Yuzuru Hanyu Opens Up About Olympic Win During Solo Tour, Addresses Rare Question

“With the momentum of ‘I’ve won the Olympics,’ I practiced insanely hard, and I achieved what I set out to do. It’s because I achieved it that I’m happy, but along with the joy, there’s also a sense of loneliness that has piled up together.”

In July 2022, Yuzuru Hanyu (29), who achieved back-to-back Winter Olympics victories in men’s figure skating and turned professional, held the finale of his first solo tour, “Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 2nd ‘RE_PRAY’ TOUR,” on February 19th at the PIA Arena MM in Yokohama. The tour kicked off on November 4th last year at Saitama Super Arena, followed by performances in Saga Arena in January, and culminated in Yokohama, totaling six performances across three cities. The unparalleled performer, who raced through these shows filled with enthusiasm, spoke at the beginning while immersed in the lingering excitement of the energetic show.

Since his transition to professional status in 2023, Hanyu has been adamant about maintaining his identity as an athlete even after retiring from competitive events, as he declared to his fans during his first ice show after turning pro, “I’ve been working on improving my physical strength since my competitive days so that I can express myself in various ways. I would be happy if you continue to call me a ‘player’ in the future.” This solo performance lasted for about two and a half hours, and the dance he showcased on the final day was truly overwhelming.

“The theme of this ice story is for everyone to consider what they would choose and how they would feel if they had the option in life where, despite facing all obstacles, they could overcome them and achieve their dreams and goals, even if there was a route of destruction beyond the choices they made. It’s about contemplating what each person would choose and feel in such a scenario, and that’s the theme I want everyone to think about in this ice story.”

The vague images in Hanyu’s mind were brought to life through the collaboration of choreographer MIKIKO and teams responsible for visuals, direction, and lighting.