Hanyu Yuzuru to rock Tokyo Dome in February
After concluding his first professional ice show 'Prologue', the two-time Olympic champion unveils his next project - 'Gift', the first-ever figure skating performance at the 55,000-seater in the Japanese capital.
Figure Skating
Hanyu Yuzuru's ‘Prologue’ has finished. Now comes the main story.
And it will begin unfolding at one of Japan’s most famous and biggest venues - the Tokyo Dome.
Five months removed from competitive figure skating, the two-time Olympic champion stunningly announced on Monday (5 December) his next project, a one-night only performance at the 55,000-seater on 26 February 2023.
He is calling it 'Gift', as a token of appreciation to everyone who supported him throughout his career.
Like Prologue, Hanyu will be the only performer in Gift.
“I’ll be on my own for Tokyo Dome as well”, Hanyu said in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, after wrapping up the fifth and final show of Prologue that started in Yokohama last month.
Hanyu will be the first figure skater ever to perform at the Tokyo Dome, home to Japanese baseball’s Yomiuri Giants but also serves as an arena reserved for the world’s biggest entertainers.
Past artists who have performed at Tokyo Dome include: Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, U2 and Beyonce to name a few. This past October, Bruno Mars played there.
The venue also staged several NFL, NBA and MLB games, and two boxing matches featuring Mike Tyson.
Hanyu Yuzuru: I want to keep evolving
“The production will be more elaborate, using a lot of technology. It aims to be more entertaining and completely new compared to what I did here.
“It’s going to be the first performance by a figure skater at the Tokyo Dome. To be honest, I’m incredibly nervous about it. It took a lot of brainstorming by a lot of people - including myself - to get to this point, " said Hanyu two days ahead of his 28th birthday on Wednesday (7 December).
“I’ll continue to do shows like Prologue and appear in other ones but I also want to do things that don’t conform. I want to keep evolving.
“Hopefully I can change how people perceive figure skating (with my new show) at the Tokyo Dome”.
Hanyu continued to keep his fans on the edge of their seats, two days before his 28th birthday.
When Gift - which he likened to pages turning in a picture book - was unveiled on this day, the sellout crowd at Flat Hachinohe erupted.
Hanyu said doing a show at the Dome was initially not his idea.
“The biggest reason I chose the Tokyo Dome is because I was offered the opportunity. It’s that simple”, he said.
“I never would have considered myself worthy enough to perform there; I’m not that conceited or confident enough to think so.
“But once I had an offer, I started asking people what they thought and then began thinking about the prospect on my own.
“The conversation for Tokyo Dome had actually started before Prologue. But then we ran into a wall with dates so while Gift was in limbo, we decided to do Prologue first.
“Once we managed to book the Dome, then I was producing Prologue while working on Gift at the same time.
“What will figure skating be like at Tokyo Dome? That’s the question I’ve been facing. Now I can’t wait to show Gift at Tokyo Dome”.
Hanyu Yuzuru: A 'landmark' year of my life
Hanyu described the past year as one he will not forget, which would qualify as an understatement.
Hanyu became the first skater in competition history to attempt the quadruple Axel in his third Olympic appearance in Beijing, where he missed out on the medals.
He then retired in July, went on to self-produce and star in the solo show Prologue and now comes Gift, which will be intriguing to say the least and could redefine professional figure skating.
“The 27th year of my life, it definitely turned out to be landmark for me. I decided to turn pro and have just finished a really intense first tour. I like to think I took my first steps becoming the professional skater I want to be.
“This was my first show as a pro. The most important thing for me was to not get hurt and I managed to get through it all in one piece.
“It was a great experience. There were nerves, there was pressure but my career as a professional is officially off to a start now”.