<figure id="attachment_462952" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 6000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-462952"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3e956665"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/983170de110470e9afce2e8078e85e10.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-462952" class="wp-caption-text">Chinami Yoshida (photo: Japan Magazine Publishers Association), who announced her departure from Loco Solare on March 31</figcaption></figure>
<h2>A temporary farewell until the reunion at age 50</h2>
<p><strong>“With the gentle spring sunlight warming us, today, March 31, I will be leaving Loco Solare.”</strong></p>
<p>Chinami Yoshida (34) of the women’s curling team Loco Solare updated her SNS to announce her departure. The team’s official website also posted the announcement, marking the end of her 12-year tenure with Loco Solare, which she joined in 2014. Yoshida added:</p>
<p><strong>“With the arrival of spring, I head toward a new environment, but I will continue to pursue my curling life with unwavering passion, keeping it rich and fulfilling.”</strong></p>
<p>On March 27, she had already announced her participation in the world’s first professional league, the Rock League, starting in April. She will serve as captain for the Asia representative team, Typhoon Curling Club.</p>
<p>Her decision to leave has sparked surprise and messages of too bad across SNS, though longtime fans of Loco Solare seemed to have anticipated it: “Yeah, I kind of expected it,” and “She was on reserve during the World Championship, so I had a feeling.”</p>
<p><strong>“Yoshida joined Loco Solare in 2014. After Satsuki Fujisawa (34) joined in 2015, their strong partnership helped the team rise quickly. They were runners-up at the 2016 World Championships. At the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, they won curling’s first-ever Olympic bronze medal. Yoshida led the cheerful atmosphere on the team, full of laughter even during matches, as well as the famous ‘Sodane’ phrases and the popular ‘Mogu Mogu Time’ snack breaks during intermissions,”</strong> said a sports reporter.</p>
<p>At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the team won silver, surpassing their previous result. At the team’s final competition, the 2026 World Women’s Curling Championship held in Calgary, Canada, Yoshida received the Francis Brodie Award, an individual award voted on by the players. However, she was occasionally moved to reserve in favor of the newly joined Momori Koana (30), which may have contributed to fans sensing subtle changes in the team.</p>
<p>Yoshida posted a message to her teammates:</p>
<p><strong>“Satchan, Yuumi, Yuri — I sincerely hope that your lives will continue to be filled with warm happiness.”</strong></p>
<p>She sent her encouragement to Fujisawa, Yuko Suzuki (34), and Yurika Yoshida (32), with whom she had the longest shared history as a Loco Solare member. She concluded:</p>
<p><strong>“So, until our reunion at age 50, this is a temporary farewell.”</strong></p>
<p>While fans will miss the team’s “Mogu Mogu Time,” we can look back at their courageous performances that brought smiles and inspiration to the nation at the PyeongChang Olympics. We also send renewed thanks and gratitude to Yoshida and all Loco Solare members as they embark on their new chapters.</p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="Loco Solare athletes at the PyeongChang Olympics"></div>
<figure id="attachment_256125" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 6000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-256125"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="adff00b8"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/KW4_9975.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-256125" class="wp-caption-text">A poised expression before the match at the PyeongChang Olympics (Photo: Japan Magazine Association)</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_256127" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 6000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-256127"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="a690f271"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/KW4_1182.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-256127" class="wp-caption-text">Releasing a shot and giving loud instructions (Photo: Japan Magazine Association)</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_256128" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 8256px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-256128"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="c39e9e04"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/DSC_6124.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-256128" class="wp-caption-text">“Mogu-mogu” snack time (Photo: Japan Magazine Association)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_256129" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 4000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-256129"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="896f8bfc"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/MR1_2854-rotated.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-256129" class="wp-caption-text">Serious expression alongside Yukiko Suzuki (right) (Photo: Japan Magazine Association)</figcaption></figure>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="Chinami Yoshida and members of Loco Solare"></div>
<figure id="attachment_256134" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 8256px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-256134"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="01a97554"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/DSC_7137.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-256134" class="wp-caption-text">Celebrating each other’s efforts with teammates (Photo: Japan Magazine Association)</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_256130" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 5472px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-256130"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="8856a3dc"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/KW1_0443.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-256130" class="wp-caption-text">The silver medal at the PyeongChang Olympics was earned by the whole team (Photo: Japan Magazine Association)</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_256131" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 5472px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-256131"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="ab03eda5"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/KW2_0094.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-256131" class="wp-caption-text">Chinami Yoshida with a beaming smile holding the silver medal (Photo: Japan Magazine Association)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_462953" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1492px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-462953"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="ffd2751b"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/91ff014c46d15c96276d7c2001e0552d.png" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-462953" class="wp-caption-text">Image posted by Chinami Yoshida on March 31 (from her Instagram @chinami1991)</figcaption></figure>


 On March 31, Chonami Yoshida left Loco Solare and will join the professional league in April. She sent a message to the members saying, "Until we reunite at the age of 50, I bid you all a fond farewell. We look back on Yoshida's past heroics with these images.

Chinami Yoshida Announces Departure from Loco Solare Members Show Heartfelt Bonds That May Not Be Seen Until 50-Year Reunion

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