[Speed Translation] Yuzuru's Pyeongchang Interview with Shuzo Matsuoka

[axelsandwich]

 

This was such a bittersweet interview but, as always, I finish translating Yuzuru's words with a sense of awe.

 

M = Matsuoka, Y = Yuzu, T = Tomikawa, O = Oikawa

 

Usual Disclaimer: I am not a professional translator, only a Japanese student practising my skills. While I do check dictionaries and many resources to ensure I’m getting as much accurate as possible, my abilities are limited, I lack a lot of cultural knowledge and I try to always acknowledge where I’m not certain about translations. I am always open to more precise corrections from native speakers, please just let me know ( :

 

M: Today I’d like to take you on a tour. Firstly, please come here. Do-dooon. I am truly happy I think. I’ve interviewed Hanyu-senshuu for a long time and the words that left an impression not just in me but I think in the hearts of the Japanese people. Firstly this phrase ‘I want to penetrate/pierce through the present’ was the first thing you said this season.

 

Y: ….well… (awestruck pause) sasuga [as expected of Matsuoka]. How many did you write?!

 

M: Not at all, there was not enough, I had to cut down on the number!

 

Y: That’s amazing...so good. I’ll start from there: ‘Shuzo-san’s calligraphy is so good!’

 

M: No - actually we have Japan’s Tomikawa-san here. Which words struck you the most?

 

T: Hello Hanyu-senshuu! I’m interested in Hanyu-senshuu’s words ‘I can only thank my right leg’. After repeating as a champion, the thing you gave thanks to, along with everyone, was the right leg that supported you and worked so hard. But we were watching you in practice and were thinking ‘he seems okay doesn’t he?’ and ‘his condition seems good' and went ahead feeling reassured. But actually it wasn’t like that at all?

 

Y: Yes, actually I think it’s fair to say my right leg was honestly in a bad state. But to be able to do this, I think I can only say words of thanks to my right ankle.

 

M: How painful was it?

 

Y: Because the painkillers weren’t in a state to be working completely effectively, when I was jumping there was definitely an ‘uu’ feeling (of pain).

 

O: Apart from the words written here there are so many other words that left an impression-- ah my apologies, Hanyu-san hello this is Okawa -- but after the short program in the conference, Hanyu-senshuu said this: ‘fortunately I was injured’ and I thought this word ‘fortunately’ was very like Hanyu-senshuu, but what did you mean by the word ‘fortunately’?

 

Y: I really didn’t have any feelings of regrets. For 3 months I couldn’t do anything...I think it indeed did become strength. I completely don’t think of it as misfortune.

 

M: You know I heard a lot of words from you but the one that left the greatest impression on me is this one: 弱さは強さ (‘weakness is strength’)

 

Y: Hahaha, this is a phrase I like.

 

M: I have to apologise to you for this Hanyu-senshu. After getting your gold in Sochi, you were only talking about places where you had failed and negative things. I told you ‘this is my first time meeting such a weak gold medallist’ and you said ‘Shuzo-san, weakness is strength, it can change into it.’ and I thought ‘that’s so true!’

 

Y: Well here as well, again, my right leg is in a weak state but because of that, it can change into strength. Because there is weakness, you are able to see strength. Don’t we often say that ‘idiocy and genius are two sides of the same coin’?* That’s the sort of feeling. Weakness and strength are two sides of the same coin for me. So if you can stare at your weakness in the face and support the transition, I think it can become strength.

 

*(バカと天才は表裏 - literally ‘front and back’)

 

M: Listening to you, I’ve learned so much… You love adversity don’t you? Why on earth is that?

 

Y: Adversity is a chance to me. Because you have adversity and as a result of being able to think about a lot of things, the adrenaline comes out like ‘PAA’ and therefore you can become strong. Therefore you can grab the chance, I think

 

M: This time after winning, words like ‘very satisfied’ have come out. Within that satisfaction, we can sometimes see some sadness or lingering questions of ‘wanting to do more’. How do you feel about that?

 

Y: Actually, afterwards, I was filled with a sense of accomplishment. I think it is actually the first time I’ve been filled with such a sense of accomplishment - with no complaints - after delivering a performance in competition. Always, for the sake of performing, I say ‘this was bad, I wanted to do this, I want to become stronger’ but this time, I don’t have anything like that in particular.

 

M: You mean...more than when you broke the World Records?

 

Y: Yes, I’m truly satisfied.

 

M: But when you landed like that at the 3Lz like waaah...you don’t have any regrets?

 

Y: No, no regrets. This is the maximum of what I can do right now.

 

M: So… does that mean there is no ‘weakness’ in Hanyu Yuzuru right now?

 

Y: Right now...there are no feelings of strength or weakness… right now it’s probably just ‘wa’ (は - the hiragana between weakness and strength). This is probably ‘Hanyu’.

 

(THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PUN IM CRYING at how he congratulates himself- basically は as hiragana is pronounced ‘ha’ when taken on its own and is the first hiragana to his name (はにゅう)

 

M: Earlier we talked about Shoma ‘Uno’ (‘no’ = mind...probably the same pun they made in the other program on ‘mind’). What about Hanyu’s mind? Please analyse yourself.

 

Y: I mean basically there’s something inside that says to keep changing. Somehow when I’m thinking about something, I think ‘ah isn’t it like this, isn’t it like that’, I’m always waiting for a variety of ideas. It’s been like this since I was young.*

 

M: So let’s continue our tour, firstly Doraemon congratulating you on repeating as champion…

 

Y: 寒い禁句! (either it means saying ‘cold’ is a taboo word or… refers to a cold joke IDK sorry, my Japanese cultural knowledge is zero). I definitely wanted to say this no matter what!

 

M: ‘A gold medal is life’s starting point’ - you said this in October 2011 in our first interview. That year was the year of the disaster and these words stayed within me for a long time

 

Y: Yes, at the time I was only recklessly and utterly devoted with my entire life [to skating/to the goal]. But with this injury and coming to these Olympics through feelings of ‘will I become unable to skate?’, I felt this feeling of a time limit. Like ‘is this the end? Is this Olympics the end?’, I had those thoughts. So because I had those special feelings, this time, instead of saying this is the ‘start’, I feel like this is a ‘midpoint’.

 

M: Here at this Olympics, getting gold was not your [only] goal. Afterwards, you always had strong feelings about wanting to somehow contribute to the reconstruction efforts [of the earthquake-affected areas], but you have said that the question of how can you, through your performances, convey energy and strength to others has been a constant thought.

 

Y: Yes, especially when I actually stepped on the site of the disaster-struck areas. In the previous competition where I got the gold medal, I couldn’t forget the really delighted smiles on everyone’s faces. So it was a place that sort of healed the feeling of uselessness I had after the Sochi Olympics. This time, I felt like I had properly felt these ‘smiles’, even if only a little.

 

M: Really, you’ve been skating with the thoughts of Sendai.

 

Y: Yes, I know a lot of people truly have supported me. This was an Olympics where I really felt that this support was certainly connected to power.

 

T: You said ‘midpoint’ just then, where are you aiming for now?

 

Y: Really… with this, I really feel like ‘at last here is a title in my life that I can be proud of’. How I use the title will depend on how I use the rest of my life and my generation too. ‘I want to use it well’ is the thought in my mind.

 

T: This is not just as an athlete right?

 

Y: Yes, as a human being, if you are not living well as a person, then any titles that come attached will also become bad things. I want take this pride and to live a life that is worthy of this gold medal.  

 

T: We want to keep seeing a Hanyu-senshuu who will keep surprising us.

 

Y: I will do my best

 

M: We’re really out of time. This may be a difficult question but at this Olympics, what did Hanyu Yuzuru grasp?

 

Y: I grasped happiness. I say this with confidence. Everyone gave me happiness so if everyone could become happy, that’s happiness to me, I think

 

M: ‘Happiness’....this is something that you can’t really say, honestly, I’m 50yrs old but… what kind of feeling is ‘happiness’...

 

Y: After all, because I threw away a lot of different types of ‘happiness’, because I sought the ‘fruits of happiness’**, I think I am able to say ‘happiness’ right now.

 

M: These words...not only Hanyu-senshuu but I think they should be shared by everyone in the world. This gold medal of happiness...congratulations!

 

**幸せの結晶 - Kind of tricky to translate, if anyone has better suggestions, please let me know.

[xeyra]

22 minutes ago, kaerb said:

 

Y: Yes, as a human being, if you are not living well as a person, then any titles that come attached will also become bad things. I want take this pride and to live a life that is worthy of this gold medal.  

 

(...)

 

Y: I grasped happiness. I say this with confidence. Everyone gave me happiness so if everyone could become happy, that’s happiness to me, I think

 

M: ‘Happiness’....this is something that you can’t really say, honestly, I’m 50yrs old but… what kind of feeling is ‘happiness’...

 

Y: After all, because I threw away a lot of different types of ‘happiness’, because I sought the ‘fruits of happiness’**, I think I am able to say ‘happiness’ right now.

 

[Hanmgse]

33 minutes ago, kaerb said:

 

This was such a bittersweet interview but, as always, I finish translating Yuzuru's words with a sense of awe.

 

M = Matsuoka, Y = Yuzu, T = Tomikawa, O = Oikawa

 

Usual Disclaimer: I am not a professional translator, only a Japanese student practising my skills. While I do check dictionaries and many resources to ensure I’m getting as much accurate as possible, my abilities are limited, I lack a lot of cultural knowledge and I try to always acknowledge where I’m not certain about translations. I am always open to more precise corrections from native speakers, please just let me know ( :

 

M: Today I’d like to take you on a tour. Firstly, please come here. Do-dooon. I am truly happy I think. I’ve interviewed Hanyu-senshuu for a long time and the words that left an impression not just in me but I think in the hearts of the Japanese people. Firstly this phrase ‘I want to penetrate/pierce through the present’ was the first thing you said this season.

 

Y: ….well… (awestruck pause) sasuga [as expected of Matsuoka]. How many did you write?!

 

M: Not at all, there was not enough, I had to cut down on the number!

 

Y: That’s amazing...so good. I’ll start from there: ‘Shuzo-san’s calligraphy is so good!’

 

M: No - actually we have Japan’s Tomikawa-san here. Which words struck you the most?

 

T: Hello Hanyu-senshuu! I’m interested in Hanyu-senshuu’s words ‘I can only thank my right leg’. After repeating as a champion, the thing you gave thanks to, along with everyone, was the right leg that supported you and worked so hard. But we were watching you in practice and were thinking ‘he seems okay doesn’t he?’ and ‘his condition seems good' and went ahead feeling reassured. But actually it wasn’t like that at all?

 

Y: Yes, actually I think it’s fair to say my right leg was honestly in a bad state. But to be able to do this, I think I can only say words of thanks to my right ankle.

 

M: How painful was it?

 

Y: Because the painkillers weren’t in a state to be working completely effectively, when I was jumping there was definitely an ‘uu’ feeling (of pain).

 

O: Apart from the words written here there are so many other words that left an impression-- ah my apologies, Hanyu-san hello this is Okawa -- but after the short program in the conference, Hanyu-senshuu said this: ‘fortunately I was injured’ and I thought this word ‘fortunately’ was very like Hanyu-senshuu, but what did you mean by the word ‘fortunately’?

 

Y: I really didn’t have any feelings of regrets. For 3 months I couldn’t do anything...I think it indeed did become strength. I completely don’t think of it as misfortune.

 

M: You know I heard a lot of words from you but the one that left the greatest impression on me is this one: 弱さは強さ (‘weakness is strength’)

 

Y: Hahaha, this is a phrase I like.

 

M: I have to apologise to you for this Hanyu-senshu. After getting your gold in Sochi, you were only talking about places where you had failed and negative things. I told you ‘this is my first time meeting such a weak gold medallist’ and you said ‘Shuzo-san, weakness is strength, it can change into it.’ and I thought ‘that’s so true!’

 

Y: Well here as well, again, my right leg is in a weak state but because of that, it can change into strength. Because there is weakness, you are able to see strength. Don’t we often say that ‘idiocy and genius are two sides of the same coin’?* That’s the sort of feeling. Weakness and strength are two sides of the same coin for me. So if you can stare at your weakness in the face and support the transition, I think it can become strength.

 

*(バカと天才は表裏 - literally ‘front and back’)

 

M: Listening to you, I’ve learned so much… You love adversity don’t you? Why on earth is that?

 

Y: Adversity is a chance to me. Because you have adversity and as a result of being able to think about a lot of things, the adrenaline comes out like ‘PAA’ and therefore you can become strong. Therefore you can grab the chance, I think

 

M: This time after winning, words like ‘very satisfied’ have come out. Within that satisfaction, we can sometimes see some sadness or lingering questions of ‘wanting to do more’. How do you feel about that?

 

Y: Actually, afterwards, I was filled with a sense of accomplishment. I think it is actually the first time I’ve been filled with such a sense of accomplishment - with no complaints - after delivering a performance in competition. Always, for the sake of performing, I say ‘this was bad, I wanted to do this, I want to become stronger’ but this time, I don’t have anything like that in particular.

 

M: You mean...more than when you broke the World Records?

 

Y: Yes, I’m truly satisfied.

 

M: But when you landed like that at the 3Lz like waaah...you don’t have any regrets?

 

Y: No, no regrets. This is the maximum of what I can do right now.

 

M: So… does that mean there is no ‘weakness’ in Hanyu Yuzuru right now?

 

Y: Right now...there are no feelings of strength or weakness… right now it’s probably just ‘wa’ (は - the hiragana between weakness and strength). This is probably ‘Hanyu’.

 

(THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PUN IM CRYING at how he congratulates himself- basically は as hiragana is pronounced ‘ha’ when taken on its own and is the first hiragana to his name (はにゅう)

 

M: Earlier we talked about Shoma ‘Uno’ (‘no’ = mind...probably the same pun they made in the other program on ‘mind’). What about Hanyu’s mind? Please analyse yourself.

 

Y: I mean basically there’s something inside that says to keep changing. Somehow when I’m thinking about something, I think ‘ah isn’t it like this, isn’t it like that’, I’m always waiting for a variety of ideas. It’s been like this since I was young.*

 

M: So let’s continue our tour, firstly Doraemon congratulating you on repeating as champion…

 

Y: 寒い禁句! (either it means saying ‘cold’ is a taboo word or… refers to a cold joke IDK sorry, my Japanese cultural knowledge is zero). I definitely wanted to say this no matter what!

 

M: ‘A gold medal is life’s starting point’ - you said this in October 2011 in our first interview. That year was the year of the disaster and these words stayed within me for a long time

 

Y: Yes, at the time I was only recklessly and utterly devoted with my entire life [to skating/to the goal]. But with this injury and coming to these Olympics through feelings of ‘will I become unable to skate?’, I felt this feeling of a time limit. Like ‘is this the end? Is this Olympics the end?’, I had those thoughts. So because I had those special feelings, this time, instead of saying this is the ‘start’, I feel like this is a ‘midpoint’.

 

M: Here at this Olympics, getting gold was not your [only] goal. Afterwards, you always had strong feelings about wanting to somehow contribute to the reconstruction efforts [of the earthquake-affected areas], but you have said that the question of how can you, through your performances, convey energy and strength to others has been a constant thought.

 

Y: Yes, especially when I actually stepped on the site of the disaster-struck areas. In the previous competition where I got the gold medal, I couldn’t forget the really delighted smiles on everyone’s faces. So it was a place that sort of healed the feeling of uselessness I had after the Sochi Olympics. This time, I felt like I had properly felt these ‘smiles’, even if only a little.

 

M: Really, you’ve been skating with the thoughts of Sendai.

 

Y: Yes, I know a lot of people truly have supported me. This was an Olympics where I really felt that this support was certainly connected to power.

 

T: You said ‘midpoint’ just then, where are you aiming for now?

 

Y: Really… with this, I really feel like ‘at last here is a title in my life that I can be proud of’. How I use the title will depend on how I use the rest of my life and my generation too. ‘I want to use it well’ is the thought in my mind.

 

T: This is not just as an athlete right?

 

Y: Yes, as a human being, if you are not living well as a person, then any titles that come attached will also become bad things. I want take this pride and to live a life that is worthy of this gold medal.  

 

T: We want to keep seeing a Hanyu-senshuu who will keep surprising us.

 

Y: I will do my best

 

M: We’re really out of time. This may be a difficult question but at this Olympics, what did Hanyu Yuzuru grasp?

 

Y: I grasped happiness. I say this with confidence. Everyone gave me happiness so if everyone could become happy, that’s happiness to me, I think

 

M: ‘Happiness’....this is something that you can’t really say, honestly, I’m 50yrs old but… what kind of feeling is ‘happiness’...

 

Y: After all, because I threw away a lot of different types of ‘happiness’, because I sought the ‘fruits of happiness’**, I think I am able to say ‘happiness’ right now.

 

M: These words...not only Hanyu-senshuu but I think they should be shared by everyone in the world. This gold medal of happiness...congratulations!

 

**幸せの結晶 - Kind of tricky to translate, if anyone has better suggestions, please let me know.

Thank you thank you very much for the translation. Yuzuru's wise words, how to say it, I'm always forever impressed and thankful for them. And to hear he really is happy now, that gives me happiness.

[Smultron]

Thank you so much for the translation!   

 

(and for posting it here, can't open tumblr for some reason ) 

[Murieleirum]

1 hour ago, kaerb said:

(THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PUN IM CRYING at how he congratulates himself- basically は as hiragana is pronounced ‘ha’ when taken on its own and is the first hiragana to his name (はにゅう)

 

One of the few things I understood I LOVE HIS PUNS SO MUCH AAAAHHHH 

 

1 hour ago, kaerb said:

Y: 寒い禁句! (either it means saying ‘cold’ is a taboo word or… refers to a cold joke IDK sorry, my Japanese cultural knowledge is zero). I definitely wanted to say this no matter what!

 

Is this a kind of inside joke? I'm trying to guess lol, maybe connected to Ice rinks being cold sometimes, or Sendai being a cold city??? GUESSING GAME ON

[axelsandwich]

4 minutes ago, Murieleirum said:

Is this a kind of inside joke? I'm trying to guess lol, maybe connected to Ice rinks being cold sometimes, or Sendai being a cold city??? GUESSING GAME ON

HE WAS SO PROUD OF HIS PUN I laughed out loud though so it worked 

 

tbh I have no idea, Google wasn't helping at all and there's no real coherent result for 寒い禁句 even if you google the meaning in Japanese. 禁句 apparently means 'taboo word'?? some help from PH's JP members would be great 

[Dara]

Few days before Olympics started twitter (and Japanese news shows too I guess) was buzzing with 寒い、people were discussing how cold it is in Korea (and cold at opening ceremony). So my guess that note has to do something with it.

[kaeryth]

I love this dork and his love of puns (and being so proud when he does one)

[PapiandPooh422]

He is really an incredible man. My respect to him as a person became deeper. 

[freeyafanfan]

19 hours ago, kaerb said:

 

This was such a bittersweet interview but, as always, I finish translating Yuzuru's words with a sense of awe.

 

M = Matsuoka, Y = Yuzu, T = Tomikawa, O = Oikawa

 

Usual Disclaimer: I am not a professional translator, only a Japanese student practising my skills. While I do check dictionaries and many resources to ensure I’m getting as much accurate as possible, my abilities are limited, I lack a lot of cultural knowledge and I try to always acknowledge where I’m not certain about translations. I am always open to more precise corrections from native speakers, please just let me know ( :

 

M: Today I’d like to take you on a tour. Firstly, please come here. Do-dooon. I am truly happy I think. I’ve interviewed Hanyu-senshuu for a long time and the words that left an impression not just in me but I think in the hearts of the Japanese people. Firstly this phrase ‘I want to penetrate/pierce through the present’ was the first thing you said this season.

 

Y: ….well… (awestruck pause) sasuga [as expected of Matsuoka]. How many did you write?!

 

M: Not at all, there was not enough, I had to cut down on the number!

 

Y: That’s amazing...so good. I’ll start from there: ‘Shuzo-san’s calligraphy is so good!’

 

M: No - actually we have Japan’s Tomikawa-san here. Which words struck you the most?

 

T: Hello Hanyu-senshuu! I’m interested in Hanyu-senshuu’s words ‘I can only thank my right leg’. After repeating as a champion, the thing you gave thanks to, along with everyone, was the right leg that supported you and worked so hard. But we were watching you in practice and were thinking ‘he seems okay doesn’t he?’ and ‘his condition seems good' and went ahead feeling reassured. But actually it wasn’t like that at all?

 

Y: Yes, actually I think it’s fair to say my right leg was honestly in a bad state. But to be able to do this, I think I can only say words of thanks to my right ankle.

 

M: How painful was it?

 

Y: Because the painkillers weren’t in a state to be working completely effectively, when I was jumping there was definitely an ‘uu’ feeling (of pain).

 

O: Apart from the words written here there are so many other words that left an impression-- ah my apologies, Hanyu-san hello this is Okawa -- but after the short program in the conference, Hanyu-senshuu said this: ‘fortunately I was injured’ and I thought this word ‘fortunately’ was very like Hanyu-senshuu, but what did you mean by the word ‘fortunately’?

 

Y: I really didn’t have any feelings of regrets. For 3 months I couldn’t do anything...I think it indeed did become strength. I completely don’t think of it as misfortune.

 

M: You know I heard a lot of words from you but the one that left the greatest impression on me is this one: 弱さは強さ (‘weakness is strength’)

 

Y: Hahaha, this is a phrase I like.

 

M: I have to apologise to you for this Hanyu-senshu. After getting your gold in Sochi, you were only talking about places where you had failed and negative things. I told you ‘this is my first time meeting such a weak gold medallist’ and you said ‘Shuzo-san, weakness is strength, it can change into it.’ and I thought ‘that’s so true!’

 

Y: Well here as well, again, my right leg is in a weak state but because of that, it can change into strength. Because there is weakness, you are able to see strength. Don’t we often say that ‘idiocy and genius are two sides of the same coin’?* That’s the sort of feeling. Weakness and strength are two sides of the same coin for me. So if you can stare at your weakness in the face and support the transition, I think it can become strength.

 

*(バカと天才は表裏 - literally ‘front and back’)

 

M: Listening to you, I’ve learned so much… You love adversity don’t you? Why on earth is that?

 

Y: Adversity is a chance to me. Because you have adversity and as a result of being able to think about a lot of things, the adrenaline comes out like ‘PAA’ and therefore you can become strong. Therefore you can grab the chance, I think

 

M: This time after winning, words like ‘very satisfied’ have come out. Within that satisfaction, we can sometimes see some sadness or lingering questions of ‘wanting to do more’. How do you feel about that?

 

Y: Actually, afterwards, I was filled with a sense of accomplishment. I think it is actually the first time I’ve been filled with such a sense of accomplishment - with no complaints - after delivering a performance in competition. Always, for the sake of performing, I say ‘this was bad, I wanted to do this, I want to become stronger’ but this time, I don’t have anything like that in particular.

 

M: You mean...more than when you broke the World Records?

 

Y: Yes, I’m truly satisfied.

 

M: But when you landed like that at the 3Lz like waaah...you don’t have any regrets?

 

Y: No, no regrets. This is the maximum of what I can do right now.

 

M: So… does that mean there is no ‘weakness’ in Hanyu Yuzuru right now?

 

Y: Right now...there are no feelings of strength or weakness… right now it’s probably just ‘wa’ (は - the hiragana between weakness and strength). This is probably ‘Hanyu’.

 

(THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PUN IM CRYING at how he congratulates himself- basically は as hiragana is pronounced ‘ha’ when taken on its own and is the first hiragana to his name (はにゅう)

 

M: Earlier we talked about Shoma ‘Uno’ (‘no’ = mind...probably the same pun they made in the other program on ‘mind’). What about Hanyu’s mind? Please analyse yourself.

 

Y: I mean basically there’s something inside that says to keep changing. Somehow when I’m thinking about something, I think ‘ah isn’t it like this, isn’t it like that’, I’m always waiting for a variety of ideas. It’s been like this since I was young.*

 

M: So let’s continue our tour, firstly Doraemon congratulating you on repeating as champion…

 

Y: 寒い禁句! (either it means saying ‘cold’ is a taboo word or… refers to a cold joke IDK sorry, my Japanese cultural knowledge is zero). I definitely wanted to say this no matter what!

 

M: ‘A gold medal is life’s starting point’ - you said this in October 2011 in our first interview. That year was the year of the disaster and these words stayed within me for a long time

 

Y: Yes, at the time I was only recklessly and utterly devoted with my entire life [to skating/to the goal]. But with this injury and coming to these Olympics through feelings of ‘will I become unable to skate?’, I felt this feeling of a time limit. Like ‘is this the end? Is this Olympics the end?’, I had those thoughts. So because I had those special feelings, this time, instead of saying this is the ‘start’, I feel like this is a ‘midpoint’.

 

M: Here at this Olympics, getting gold was not your [only] goal. Afterwards, you always had strong feelings about wanting to somehow contribute to the reconstruction efforts [of the earthquake-affected areas], but you have said that the question of how can you, through your performances, convey energy and strength to others has been a constant thought.

 

Y: Yes, especially when I actually stepped on the site of the disaster-struck areas. In the previous competition where I got the gold medal, I couldn’t forget the really delighted smiles on everyone’s faces. So it was a place that sort of healed the feeling of uselessness I had after the Sochi Olympics. This time, I felt like I had properly felt these ‘smiles’, even if only a little.

 

M: Really, you’ve been skating with the thoughts of Sendai.

 

Y: Yes, I know a lot of people truly have supported me. This was an Olympics where I really felt that this support was certainly connected to power.

 

T: You said ‘midpoint’ just then, where are you aiming for now?

 

Y: Really… with this, I really feel like ‘at last here is a title in my life that I can be proud of’. How I use the title will depend on how I use the rest of my life and my generation too. ‘I want to use it well’ is the thought in my mind.

 

T: This is not just as an athlete right?

 

Y: Yes, as a human being, if you are not living well as a person, then any titles that come attached will also become bad things. I want take this pride and to live a life that is worthy of this gold medal.  

 

T: We want to keep seeing a Hanyu-senshuu who will keep surprising us.

 

Y: I will do my best

 

M: We’re really out of time. This may be a difficult question but at this Olympics, what did Hanyu Yuzuru grasp?

 

Y: I grasped happiness. I say this with confidence. Everyone gave me happiness so if everyone could become happy, that’s happiness to me, I think

 

M: ‘Happiness’....this is something that you can’t really say, honestly, I’m 50yrs old but… what kind of feeling is ‘happiness’...

 

Y: After all, because I threw away a lot of different types of ‘happiness’, because I sought the ‘fruits of happiness’**, I think I am able to say ‘happiness’ right now.

 

M: These words...not only Hanyu-senshuu but I think they should be shared by everyone in the world. This gold medal of happiness...congratulations!

 

**幸せの結晶 - Kind of tricky to translate, if anyone has better suggestions, please let me know.

 thank you for this translation!