Daisuke Takahashi: “It was challenging. It was incredibly tough. But the joy of achieving something was greater than when I was doing it alone because we worked hard together.”
Interview with Daisuke Takahashi. Interview with Daisuke Takahashi. About retirement and what ice dance have given him.
source: nhk.jp dd. 26th May 2023
Congratulations on your athletic career. How do you feel right now?
Daisuke Takahashi: I’m not sure… I feel anxious.
Have you been able to calm down a bit?
Daisuke Takahashi: Actually, I haven’t really calmed down yet. I’m hoping to take a little break after this.
We’d like to hear more about your experiences. Thank you in advance.
Daisuke Takahashi: Thank you, you’re welcome.
Earlier, you mentioned feeling a bit anxious.
Daisuke Takahashi: After retiring once before, I’ve experienced how many things can change. There’s also the aspect of my age, and I feel anxious because this is where the real challenge begins.
So, it’s not a feeling of relief from being released from competitive sports?
Daisuke Takahashi: That’s right. Rather than feeling relieved, I have a stronger sense of “I need to do something.” Especially the first time, I felt worn out from skating and couldn’t push myself anymore. But this time, I have a feeling of “I want to keep doing it” and “What do I want to do?” However, I haven’t thought about the specifics yet.
About a year ago, when you announced that you would continue competing, we interviewed you, and at that time, you mentioned that you were “calm” as you faced the future. But now, it seems like you have more anxiety.
Daisuke Takahashi: Yes, that’s correct. To be honest, I do have a lot of anxiety, but it’s not a deeply negative kind of anxiety. It’s more of a forward-looking anxiety about what I can achieve in these upcoming years.
What has been the reaction from your hometown Kurashiki and Okayama since you announced your retirement?
Daisuke Takahashi: Actually, I haven’t been able to go home yet, so I’m not sure. I don’t really know the actual reaction.
Have you received any messages from acquaintances?
Daisuke Takahashi: No, I haven’t. Yes, none. Well, if I say that, it might be surprising. I met my family at an ice show recently, including my father. But I haven’t talked to my mother on the phone yet. It’s like my father scolded me, saying, “Call your mother.”
Your mother wants to contact you, but she may be refraining from doing so.
Daisuke Takahashi: Yes, that’s right. She might be. She called a few times. I do want to go back once things settle down, so that’s why. As for relatives, they’re not particularly interested in “Skater Daisuke Takahashi,” so they have more of a “Oh, is that so?” kind of reaction.
Having gone through two athletic careers, how would you describe Kurashiki and Okayama, your hometowns?
Daisuke Takahashi: I think if I hadn’t skated in Kurashiki, I would have probably quit. If I had received specialized education from a young age, I might have become tired of it and quit. But because I was able to enjoy skating so much and spend my early years doing it, I think that’s why I’ve been able to continue for such a long time. In a way, I feel that it was really good for me to do things freely. So, I think if I hadn’t been born there, I wouldn’t be who I am today.
It’s because of your roots that you excelled at both singles and ice dance at a top level. I believe there’s no other athlete like you. What do you think?
Daisuke Takahashi: Ice dance wasn’t at a top level yet.
Looking back on your skating career, what do you feel?
Daisuke Takahashi: It’s too long to understand. It’s so long that I can’t comprehend it, but my skating life has truly been a life dedicated solely to skating. I think I’ve been supported by many people and had many people lend me a hand. I don’t think I could have come this far on my own.
Can you think of many people?
Daisuke Takahashi: Yes, they come to mind. Important people appeared and reached out to me during crucial times, and since my family didn’t come from a wealthy background, it would have been impossible to do it on my own. But thanks to the support of many people, I think I’ve been able to continue for such a long time.
When you look back, did you ever imagine that you would continue for so long?
Daisuke Takahashi: Not at all. I started without thinking much, not because I idolized someone or wanted to become like a specific figure skater. I didn’t have the feeling of “I want to be like that.” I just wanted to start because it was fun, and unknowingly, it led to saying, “I want to go to the Olympics.” From there, I truly started to have the desire to win, and it happened without me realizing it.
Did your aspirations change depending on the version of yourself at that time, and is that why you are still in the game during this extended period?
Daisuke Takahashi: Yes, that’s right.
Regarding that, what do you think about what you gained from experiencing two disciplines, singles and ice dance?
Daisuke Takahashi: I’ve only gained things. Not just in terms of skating and technical skills, but also lifts and the difference between doing spins alone and doing spins with a partner. There are significant differences in these technical aspects, and I truly gained a lot from them. When I partnered with Kana Muramoto and spent time in the United States, I realized that I didn’t have family or a romantic relationships, so what else was there?
A partner?
Daisuke Takahashi: Those two are the closest. Not as romantic partners, but building a partnership and experiencing collisions at the edge. I think it’s an experience that is hard to come by. Through those collisions, I learned things, not necessarily about self-reflection but about getting to know myself again. I also learned from Kana Muramoto, and I believe there were things she learned from me too. In those aspects, I think I was able to grow as a person and it will help me in the future, when it comes to conveying myself and how to communicate effectively, I’m not good at it. In private, I tend to be talkative, but I don’t reveal important things easily. However, if I don’t say them, they won’t be understood or conveyed. I have a bit of a youngest child mentality, thinking that people will understand without me saying it. But I’ve come to realize that if I don’t say it properly, it won’t be conveyed to others, even if it’s just a little. Of course, there was growth in terms of technical skills, but I believe there was more growth in those areas.
How do you want to apply that growth in the future?
Daisuke Takahashi: In the future, as I continue to do various things, perhaps even in business – I feel a bit uncomfortable using the term “business.” Basically, when it comes to conveying things to people, the importance and significance of it is not something people will automatically understand. You have to convey it properly, so I think that’s the most important thing. When my excitement rises, I tend to speak quickly and my thoughts get jumbled, but I’ve learned that I need to calmly convey my message for it to be understood. I think these aspects apply to various things. But I still have a long way to go, and as I continue to challenge myself with new things, I will keep learning. I don’t have the intention of trying to apply it too much; I think it’s better to just put myself out there. So, I want to avoid creating barriers in advance.
But you thought you weren’t good at it, right?
Daisuke Takahashi: Especially during doing single skating, since I handled everything on my own. But when you partner with someone, you can’t move forward if you don’t understand each other, and it can create conflicts in the performance. In order to convey that, you have to speak up. If you keep suppressing it, there will be cracks somewhere. I learned that both of us need to communicate and move forward after understanding each other. But I think this applies to other things as well. It’s something I’m not good at— I thought that nobody understands my feelings. It’s not that they don’t understand, but rather, they just don’t know. Honestly, I don’t even understand myself or the other person. So, I learned these things.
It applies to daily life as well, doesn’t it?
Daisuke Takahashi: I truly believe so.
By doing ice dance, were you able to reflect on yourself?
Daisuke Takahashi: Rather than reflecting, it was unexpectedly… I didn’t think I was so stubborn, but I realized that I am quite stubborn.
Did you realize it after considering retirement?
Daisuke Takahashi: Rather than retirement, as I continued to do various things, there is about an eight-year age difference between me and Kana. You know how it is when you’re eight years younger, running forward with passionate feelings. How to stop that momentum and whether it’s a bad thing or not. But I also learned, on the contrary, what kind of feelings the supporting people had.
How did you guide each other while working hard with Kana Muramoto?
Daisuke Takahashi: Yes, well, on the contrary, I was also guided by her. It was a mutual thing.
One thing that caught my attention was your statement during the retirement press conference, where you said, “I like the person I became after returning to competitive ice dance. I became able to accept myself even when I couldn’t do something and started praising myself.” How did you arrive at this mindset?
Daisuke Takahashi: When I started ice dance, there were so many things I couldn’t do. I kept blaming myself over and over again. As a result, my confidence kept diminishing, and that lack of confidence was evident and affected my performances. When that happened, my partner also became worried, and things didn’t go smoothly. So, even if it was just a small achievement, I started praising myself and turning it into confidence. This not only reassured me but also reassured my partner. Lowering the bar and praising myself, even forcibly, had a positive effect. Through this process, I started feeling more at ease. I became able to accept myself even when I couldn’t do something and became more open-minded in how I approached things. It didn’t exactly broaden my perspective, but I felt that way, which is why I made that statement.
Was it difficult to accept yourself when you were in singles skating?
Daisuke Takahashi: It seems so. I didn’t intend to, but apparently, I hadn’t fully accepted myself.
Looking back, do you feel that way?
Daisuke Takahashi: When I look back on it, yes.
Even while working, there’s a part of me that can’t do certain things. As I mentioned the other day, being born in the same year, 1986, also plays a role. There are times when I can’t fully accept the fact that I can’t do certain things.
Daisuke Takahashi: It’s okay. If you can’t do something, you can’t.
That’s why you focus on developing your strengths and areas where you can excel.
Daisuke Takahashi: Yes, that’s right. I do try to improve the things I can’t do, but I don’t get stuck or fixated on them. If I become too fixated, it affects the things I can do as well. I feel that it’s a waste of time. So, I focus on doing what I can without being bound by the things I can’t do. I think if I do that, the ability to do those things will also come along. Sometimes, things you thought you couldn’t do can be accomplished if you give them a try. There are things that can’t be done, of course, but accepting that they truly can’t be done is important. If you say, “I can’t do it anymore,” then you start thinking about what other options you have to compensate for what you can’t do. It’s like seeing possibilities.
Regarding your second athletic career, ice dance, did you feel that it had many positive aspects? Was it enjoyable or challenging?
Daisuke Takahashi: It was challenging. It was incredibly tough. But the joy of achieving something was greater than when I was doing it alone because we worked hard together. So, with anything, when things go well… I can’t find the right words in Japanese. It’s not completely erased, but the negative aspects become insignificant. It’s not about the bad things. It’s about offsetting them. I think they get offset.
Related topics: Kana Muramoto Daisuke Takahashi
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