Shunsuke Nakamura ready for next chapter
Shunsuke Nakamura
After a standout season that saw him claim two Junior Grand Prix medals and finished sixth at the 2025 World Junior Championships, Japanese figure skater Shunsuke Nakamura is stepping into the senior international ranks with fresh confidence, artistic growth, and lofty goals.
The skater from Kyoto describes his performances at Junior Worlds in Taipei as the season’s highlight.
“I was very nervous for both programs, but I was able to enjoy performing and stay focused until the end,” he said. “I think those were my best performances of the entire season.”
Indeed, they were as he earned three new personal best scores at the event, demonstrating progress not only in scores, but in presence. Two goals he had were to make the podium and achieve full levels on his spins and steps.
“Unfortunately, that was something I really aimed for,” he explained. “But even without meeting those goals, I’m proud of how I skated. I made mistakes both in the short and free program, but I was able to regain my control. Through this competition, I was able to grasp the feeling of approaching a match with a strong mindset, so I think this will lead to my growth.”
With his solid placement, Nakamura also helped Team Japan secure three spots for next year’s Junior World Championships—a valuable achievement, though he says he didn’t feel the weight of that responsibility.
“I believed the other two skaters would place high, so I was able to focus on my own performance,” he said.
Looking back, Nakamura feels his biggest improvements came in expression and spin quality.
“My short program this year was in a completely new genre for me, which pushed me to explore movements I wasn’t used to,” he reflects. “That really expanded my range of expression. I also feel I become more consistent in getting higher spin levels.”
Now aging out of juniors, Nakamura will compete internationally as a senior for the 2025–26 season. He’s ready for the challenge: “I want to do well at senior international events and get good results at Nationals by the end of the year.”
New programs, new quads
Nakamura’s new season will showcase his versatility and national identity. His short program, choreographed by Misha Ge, is set to the “Yesterday” by The Beatles and performed by Babyface, Chloe Flower, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
“The song was released not too long ago, and when I heard it for the first time, it captured me right away,” said Ge. “Earlier this year, while visiting the Kinoshita Group ice rink and creating programs for Sena Takahashi and Tomoki Hiwatashi, I watched Shunsuke’s skating and thought this piece could potentially suit him. I proposed this piece to him and Coach Hamada and him and they both liked this idea and its sound.”
The choreographer wanted to show the elegant and more mature side of Nakamura this season, particularly since he is moving up to the senior ranks.
“As the program has the following lyrics in some parts, it also follows the concept of reflection of the past and thought of the present,” Ge explained. “For example, ‘Yesterday, might be gloomy and a painful day, but today, it will be a better, stronger day, but it is because of yesterday.’ The past could hurt, but it is what makes us stronger now.”
“It was the first time I worked with him, and it was a very positive experience and joyful process,” Ge continued. “He learned movements quickly and has good flow with the edges. We continue to work on improving this piece, and I’m looking forward to seeing his further development through the season.”
The new free skate is to music from “The Last Samurai” and is choreographed by Kana Muramoto.
“When we first started digging into music, he wanted to explore and challenge a more newer style than last season,” said Muramoto. “I think he had strong distinct image of what he wanted, and I brought up few selections for him.”
As she listened to the music, she had a clear vision for Shunsuke’s style and felt the music would match.
“I choreographed his show program last season, and that piece gave me a clear vision—it made me think how great it would be to showcase Shunsuke’s strong, mature side in a competitive program as well,” Muramoto explained. “He really liked it too and we started choreographing. It was fun exploring movements, but it is a hard program with more complex transitions he had than last season. I can’t wait to see him compete in senior level!”
While the skater already has a quad toe in his repertoire, he plans to debut the quadruple Salchow.
“I’m working on including one quad in the short and two quads in the free,” he says of his planned layout. “The Salchow is still a work in progress.”
Admiring greatness
Nakamura continues to draw inspiration from Japan’s rich skating legacy. He names Daisuke Takahashi and Kazuki Tomono as long-time idols.
“Daisuke’s performances are captivating,” he said. “No matter the genre, he skates with such style and flair., and that draws me to him. Nakamura also holds deep admiration for Yuzuru Hanyu, praising the Olympic champion’s skating “clean and refined” across all elements.
Recently, the 20-year-old witnessed another chapter in Japanese skating history unfold up close—Koshiro Shimada’s switch to ice dance. The two now train at the same rink.
“I admired him as a singles skater, so I felt a bit sad,” Nakamura admitted. “But I’m really excited to see his skating focus on movement and expression. He has an amazing attitude toward figure skating. Even off the ice, he’s a wonder person. I admire him both as a skater and as a human being.”
Beyond the Rink
Off the ice, Nakamura has a surprising new interest: latte art.
“It’s become a fun hobby recently,” he said with a smile. But he hasn’t let go of his earlier passions—he still loves playing games and watching action movies. He recently saw Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
“Tom Cruise was so cool!” he said.
Balancing his life as a competitive athlete and student, Nakamura is currently enrolled at university, studying commerce and business.
When asked what he’s learned from his junior years, he offers a thoughtful answer: “Not letting mistakes affect me and focusing on each element, one by one.”
As he prepares to take his first steps onto senior international ice, Nakamura brings with him a blend of technical ambition, artistic growth, and level-headed resilience. If his junior years are any indication, he’s one to watch in Japan’s already star-studded men’s field.
Note: Translation by Satsuki Muramoto.
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