“I started this journey because I believe it’s worth pursuing so long as there’s even the slightest chance of making it.” Rika Kihira switches to ice dance and formed partnership with Shingo Nishiyama
Rika Kihira Embarks on Ice Dance Journey with New Partner Shingo Nishiyama
original source: Nikkansports, September 29th, 2025
Rika Kihira, a two-time Four Continents and Japanese National Champion, revealed on September 29 her decision to transition to ice dance. The 23-year-old singles skater, renowned internationally, announced her partnership with Shingo Nishiyama (23), who has a strong ice dance background, including two Junior National Championships and appearances at the Four Continents and Grand Prix Series. Here’s a translation of their comments posted on Nikkansports.
Kihira shared the news on Instagram:
“I have formed an ice dance partnership with Shingo Nishiyama. This is a new challenge for me, and I am excited to step into this new chapter of my skating career. I am deeply grateful to my family, my sponsors, and Shingo Nishiyama for giving me this opportunity. I will do my best to pursue my dreams with all my heart.”
With ongoing foot pain limiting her ability to execute high-difficulty jumps, Kihira recently announced her withdrawal from the Chubu Championships, effectively ending her chances of qualifying for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics as a singles skater. However, she hinted at a new challenge—and it turned out to be ice dance.
Her partner, Shingo Nishiyama, had previously paired with Azusa Tanaka, affectionately nicknamed the “Azushin” duo, as they aspired for Olympic qualification. However, the partnership ended unexpectedly in July 2023. With both skaters now based in Canada, the idea of teaming up quickly came to fruition.
Nishiyama expressed his excitement about their new journey on Instagram:
“I am thrilled to be working alongside Rika Kihira in ice dance. With the support of our families and teams, we will give our maximum effort to achieve our shared goals.”
While Japan has yet to secure an Olympic quota for ice dance at the Milan-Cortina Games, the pair remains determined to compete on the Olympic stage, focusing both on Milan 2026 and the 2030 Winter Olympics. Kihira stated:
“I started this journey because I believe it’s worth pursuing so long as there’s even the slightest chance of making it. I will work as hard as I can, day by day.”
Meanwhile, Nishiyama added:
“As athletes, the Olympics represents the pinnacle of our dreams. If there’s a chance, we’re committed to seizing it.”
The “Rikashin” duo has already begun training and selected music for their debut programs. Their rhythm dance will be performed to “Mambo No. 5”, while their free dance will feature music from “Princess Mononoke.” Both skaters are adjusting to the new discipline, with Kihira candidly admitting:
“Since pairing up is completely new to me, I struggled a bit during the first practices. But we’re improving step by step.”
Their immediate goal is to compete at the Western Japan Championships (October 31–November 3) and the Japanese Nationals in December, which doubles as an ice dance qualifier. There, they will aim to meet the required technical scores to secure a spot at the Golden Spin of Zagreb and build a foundation for future international competitions.
Related topics: Rika Kihira, Shingo Nishiyama
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