[2024.11.12] Ginza December 2024 special edition x Yuzuru Hanyu
The happiness of being able to perform focusing solely on the gift of blessings.
The final shot of a non-stop, 7-hour long shoot, interrupted only by short breaks. In the horizon studio, Yuzuru Hanyu repeatedly performed rotating jumps. With all his senses heightened, even to the tips of his fingers and toes, he faced the camera with incredible concentration. Amid the lightning-like flashes and the sound of strobes charging, his body no longer seemed human but more like that of a dragon in motion.
"For this shoot, I tried a hands-free cartwheel for the first time. It was fun to improvise and create freely with the cameraman and lighting team, working in perfect harmony. I've worn Gucci's clothes many times as an ambassador, but every time, I feel like I'm wrapped in something of the highest quality, with just the right weight, texture, and functionality. As I approached the shoot, I thought about how I wanted these special clothes to be seen, and how I wanted to move in them."
He sees them as "costumes" rather than as fashion. This awareness is probably something he has cultivated as a skater.
"Only I know myself best. But I can't just focus on my own perspective—I always have to think about how I am perceived by those around me. No matter how much I refine my expressions, if it doesn’t resonate with the viewers, it’s meaningless. I think this way because I’ve always been in a world where my performances were judged. In competitions, when an abstract performance gets a score from 0 to 10, if I’m satisfied with my own internal standards, it won't lead to a good result. Even though it's impossible to make everyone happy, I've always tried to create something that anyone would rate at least a 7, and I’m still on that path Furthermore, as a professional now, I believe I won’t survive in the entertainment world unless I produce something even more special from within myself."
It has been over two years since he declared his transition to professional figure skating in July 2022. During this time, he moved beyond the world of competitions and aimed for even greater heights, becoming the first in the figure skating world to hold a solo performance and successfully complete a solo tour. Has his mindset changed during this time?
"In these two years, I’ve had more opportunities to plan and write stories for my original shows, and in reflecting on the past, I’ve realised that there is no fundamental difference between the person I was before I started skating and who I am now. Of course, I believe my character has changed since I encountered figure skating—both in good ways and bad I’ve come to understand society, and sometimes I overthink things or fall into negativity. But my fundamental personality hasn’t changed at all. It’s my curiosity and inquisitiveness. I’ve always been the type of person who asks ‘why?’ about everything. From the age of 2 or 3, I was the kind of child who was always asking questions to the adults around me. "
There is a picture book, GIFT, written by Yuzuru Hanyu himself, in which a character appears that hints at the image of Yuzuru Hanyu as a young boy. In Hanyu’s own words, we can see the pain and loneliness he experienced while growing up as a skater.
"In that story, my younger self always exists as a dream and talks with me during moments when I feel down or troubled. It’s set during a time when I didn't know much about society and when I wasn’t bound by anything. I feel that the feelings I had back then, when I simply wanted someone to see me, to praise me, to improve, and to achieve something, are definitely still present in me today."
At the root of his journey to two Olympic gold medals and the People’s Honor Award was a pure and innocent desire to improve and have fun.
"The medals and certificates I received during my competitive days were prizes for the results I achieved, and the congratulations and joy from the people around me and my fans were my gifts. Now that I’m a professional, I no longer need to compete for results. Instead, I feel very happy that I can now focus solely on delivering the greatest satisfaction to those who watch me, that is, on receiving a 'gift' from all of you."
Yuzuru Hanyu, who was blessed with a natural talent (=Gift), has continued to give courage, joy, and love to many people through numerous performances, and even outside of the rink, by supporting and visiting disaster-stricken areas such as Tohoku and Noto. Doesn't that wear him down?
"Performing well and continuing social activities require both time and energy, and it can be tough at times, but I feel that I have to do it. It's a sense of mission, and perhaps the meaning of my life in this world. Feeling needed by others gives me self-affirmation, and even if I fail and fall into self-loathing, I believe that is proof that I am confronting myself properly, and it’s a moment when I can truly feel alive. I strongly want to be someone who makes those who see my performances and photos think, 'I’ll keep doing my best,' or 'I’ll keep living tomorrow.' By connecting with society in this way, I want to continue feeling the meaning of life. Perhaps that awareness is a gift from God to me."
Photo_TOKI Styling_Tetsuro Nagase Hair_TAKU for CUTTERS Make-up_Nobuko Maekawa (Perle management) Text_Mari Matsubara
Yuzuru Hanyu >> Born in 1994 in Miyagi Prefecture. Two-time World Champion and two-time consecutive Olympic champion. Awarded the People’s Honor Award in 2018. After turning professional in July 2022, he became his own producer and held three solo shows.
Source: Ginza Magazine December 2024 special edition, pg 81 Info: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0DMSBWSK7/
Yuzu 😭💙💎❤️💖💝😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
