<figure id="attachment_458132" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1976px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-458132"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="32f744a2"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/02/cd3af62ccd0f3189d1dd85adcdb97499.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-458132" class="wp-caption-text">Before their drive, the two stock up at a convenience store. Hagi no’s support—like carrying an iced café au lait for Ike e—was particularly striking.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>He takes the wheel of her beloved car</h2>
<p data-start="227" data-end="367">It was a weekend in early February when Olympians brought the same intensity to their outing that they show at the Milan-Cortina Olympics.</p>
<p data-start="369" data-end="619">At a Tokyo convenience store, a car glimmering like a gold medal color in the sunlight pulled in. Stepping out of the driver’s seat was a woman whose aura matched the flashy vehicle—swimming heroine <span class="hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline"><span class="whitespace-normal">Rikako Ikee</span></span> (25).</p>
<p data-start="621" data-end="895">Alongside her walked a broad-shouldered man dressed in a unique outfit—a reddish-brown paisley jacket paired with purple sneakers. This was swimming legend <span class="hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline"><span class="whitespace-normal">Kosuke Hagino</span></span> (31), who won gold in the 400m individual medley at the 2016 Rio Olympics.</p>
<p data-start="897" data-end="1217">The two chatted as they efficiently picked up snacks and drinks, presumably in preparation for the drive ahead. With unspoken coordination, Hagino slid into the driver’s seat, taking charge of the long course to their destination, while Ikee settled into the passenger seat. The gold medal car quietly pulled away.</p>
<p data-start="1219" data-end="1449">These top Japanese swimmers might have been thought to be heading to a training facility, but the car took the Metropolitan Expressway, then the Tomei Expressway, stopping at Ebina Service Area—wait, were they heading to Hakone?</p>
<p data-start="1451" data-end="1909"><strong>“In fact, the two have been in a serious relationship since around last autumn. On this day, they took advantage of a brief break to go on a hot spring trip to Hakone in Ikee’s car. Ikee maintains a grueling daily training schedule aiming for the Los Angeles Olympics, and Hagino travels nationwide as a commentator and swim instructor. On this day, Ikee joined after her morning practice, and Hagino after a live radio broadcast,”</strong> a friend of Hagino said.</p>
<figure id="attachment_458217" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 828px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-458217"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="5340127b"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/02/0793d9884c79386f88fb1fb7185de5f4.png" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-458217" class="wp-caption-text">On February 11, Ikee posted about the Hakone trip on her social media. Though the post contained only emojis, her relaxed expression revealed she was enjoying the break.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_458127" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 986px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-458127"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="9fab117f"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/02/19dab4f534e0960a47936f70127e52f4.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-458127" class="wp-caption-text">She also posted photos with the inn as a backdrop. It was a quick trip squeezed between intense training sessions, but surely a refreshing change of pace.</figcaption></figure>
<p data-start="2242" data-end="2449">Rather than swimming in a pool, they soaked in a warm hot spring, enjoying private time together. The trip must have been very enjoyable, as Ikee updated her Instagram on February 11 to share the memories.</p>
<p data-start="2451" data-end="2754">From the posts, it appears they stayed at a four-star inn with a private open-air bath. The accompanying music was the love ballad Snowman by Australian singer Sia. The lyric in the chorus, “Through every season, you’re the place I come home to,” might have reflected Ikee’s feelings for Hagino.</p>
<p data-start="2756" data-end="2989">The March 6, 2026 issue of &#8220;FRIDAY&#8221; and the paid &#8220;FRIDAY GOLD&#8221; edition report on how the couple met, the certain anxieties revealed by those close to them, and their affectionate moments in Hakone, accompanied by multiple photos.</p>
<p data-start="2991" data-end="3030" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">For more details and photos, see here ↓</p>
<div data-friday-gold-link-url="https://friday.gold/article/398825" data-friday-gold-link-title="Rikako Ikee and Kosuke Hagino, the BIG couple of the swimming world! A trip to Hakone in their beloved car, just the two of them!" data-friday-gold-link-excerpt="A year and a half after their &quot;tearful hug&quot; at the Paris Olympics, two Olympians are in a serious relationship, and a divorced senior gold medalist is supporting the national swimmer! In February, I witnessed the passionate collaboration between Olympians, which was just as strong as at the Milan Cortina Olympics." data-friday-gold-link-thumbnail-wide="https://assets.friday.gold/friday-wp-production-assets/app/uploads/2026/02/6a13c7ced01f7bb10f749fa89a82ef47-18085424348297.jpg/v/crop-faces:width=256,height=144/format:type=webp?Expires=4102444800&amp;Key-Pair-Id=K2H5GZZHVJCN4V&amp;Signature=SZLEyeYbERGOF97tAPF42VJ0ndvlDsZa3S-mfcr8zXbi4FP-hn9mckGqbP2rjcaJSoe97PReosApv8p0t5gTBuitaXaX541bkDO6C0PQIC4a2Ji1lCdWWxee5IQHDZrtJW129d3gQW9IrAkwJRTZZB~XqYvJHIX10BIR9RAiy3DsOOTbOyVrh-NW6xDUud6rN~VN1WjjXD4yiAkLnsjRpXPL0kDBk3XMSS1CQMb6sHWZcpdZQV-p3c9X49WKqP61zRrVRbUlH5norW-Z6EjAhnK8zJL25Pk2YkY3Zymwhi5ZvtG76q1rmV3oEKiWR7TvgZcjtLjfRCiWsp7bptARbA__" data-friday-gold-link-thumbnail-square="https://assets.friday.gold/friday-wp-production-assets/app/uploads/2026/02/6a13c7ced01f7bb10f749fa89a82ef47-18085424348297.jpg/v/crop-faces:width=105,height=105/format:type=webp?Expires=4102444800&amp;Key-Pair-Id=K2H5GZZHVJCN4V&amp;Signature=SJB4UG5Chz-ff0xtN2H8riXmLSwvXhNnBI~mZvxh~evNzA73jkEwtdmbJlKGYZskNLXfv8d0GJXg1-7U0PqG0Yv5v8pWU3gqSsV0Cskdy-wTeR5e-KB6aL~QuK3U2g1U5WE~FMhUXWC7MhcPM8gvoJJRLhvcQlUkLioqYmQNl5GRQ~mfhK24o03FTThYv0f5XUFH6L0mo8Z4MdhjNxjZXEidBdsctclmVybJu9cKCZW2fl8XsNgrv8auU-NRLrKV3bugmVrlRo2vGM~kRkIKQQKqbJLPWeiIyqO-tmYNuziT13UUsJ6t5CU8EXptaEk5p5Rnil8Q2Ly3E2Ads8rSfA__"></div>
<div class="expapp-no-provided-scope expapp-no-provided-scope-end"></div>
<p>From the March 6, 2026 issue of &#8220;FRIDAY&#8221;</p>
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 Shu Nishihara

 A year and a half after their "tearful hug" at the Paris Olympics, Rikako Ikee and Kousuke Hagino have been in a serious relationship since last fall. We caught them on a "hot spring trip to Hakone" alone together in their beloved car!　Ikee must have had a lot of fun, because she posted her memories of the trip on her SNS.

Rikako Ikee and Kosuke Hagino Spotted on Romantic Getaway to Hakone

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