappointed and frustrated. But when you win, you're happy, aren't you? That's what we train for—for victory!"

2011–12 Season Program Introduction

Short Program

Étude Op. 8, No. 12, "Pathétique"

Composer: Alexander Scriabin

Choreographer: Nanami Abe

This short program had already become well known through his performances at ice shows. It made its debut at a charity ice show in Fukuoka in July. During practice that day, he delivered a flawless performance incorporating a quadruple jump, earning high praise from Kensuke Nakaniwa.

"The short program is set to a very powerful piece of music. I've been listening to it a lot. At the beginning, there are piano notes and percussion, along with all sorts of other sounds… They create such a rich, full-bodied sound. I want to convey that depth and power through my skating."

From the middle of the program onward, flowing piano melodies become the main focus.

"Here, I really want to use my facial expressions, fingertips and toes to capture the delicate nuances of the piano music. As for the jumps, starting this season, I'll be including a quadruple jump and a triple-triple combination, so please be sure to watch out for those!"

Free Skate

Film: Romeo and Juliet

Composer: Nellee Hooper

Choreographer: Nanami Abe

This was another program that really excited audiences at the ice shows. The version performed at the shows was shortened by 30 seconds from its original 4-minute-30-second length, and began partway through the program.

"The theme of the free skate is quite challenging. I've never experienced anything like Romeo's… Ah, actually, I suppose hardly anyone has! (laughs) When it comes down to it, expressing something like love is really difficult… But since this is such a famous work, I don't want it to become just another ordinary Romeo and Juliet. I want it to be a Romeo and Juliet that belongs uniquely to me. Even if it becomes my own interpretation—not the Romeo and Juliet from the original story, but Yuzuru and Juliet—that's perfectly fine. I want to put that much of my own emotion into it."

(Will you be including quadruple jumps in the free skate as well?)

"Yes, I will. At the moment, I'm planning to include one. But my 4S is actually in pretty good shape, too. In fact, it's in better condition than my 4T was at this point last year. If I can maintain this form, I might even be able to include two quadruple jumps."

Exhibition Program

“Somebody to Love”

Artist: Justin Bieber

Choreographer: Nanami Abe

At the Nebelhorn Trophy, his first competition of the season, he performed his exhibition program from the previous season, Vertigo.

"Vertigo is just too exhausting! I've had enough of it! I want to skate to Change again!" (his exhibition program from two seasons earlier)

He made this rather willful request, and the resulting program was choreographed just a few days before the Cup of China. For the music, he chose a popular song by Justin Bieber, who is the same age as Yuzuru.

Yuzuru Hanyu, as Told by Coach Nanami Abe

As everyone knows, he wasn't able to train as he normally would this season. However, he made the most of every opportunity to skate, doing everything he could within whatever skating environments were available to him. Whenever he was scheduled to appear in an ice show, he would find out the earliest possible date he could get on the ice and head to the venue ahead of time. If it was a temporary rink, he would ask the organisers for permission to skate on the very first day the ice was ready for use. Normally, that would be an almost impossible request, but everyone was understanding and accommodated him. So, if an ice show was scheduled for the weekend, he would already be at the rink practising from Wednesday or Thursday. I would go to whichever rink he was training at to coach him, then return to Sendai to supervise the off-ice training of the younger students.

Because he was constantly travelling from place to place, almost like a nomad, his training probably wasn't as comprehensive or well-rounded as it could have been in many respects. Nevertheless, I believe he trained with tremendous focus. On the positive side, he had opportunities to practise alongside skaters from overseas, as well as Japanese skaters he might not otherwise have had the chance to train with. He’s the type of person who learns by observing, so in that respect, I think he was able to make the most of those training opportunities.

PERSONAL QUESTIONS

“Three things for each question!”

"Personal Questions" is a popular segment in Cutting Edge. This year, we asked the skaters to provide three things that immediately come to mind for each question!

Q1. Treasured possessions

Q2. Something you want right now

Q3. Heroes or idols

Q4. Someone of the opposite sex you currently like (in any sense of the word!)

Q5. Songs you often sing at karaoke / your favorite songs

Q6. Favorite musicians

Q7. Things you often buy at convenience stores

Q8. Favorite alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) drinks

Q9. Dishes you’re good at cooking

Q10. Dishes that remind you of your mother’s cooking

Q11. Favorite competitions

Yuzuru Hanyu:

Q1. Treasured possessions

Skates

Ice rink

Family

Q2. Something you want right now

A medal (laughs)

Earphones

iTunes card

Q3. Heroes or idols

Plushenko

Shuzo Matsuoka

Johnny

Q4. Someone of the opposite sex you currently like (in any sense of the word!)

- No answer

Q5. Songs you often sing at karaoke / your favorite songs

“Yume no Mukou e” (夢の向こうへ) — Hi-Fi CAMP

“super nova” — BUMP OF CHICKEN

“Zero” (ゼロ) — BUMP OF CHICKEN

Q6. Favorite musicians

BUMP OF CHICKEN

Hi-Fi CAMP

Porno Graffitti

Q7. Things you often buy at convenience stores

Carbonated drinks

Bento (boxed meals)

Oden (Japanese hot-pot dish)

Q8. Favorite alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) drinks

Pepsi Nex

Ginger ale

Milk

Q9. Dishes you’re good at cooking

- Oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl) — “I might be able to make that (laughs)"

Q10. The taste of home

Hot-pot dishes (nabe)

Onishime (simmered root vegetables)

Gyoza

Q11. Favorite competitions

NHK Trophy

Four Continents Championships

Junior Grand Prix Final (the one held in Tokyo!)