Figure Skating Jan 23, 2022
Mihara's fourth-place finish at last month's nationals ended her hopes of competing at her first Winter Games, but she held her nerve in Tallinn to reclaim a title she won five years ago.
Figure Skating Jan 21, 2022
Mihara is looking to put a disappointing fourth-place finish at the Japanese nationals behind her and reclaim a title she won five years ago.
Figure Skating | ICE TIME Jun 25, 2019
Yuzuru Hanyu draws Skate Canada, NHK Trophy for Grand Prix season
by Jack Gallagher
Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu will start his Grand Prix campaign at Skate Canada, the ISU announced recently when the GP assignments for the 2019-20 season were released. Hanyu, who trains in Toronto, will travel across Canada for the event in Kelowna, British Columbia (Oct. ...
Figure Skating | ICE TIME Apr 25, 2019
Yuzuru Hanyu tops best efforts by Japan skaters this season
by Jack Gallagher
With the long season now over, Ice Time has collated a top 10 list of the best performances by Japanese skaters during the 2018-19 campaign. The list places a priority on results in major competitions like the world championships, Grand Prix Final and national championships, ...
Figure Skating | ICE TIME Mar 12, 2019
Mai Mihara mesmerizing in victory at Winter Universiade
by Jack Gallagher
It was a mixed bag of results for Japanese skating over the weekend. The good news arrived from Krasnoyarsk, Russia, where Mai Mihara won the Winter Universiade in decisive fashion. The bad news emanated from Zagreb, where Japanese skaters struggled at the world junior championships and ...
Figure Skating | ICE TIME Mar 5, 2019
Rising choreographer Benoit Richaud says Kaori Sakamoto in good form ahead of worlds
by Jack Gallagher
Following a disappointing fourth-place finish at last month's Four Continents Championships in California, Japan champion Kaori Sakamoto didn't dwell on her result, but rather went right back to work to prepare for this month's world championships in Saitama. Benoit Richaud, Sakamoto's choreographer, whose stock is ...
Figure Skating | ICE TIME Feb 12, 2019
Rika Kihira, Shoma Uno lead gold haul for Japan
by Jack Gallagher
It was a banner weekend for Japan on the ice, with Rika Kihira and Shoma Uno taking the gold medals at the Four Continents Championships and Satoko Miyahara and Koshiro Shimada doing the same at the Bavarian Open. Kihira bounced back from her second-place finish ...
Figure Skating Feb 8, 2019
Sakamoto in 2nd after short program; Uno struggles to 4th at Four Continents
Defending champion Kaori Sakamoto placed second, just over half a point behind Bradie Tennell of the United States, after the women's short program at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships on Thursday. American Mariah Bell is third and Sakamoto's compatriot Rika Kihira fifth heading into ...
Figure Skating Feb 7, 2019
Ayaka Hosoda very likely to continue competitive career next season
by Jack Gallagher
Veteran skater Ayaka Hosoda, who stole the show with her triple axels at the Japan Championships in December, is very likely to continue her skating career, The Japan Times has learned. In an exclusive interview with Hosoda on Tuesday, the jumping sensation said, "I'm willing ...
Figure Skating | ICE TIME Feb 5, 2019
Kihira, Sakamoto look to lead Japan to sweep again at Four Continents
by Jack Gallagher
The skating season gets back in full swing this week with the Four Continents Championships in Anaheim, California, starting on Thursday. Japan's women will be looking for their second straight sweep of the podium at the event. Japan is sending a strong team that includes ...
Figure Skating Dec 23, 2018
Kaori Sakamoto bests Rika Kihira and Satoko Miyahara to win national title
by Jack Gallagher
Kaori Sakamoto put on a stunning performance Sunday night, using an incredible combination of power and grace, to win the title at the Japan championships. The 18-year-old from Kobe was absolutely spectacular in her free skate to "The Piano" and overtook Grand Prix Final champion ...
Figure Skating Dec 21, 2018
Satoko Miyahara holds slim lead over Kaori Sakamoto after short program at nationals
by Jack Gallagher
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Four-time national champion Satoko Miyahara is in the lead after the short program at the Japan championships on Friday night. Miyahara, gunning for her fifth straight title, skated last and gave the fans an evening to ...