Yuzuru Hanyu: “I realize that none of my performances now, exist without this deep connection to what I carry. It’s always, in a way, a dialogue with the soul. It’s prayer or an act of being close to someone’s sorrow.”
Interview with Yuzuru Hanyu where he reflected on the Great East Japan Earthquake, which will mark its 14th anniversary on the 11th and speaks about his show “Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata.”
original source: Hochi News / Hochi News dd. March 11th by Megumi Takagi.
On March 10, Yuzuru Hanyu (30) gave an exclusive interview to Sports Hochi in his hometown of Sendai, where he shared his thoughts on the approaching 14th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Here’s a translation.
At the time of the earthquake, Hanyu was just 16 years old, training at a skating rink in Sendai when the disaster struck on March 11.
“Along with the people of Fukushima, there are still areas bearing scars. People are still suffering and struggling, and many are holding onto sorrow. I want to ensure that I never forget this. While I also consider myself a survivor of the disaster, what weighs heavier on my heart is the fact that even now, 14 years later, there are people who still can’t return home, or who don’t know what to do with their homes. That is something I want to keep engraved in my mind.”
In his teenage years, Hanyu was portrayed in the media as a representative of the disaster-stricken region. His accomplishments, including consecutive Olympic titles at Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018, increased the weight of what he carried. Over the past 14 years, Hanyu has gradually come to terms with his role and responsibilities.
“It hasn’t been smooth sailing by any means. I can’t definitively say, ‘That’s how it was.’ But over these 14 years, little by little, I feel I’ve been accepting it. The process of accepting and bearing this responsibility has been ongoing for all these years.”
Last September, Hanyu performed at the Noto Peninsula Reconstruction Support Charity Exhibition, donating the full proceeds — 43,878,649 yen — to relief efforts. When asked about the underlying motivation for his support activities, Hanyu said:
“I think it’s because I’ve been supported and encouraged by so many people.”
At the 2012 World Championships in Nice, his debut on the world stage, Hanyu won the bronze medal.
“During the 2011–12 season, I struggled internally, but at the end of the season, at the World Championships, I realized just how much the power of people’s support had impacted me. From that moment, I was able to reflect on just how much encouragement I had received. That realization became the turning point where I thought, ‘Now I want to encourage others.’ As someone from a disaster-affected area, the extent to which I felt supported made me want to repay that kindness and become someone who could support others. That’s the root of everything for me.”
Hanyu continues to skate with these feelings for disaster-affected areas close to his heart.
“I realize that none of my performances, none of my programs now, exist without this deep connection to what I carry. No matter the program — even something like Utai from the ice story Echoes of Life — it’s always, in a way, a dialogue with the soul. It’s prayer, a reaching out to the soul, or an act of being close to someone’s sorrow. That’s something I continue to express, always.”
After transitioning to professional skating, Hanyu has held “Notte Stellata” in Miyagi for three years straight, embedding his feelings about the earthquake into his performances.
“In terms of how I bear the responsibility, in the first year, it was like carrying a heavy burden. When thinking about what it means to ‘stand alongside’ others, I focused on being close to their sorrow. But in the second year, because I understood that sorrow, I felt that I needed to be the one smiling, and I worked hard to do that.”
“This third year [of the show] was almost a sacred ritual. I feel I’ve grown stronger in how I connect with souls and prayers. My approach to bearing the responsibility, facing it, and accepting it has definitely changed.”
The show concluded its final performance on March 9. Hanyu expressed his gratitude to the teammates who shared the stage and reciprocated his dedication and energy.
“When it comes to skating, expression, and especially matters related to disasters like this, I pour my heart and soul into it. I have a strong desire to skate with my entire being. It made me so happy that the cast for this show shared that commitment with me. Everyone poured everything they had — their soul, their energy — into creating, expressing, and performing something meaningful together. That made me truly happy, and it felt like we achieved an incredible sense of unity as a team.”
Related topics: Yuzuru Hanyu
You can really feel like skating is what he’s made to do with his life, even from the way he speaks. A true inspiration.