Six times supreme: Kaori Sakamoto owns Japanese Nationals again
2025-26 Japanese Nationals: Women’s Figure Skating
In an epic women’s battle for the Japanese Olympic team, 2022 Olympic bronze medalist Kaori Sakamoto triumphed on Sunday at Yoyogi. In doing so, she secured her fifth consecutive national title, becoming the first Japanese woman since Midori Ito to achieve the feat. Three-time Junior World champion Mao Shimada shone in silver, while 2025 World bronze medalist Mone Chiba fought her way onto the podium in third.
Kaori Sakamoto
Sakamoto added another unforgettable chapter to her career on Sunday at the Yoyogi National Stadium as she earned her sixth national title carried by the thunderous support of the crowd. In her final appearance at this event, the 25-year-old from Kobe delivered two spectacular performances, finishing with an enormous 234.36 total score.
Performing her last short program before the Olympic Games in February next year, Sakamoto’s routine to “Time to Say Goodbye” unfolded beautifully on the ice. Earning high grades of execution (GOE) across all her elements, the three-time World champion shone brightest during her step sequence, where her presence truly filled the rink. This segment revealed not only her technical prowess but also a deep musical maturity, flowing naturally through with edge quality and expressions. The only minor flaw was an edge call on the triple Lutz.
After her performance, Sakamoto emphasized how important it was for the program to go well, especially after having had mixed results in the short program earlier this season. Braving the nerves, she scored 79.43 points, moving into first place by just 0.10 above Shimada. Though she found the tiny margin a little frightening, Sakamoto said she enjoyed the challenge and that it motivated her to keep pushing forward.
But it was in the free skate that the most magical scene of the event unfolded. As the last skater to take the ice at the last event of the competition, Sakamoto was watched by all. As she stepped onto the ice, a sea of orange banners with her name greeted her. During the next four and a half minutes of her Edith Piaf medley, the stadium breathed as one watching Sakamoto deliver element after element. The only two errors were an edge call on the front end of a triple Lutz-double toe and a slightly underrotated triple flip in combination with a triple toe.
As she took her ending pose, Sakamoto couldn’t stop her tears from falling down, with spectators, fellow skaters, and staff alike erupting in celebration. Legends like Midori Ito, Shizuka Arakawa, and Mao Asada came to watch as well. Sharing an emotional farewell with the crowd that has watched her grow as a skater for 21 years, she left her mark as a legendary figure in Japan’s sport. She scored 154.93 points, winning both segments.
With her victory, Sakamoto secured a spot on Japan’s Olympic team for Milano 2026 and is also set to compete at the World Championships next March. In what promises to be a fierce competition, she will aim to make history by capturing Japan’s second women’s Olympic gold.
Mao Shimada
Rising star Shimada made waves as she dominated the senior skaters again this year, stepping onto the second place of the podium behind Sakamoto. Although the 17-year-old is not even age-eligible for the Olympics this season, her consistency is remarkable, having reached the podium at every senior national championship she has competed in so far.
Shimada opened her “Sing, Sing, Sing” short program with a stunning triple Axel, earning +1.71 GOE for the element. She executed the rest of her elements cleanly as well, including a big triple Lutz-triple toe in the second half of her program. Surprised by her score, Shimada earned 79.33 points, nearly closing the gap with champion Sakamoto.
The four-time Junior Grand Prix Final champion explained that she had been very nervous going into the programs, a factor that usually causes her to falter on jumps, but that this time, she managed to shake it off. She also noted that her triple Axel this year was much more solidly landed than last year’s, which helped her achieve an even higher score.
As expected from Shimada, her “Miracle” free skate was delivered with the same consistency as her short program, with her only noticeable mistake being a fall on a quadruple toe, which was deemed landed on the quarter by the technical panel. She earned the highest technical score of the segment, 86.70 points, for a total segment score of 148.75. Despite posting an impressive total of 228.08 points, Shimada admitted she was frustrated not to have skated completely clean, wishing she had landed her quad.
While she is not in contention for one of Japan’s Olympic spots this season, the three-time World Junior champion will move up to the senior level next year. She hopes to win at that level too and sets her sights on the next Olympic Games in four years. In the meantime, she will compete at the Junior World Championships next March.
Mone Chiba
Leaving her difficult Grand Prix Final behind, Chiba found her way back in Tokyo, earning the bronze medal with 216.24 points. After a challenging two weeks leading up to the event, the 20-year-old was eager to rediscover the form she displayed at the start of the season, a key step toward remaining in contention for an Olympic spot.
Skating to Donna Summers’ “Last Dance” for her short program, Chiba made Yoyogi Stadium dance on their feet. She opened her program with a flowy triple flip-triple toe which received +1.29 GOE. She landed a solid double Axel, but the triple Luz received an edge call. While she may not have appeared completely comfortable throughout the program, she still secured a level 4 on all her spins and step sequence. With the second-highest program component score of the segment, she finished fourth with a score of 74.60.
Chiba later shared that she had hoped to use her disappointment from the Grand Prix Final as a moment to build from and felt she had succeeded in doing so.
Going into the free skate, Chiba was determined to present her own interpretation of Romeo and Juliet. As the music built, she delivered element after element with focus and sharpness throughout the program. Despite receiving two under-rotation calls and two ‘q’ calls, the skater earned a score of 141.64, a testament to her strong program component scores.
Reflecting on her growth since the Grand Prix Final, she shared that she believed in herself until the very end of the program, continually reminding herself of her strength even while feeling nervous.
Having met all criterion, Chiba secured her ticket to the Olympic Games in Milan. After a powerful start to the season, she will look to carry that momentum forward, chasing not just consistency, but a moment on the Olympic podium. She will also participate in the Four Continents Championships next January and at the World Championships in Prague.
Ami Nakai
Ami Nakai finished just off the podium at this event—a massive improvement from her 15th-place finish last year. A strong contender for the Olympic team, the skater, who was still competing at the junior level last season, has made remarkable progress throughout the year, rising into the top ranks thanks to her consistency and reliable triple Axel.
Fearless, the teenager opened her short program to La Strada with a wonderful triple Axel, earning +2.06 GOE. She went on to land a triple Lutz-triple toe and triple loop while delighting the audience with a joyful, yet finely choreographed step sequence. She scored a big 77.50, finishing third in the segment.
Nakai offered insight into her mindset, explaining that while thoughts of winning or losing are only natural, they should never take away from the focus on delivering the best performance possible.
In the free skate, however, the 2025-26 Grand Prix Final silver medalist was unable to replicate her short program success on the Axel. She opened up too early and settled for a rough double Axel instead. She quickly regrouped, bouncing back with a triple loop–triple toe, followed by a triple Lutz-triple toe. She also landed a triple Lutz–double Axel–double toe sequence, but the latter jump received a “q.” While she looked solid on the rest of her jumps, Nakai was visibly frustrated with the Axel mistake and, in tears, admitted that she had hoped to finish on the podium. She scored 213.56 overall.
At 17, Nakai is the youngest skater on the Olympic team this season, making her dream a reality. As she prepares and continues to build toward the Games, she will compete at the Four Continents Championships, her first major event since the Grand Prix Final.
Yuna Aoki
Yuna Aoki delivered one of the surprises of the event, rebounding from difficult Grand Prix assignments to finish fifth place—her best result to date at the national championships.
Known for her difficult trademark triple Lutz–triple toe combination, Aoki opted instead for a triple Lutz–double toe in the short, a choice that carried significantly less base value. She soared through the remainder of her “Adios Nonino” program, earning the third-highest PCS of the segment and holding her score steady. Almost breaking the 70-point mark, Aoki ranked seventh with 69.84.
Aoki’s free skate to La La Land delighted the audience as she brought every musical cut to life with expressive interpretation and beautiful edge work. Thrilled, the crowd applauded continuously throughout the program. After considering retirement last season, the 23-year-old delivered a deeply emotional performance, breaking down in tears at the end of her routine as the audience roared in support. To her surprise, she earned 142.16 points for the free skate, finishing with 212 points overall.
Aoki shared that while she had been aiming for a specific score, she was overjoyed and grateful that she had continued skating.
As the 2024 NHK Trophy bronze medalist continues to grow and share the gift of her skating with fans, she is set to compete alongside Mone Chiba and Ami Nakai at the Four Continents Championships at the end of January, making her debut at an ISU Championship.
Wakaba Higuchi
Finishing in eighth place, Olympic team silver medalist Wakaba Higuchi brought her remarkable 21-year skating career to a close at the national championships this weekend. Having battled with an injury this season, the 24-year-old was not in contention for a spot at her second Olympics following her performances in the Grand Prix Series, leaving many unsure of where she stood.
Competing with a watered-down layout in both programs, Higuchi appeared to struggle in practices, often popping her jumps as she continued to manage her injury. However, on the day of the short program, Higuchi delivered a flawless skate that had nothing to do with what she put out in practices. She landed a flowy and big double Axel to begin, followed by a triple Salchow triple-triple toe that she had been having issues on. Her solo triple Lutz landed, Higuchi could fully let the magic of her skating transport the audience in her step sequence. She scored 69.47 in the short program, admitting that even she was surprised by the number, but said she wanted to skate without any regrets in her final season.
Higuchi carried that mindset into the free skate, and despite a step out, a ‘q’ call, and one underrotation, she delivered her final performance “her way.” As the music ended, she threw herself onto the ice, greeted by the roar of the entire stadium. In tears as she left the rink, she sat in the kiss-and-cry and she looked stunned at her total score of 203.06. While it might not have been the ending she envisioned for her career, she emphasized how important it was to feel satisfied and acknowledged that she could not have done any more.
While nothing has been confirmed, Higuchi has expressed her desire to compete in one more event this season.
Mai Mihara
Like teammate Higuchi, it was time for the two-time Four Continents champion Mai Mihara to bid farewell to the sport, competing in the final competition of her career. With two performances she can truly be proud of, the 27-year-old skated with grace and heart, leaving everything on the ice and giving fans one last glimpse of the champion she has been throughout her remarkable career.
Skating to her fan-favorite “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence”, Mihara earned 62.77 points. The arena, louder than it had ever been, carried her through the entire step sequence. Despite her frustration over a mistake in her triple Lutz-double toe combination, she expressed how lucky she felt to have been able to skate and meet so many kind people around the world through her career. She also noted her surprise and gratitude at seeing the overwhelming support and banners from fans in the stands.
The 2022-23 Grand Prix Final champion gave the crowd a performance to remember in her free skate to “The Planets,” executing nearly every element beautifully. From the second half of her program onward, the applause never stopped, echoing throughout the arena and carrying her to the finish. Overwhelmed with emotion, Mihara lingered on the ice, tears streaming as she bowed to show her appreciation to the audience.
Feeling like the luckiest person on earth to have received so much love and support over the years, Mihara shared that she will never forget how she felt that day. Looking ahead, she is excited for what the future holds for her.
Mayuko Oka placed sixth overall (211.52) followed closely by Rinka Watanabe (211.52)
Related Info:
The post Six times supreme: Kaori Sakamoto owns Japanese Nationals again appeared first on Golden Skate.