Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara: “It may have been difficult to get attention before, but we’re happy that so many people watched us at these Olympics. We want to keep working so that Japan can become a powerhouse in pairs skating.”
Olympic gold medalist pair Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara received a hero’s welcome at the “Thank You Parade” in Tokyo, expressing gratitude for the support and their commitment to promoting pair skating in Japan.
original source: Nikkansports 25th April 2026
On April 25, the “Thank You Parade” for the Japanese team from the Milan-Cortina Olympics and Paralympics was held in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, where the pair known as “Rikuryu”—Riku Miura (24) and Ryuichi Kihara (33) – who won Japan’s first-ever gold medal in figure skating pairs, were greeted with loud cheers. Here’s a translation of their comments posted on Nikkansports.
This was the first parade held after a Winter Games. About 50,000 people attended.
Ryuichi Kihara, who with Riku Miura (24) became the first pair in Japanese history to win gold in figure skating pairs, gave a greeting. “Thank you for gathering so early in the morning. There were many moments during the Olympics when I felt like giving up, but thanks to everyone’s support, we were able to keep fighting. Today, I hope we can express even a little of our gratitude,” he said on behalf of the pair.
On stage, they were interviewed by TEAM JAPAN support leader Shuzo Matsuoka. Given Matsuoka’s long history of covering figure skating for TV Asahi, he commented, “Even as world champions, there were times you didn’t get much attention. But I feel the power of an Olympic gold medal has changed the world. How do you feel now?” Kihara replied, “It may have been difficult to get attention before, but we’re happy that so many people watched us at these Olympics. We want to keep working so that Japan can become a powerhouse in pairs skating.”
Matsuoka then asked in a relaxed tone, “Has your life changed a bit?” To this, Miura firmly replied, “We haven’t changed.” Kihara added, “We’ll keep moving forward as Rikuryu, just as we always have,” showing their determination to continue together after retirement.
Referring to their retirement announcement on the April 17th, Matsuoka said, “I was shocked. I wanted you to skate one more season. But I apologize – you gave everything, skating until your bodies were worn out. How do you feel about it all?” Kihara replied with a refreshed expression, “We gave it our all. There are absolutely no regrets.”
Kihara said, “There are many details I can’t share yet, but since we had limited opportunities to perform in front of Japanese audiences during our competitive careers, we want to be more accessible as professionals and bring pair skating closer to everyone.” They plan to hold a retirement press conference on the April 28th, saying, “We hope to share more specifics next week.”
Matsuoka then asked, “If it were up to you, Riku, would you want to keep going?” Miura replied firmly, “No, I wouldn’t. For me, Ryuichi Kihara is my number one partner.” The crowd responded with cheers, and Miura, looking bashful, hid her face with her flag.
On the podium set up, Kihara performed a pair lift with Miura, energizing the parade. When they repeated the lift at the finish area, it drew the loudest applause of the day.
In a press interview after the parade, Kihara explained, “We want more people in Japan to know about pair skating. I did the lift today hoping it would be an introduction for everyone.” Miura added, “Since I’m short, I couldn’t see all the way to the back, so I hoped that by being lifted, everyone could see us. I’m happy so many people got to watch.”
Related topics: Riku Miura Ryuichi Kihara
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