So it’s no secret how much Sendai loves Yuzu and how unending their support has been for him. It’s really nice and heartwarming to see. Sendai’s local TV program ran a news report on the Yuzuru Hanyu photo exhibition which is just about the only coverage we have so far, so here you go (in extremely poor quality):
// Courtesy of msmf40239 (I cut out the bit about the weather and rejoined the rest. Trying out a new app so apologies for the cyberlink watermark)
Fan (from Fukushima): I’m a little teary... It’s really incredible isn’t it? Um, everyone, there are so many fans but, the people of Sendai...their love? just cannot be matched.*
Full translation under the cut. It’s a cute news report, and seriously, The love Sendai has for Yuzu is just too heartwarming :) Trains and buses and exhibitions, ah I want to go to Sendai too~
Narrator (N): Sendai City International Centre Subway Station. From there extends a loooooooooooooooooooooo -breathes- ooooooonnnngg line. Just what is this??
Fan(F): I’m from Osaka (865km away)
F: I’m from Kanagawa (402km away)
F: I’m from Niigata (265km away)
F: Tokyo (365km away)
N: The reason why they’ve purposely come all the way to Sendai is this. The Hanyu Yuzuru Photo and Poster Exhibition!
N: This event that started yesterday (ie 3rd Nov) is an exhibition of the support posters Sendai TV has been producing annually since 2013 together with Sendai-born photographer Noto Sunao’s photos. It’s a limited (time) special event held only in Hanyu’s hometown, Sendai.
N: The photos laid out here come from the past 8 Sendai Festival Photography Events (t/n: the Yuzuru Hanyu Photo exhibitions by Noto) that attracted over 70,000 people, and consist of 120 pieces that were chosen with much difficulty and deliberation by the staff.
N: With the birthplace of Japan’s figure skating, the Goshikinuma pond (scroll down here or see my post here for more info), to the left (of the event space) and held inside the International Centre station which is famous for its Hanyu monument, (the event) looks back on the miracle of his last 4 years with the best photos available. It certainly takes on a special atmosphere!
F (from Sendai, pink): It’s...
F (accompanying friend, blue): She’s filled with emotion
F (pink): I’ve been anticipating this for so long... I’ve waited for this!
F (from Yokohama): Really, thank you very much! That’s the kind of feeling I have. It’s completely... I’m from Yokohama but (coming here) is completely....how do you say this, it’s not a hardship for me, I really feel like it’s great that I came here.
F (from Fukushima): I’m a little teary... It’s really incredible isn’t it? Um, everyone, there are so many fans but, the people of Sendai...their love? just cannot be matched.*
F (from Hyogo): Be it the incredibly kind feeling that Sendai gives and whatnot, being able to experience those kinds of things make me think it’s really great that I came.
N: What’s more, this time at the event you can purchase a memorial book that has compiled previous support posters and records of those times. This is also limited only to this location so from the morning opening, many fans lined up excitedly.
N: Next year in February, the Pyeongchang Olympics will finally be held. Araarakashi (the TV program) will be fully supporting Hanyu in his new challenge! With that, let’s start this week too with energy!
//Cut back to studio where they are looking through his memorial book. I’ve skipped this part because you don’t need words to understand fangirling XD (the girl in red calls him Miyagi’s Treasure lolz//
Female Announcer (FA): About the photographer Noto Sunao, he’s someone who has always been photographing Hanyu so he has a huge collection of photos. From that collection they have carefully chosen the photos for this exhibition and for the memorial book.
Male Announcer (MA): Yes, 120 pieces, it’s incredible isn’t it?
FA: Yes it really is something to look at. -audio cut- Quite a long line formed yesterday and it was made of fans from all over Japan. From that you can see just how popular Hanyu is.
MA: Being able to see so many different faces is amazing isn’t it?
FA: Yes and together with this, an incredible thing is happening too right in Sendai’s towns. In collaboration with this, the Sendai City Transport Bureau is showing its full support, so Sendai’s city subway lines, the Touzai line and the Nanboku line, have put up posters in each of their 26 stations.
MA + studio: ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?? No way! Oh it’s true! (lolz ^^:)
FA: Yes and every station has a different poster design and message too.
MA: Wow really??
Red shirt girl (RSG): In order to see this I went to different stations every day.
Everyone else: Really? // You want to different ones? // Wow! // You got on and off?
RSG: Yes and each and every message, it really resonates in your heart!
//The rest of it is them talking about many fans going to the stations and taking photos and uploading them on twitter//
FA: On top of this, Sendai’s City Buses too, about 500 of them, have posters displayed as well. The towns of Sendai have really become one with Hanyu.
MA: Wow, the meaning of fun has certainly increased, the fun of taking transport! (t/n: this is a lame pun in Japanese: Norimono ni noru - norimono = things you can ride on aka transport, noru = to ride, also, to get excited/have fun)
FA: There will be many chances to see (these posters) while during your commute but, of course for Hanyu, the Olympics is coming up next year and will be the scene of his challenge. So yes, together with his hometown of Sendai, let’s all send our support to him!
FA: With that, the Hanyu Yuzuru Poster and Photo exhibition will be happening at the 2nd floor of the International Centre Station from the 3rd to the 21st of November. Admission is free so everyone please, make your way down.
*t/n: Here the fan says “kanawanai” which could either be 叶わない (unrequited) or 敵わない (unmatched). The former is more commonly used, but context wise the latter seemed more appropriate. (Unless she thinks Yuzu doesn’t love Sendai and was teary because of that lmao)
Some of Yuzu at FaOI Kobe ❤❤❤ Even tho there will be no broadcast 😭 for FaOI Niigata (still hoping a miracle would happen) I hope there will be lots of photos!! Some credits to Mr. Noto Sunao, Johnny Weir, and Nobunari Oda! Thanks for sharing the photos 😍😍
