is a Japanese

figure skater Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, when contested at the 1908 Olympics in London. The Olympic disciplines are me ...

and coach. He is a ten-time Japanese national champion. He represented

Japan at the 1960 Winter Olympics Japan competed at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley Ski Resort, Squaw Valley, United States. Alpine skiing ;Men Cross-country skiing ;Men ;Men's 4 × 10 km relay Figure skating ;Men ;Women Ice hockey Group A Top t ...

, where he placed 14th, and at the 1964 Winter Olympics, where he placed 8th. His best finish at the World Championships was 4th in 1965. He is married to Kumiko Okawa, and as of 2011 the couple lives near

Yokohama is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of To ...

. Their daughter is

Yuka Sato is a Japanese former competitive figure skater and choreographer. She is the 1994 World champion, the 1990 World Junior champion and the 1993 & 1994 Japanese national champion. She placed 7th at the 1992 Winter Olympics and 5th at the 1994 ...

, the 1994 World Champion. Along with

Machiko Yamada is a Japanese figure skating coach. Her current and former students include Midori Ito, Mao Asada, Yoshie Onda, Yukari Nakano, Mai Asada, Kumiko Koiwai, Kanako Murakami, Mako Yamashita, and Rino Matsuike. References

Japanese figure s ...

, he is one of the most successful coaches in Japan. His current and former students include

Miki Ando is a retired Japanese figure skater. She is the 2007 and 2011 World champion, 2011 Four Continents champion, 2004 World Junior champion, and a three-time (2003, 2004 & 2010) Japanese national champion. Ando is the first female skater to c ...

, Mao Asada,

Shoko Ishikawa is a Japanese former competitive figure skater. She is the 2010 NRW Trophy champion, 2011 Ondrej Nepela Memorial silver medalist, and 2008 Japanese junior bronze medalist. Programs Competitive highlights ''GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand ...

, Hirokazu Kobayashi,

Takahiko Kozuka is a former competitive Japanese figure skater. He is the 2011 World silver medalist, a two-time Grand Prix Final medalist, a two-time Four Continents medalist, and the 2010–11 Japanese national champion. He is also the 2006 World Junior ...

Yukari Nakano is a Japanese former competitive figure skater. She is the 2006 Four Continents silver medalist, the 2003 Four Continents bronze medalist, the 2005–06 Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, the 2007 Asian Winter Games champion, and a three-time ...

, Wun-Chang Shih, and

Fumie Suguri is a Japanese former competitive figure skater. She is a three-time World medalist, a three-time Four Continents champion, the 2003 Grand Prix Final champion, and a five-time Japanese national champion. Personal life Suguri was born in Chi ...

. In February 2010, he was elected to the

World Figure Skating Hall of Fame The World Figure Skating Hall of Fame serves as a repository for the sport of figure skating. The World Figure Skating Hall of Fame is where the greatest names in the history of the sport are honored. It is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, ...

Competitive highlights

References

External links

* Figure skaters at the 1960 Winter Olympics Figure skaters at the 1964 Winter Olympics Living people Japanese male single skaters Olympic figure skaters of Japan Japanese figure skating coaches Sportspeople from Osaka 1942 births Kansai University alumni Universiade medalists in figure skating Universiade gold medalists for Japan Universiade silver medalists for Japan Competitors at the 1960 Winter Universiade Competitors at the 1964 Winter Universiade Competitors at the 1966 Winter Universiade {{Japan-figure-skating-bio-stub