The fourth of the Grand Prix events is NHK Trophy, which takes place in Osaka, Japan from the 27th-29th November.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ISU decided that the Grand Prix events would be hosted domestically with skaters and teams from the host country or that train geographically in or close to the host country.
Here’s a rundown of who you can expect to see competing at this event and some information about them.
(*Usually I try to only include international results in these previews, but due to the nature of the competition, if necessary sectional/regional/other domestic results have been included.)
Ladies
| Skater | Country | Notable Results 19/20 | Notable Results 20/21 | Nationals | Program Information | Notable Jumps | World Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nana Araki | Japan | JGP Chelyabinsk - 4th (181.80, J) | Chubu Regional Championships - 7th (148.75) | 16th (J) | SP: That Man / FP: Nausicaa | 3Lz+2T | 79th |
| Wakaba Higuchi | Japan | 4CC - 4th (207.46) | Eastern Section Championships - 1st (203.24) | 2nd | SP: Bird Set Free / FP: Poeta/Flamenco Passion & Soul | 3Lz+3T / 3A | 18th |
| Marin Honda | Japan | Skate Canada - 6th (179.26) | Eastern Section Championships - 10th (144.11) | 8th | SP: I'm An Albatraoz / FP: La La Land | 3T+2T | 27th |
| Tomoe Kawabata | Japan | JGP Gdansk - 5th (177.86, J) | Eastern Section Championships - 5th (155.97) | 3rd | SP: Twilight Waltz / FP: Yumeji's Theme/Sikriadas | 3Lz+3T | 59th |
| Mana Kawabe | Japan | Youth Olympics - 4th (185.22) | Kinki Regional Championships - 2nd (188.48) | 13th | SP: Fire Dance / FP: Miracle | 3Lz+3T / 3A | 85th |
| Rino Matsuike | Japan | JGP Riga - 3rd (193.03, J) | Japan Junior Championships - 1st (198.38, J) | 1st (J) | SP: The Color Purple / FP: Perhaps Love | 3F+3T+2T | 151st |
| Mai Mihara | Japan | Western Section Championships - 2nd (194.87) | SP: It's Magic / FP: Fairy of the Forest, Galaxy | 3Lz+3T | 36th | ||
| Kaori Sakamoto | Japan | 4CC - 5th (202.79) | Kinki Regional Championships - 1st (218.35) | 6th | SP: Concerto En Re Mineur/Bach A La Jazz / FP: The Matrix (soundtrack) | 2A+3T+2T | 5th |
| Chisato Uramatsu | Japan | JGP Chelyabinsk - 5th (171.32, J) | Western Section Championships - 5th (161.07, J) | 9th (J) | SP: Trouble In Paradise / FP: Miss Saigon | 3F+3T | 116th |
| Mako Yamashita | Japan | NHK Trophy - 5th (189.25) | Western Section Championships - 6th (181.46) | 11th | SP: Una voce poco fa / FP: A Thousand Years | 3Lz+3T+2T | 32nd |
| Yuhana Yokoi | Japan | Challenge Cup - 2nd (214.56) | Western Section Championships - 7th (168.83) | 5th | SP: Nandemonaiya / FP: Tom & Jerry | 2A+3T | 22nd |
| Young You | South Korea | 4CC - 2nd (223.23) | 1st | SP: Istanbul Grooves/Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra / FP: Lord of the Rings (soundtrack) | 3A / 3Lz+1Eu+3S | 12th |
Ice Dance
| Team | Country | Notable Results 19/20 | Notable Results 20/21 | Nationals | Program Information | Key Points | World Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rikako Fukase / Eichu Cho | Japan | Mentor Torun Cup - 9th (149.26) | 2nd | RD: La La Land (soundtrack) / FD: My Funny Valentine/Feeling Good | NYYN (+0.27) | 81st | |
| Misato Komatsubara / Tim Koleto | Japan | 4CC - 11th (157.20) | Western Section Championships - 1st (170.04) | 1st | RD: Dreamgirls / FD: Une histoire d'amour | YNNN (+0.46) | 27th |
| Kana Muramoto / Daisuke Takahashi | Japan | RD: The Mask / FD: La Bayadere |
Men
| Skater | Country | Notable Results 19/20 | Notable Results 20/21 | Nationals | Program Information | Notable Jumps | World Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda | Japan | Bavarian Open - 3rd (195.70, J) | Japan Junior Championships - 1st (209.48, J) | 11th (S), 1st (J) | SP: S.O.S. d'un terrien un detresse / FP: James Bond soundtrack | 3Lz+3T | |
| Yuma Kagiyama | Japan | 4CC - 3rd (270.61) | Kanto Regional Championships - 1st (287.21) | 3rd | SP: Vocussion / FP: Avatar soundtrack | 4S+3T | 25th |
| Yuto Kishina | Japan | Bavarian Open - 3rd (201.80) | Western Section Championships - 2nd (207.78, J) | 14th (S), 4th (J) | SP: Michelangelo 70 / FP: Rhapsody in Blue | 3A+2T | 76th |
| Kao Miura | Japan | JGP Riga - 8th (185.50, J) | Eastern Section Championships - 1st (220.55, J) | 2nd (J) | SP: Feeling Good / FP: The Last Samurai soundtrack | 4T+3T | 142nd |
| Sena Miyake | Japan | JGP Egna - 10th (189.24, J) | Japan Junior Championships - 3rd (203.53, J) | 3rd (J) | SP: Romeo and Juliet soundtrack / FP: Fantaisie Impromptu | 3F+3T / 3A | 104th |
| Shun Sato | Japan | Junior Grand Prix Final - 1st (255.11, J) | Eastern Section Championships - 1st (229.18) | 5th | SP: Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack / FP: Audio Machine medley | 4T+3T | 37th |
| Mitsuki Sumoto | Japan | Nepela Memorial - 5th (209.15) | Western Section Championships - 4th (202.14) | 8th | SP: The Feeling Begins / FP: The Mission soundtrack | 3Lz+3T | 70th |
| Keiji Tanaka | Japan | Skate Canada - 3rd (250.02) | Western Section Championships - 3rd (211.05) | 4th | SP: Hip Hip Chin Chin / FP: Sherlock Holmes (soundtrack) | 3A+2T | 18th |
| Kazuki Tomono | Japan | 4CC - 7th (251.05) | Kinki Regional Championships - 1st (215.61) | 6th | SP: The Hardest Button to Button / FP: Moulin Rouge | 4T+3T | 26th |
| Sota Yamamoto | Japan | US International Figure Skating Classic - 2nd (240.11) | Western Section Championships - 1st (221.22) | 7th | SP: Dark Eyes / FP: Dragon (soundtrack) | 4T+3T | 31st |
| Nozomu Yoshioka | Japan | Challenge Cup - 1st (201.68, J) | Kinki Regional Championships - 4th (172.76, J) | 11th (J) | SP: Mountain Top / FP: Lorelei | 3F+3T |
