Nagoya Features Sports

Female Figure Skaters (Mao, Miki, and Akiko)

Japanese people, in general, do not show nationalism. However, February 26th, 2010 was an exception. Around noon on that day (Japan time), literally every Japanese person was paying close attention to the figure skate competition of the Vancouver Olympics. It was a "feast" for Japanese people, whose hearts were united to cheer the three Japanese figure skaters: Mao Asada, Miki Ando, and Akiko Suzuki.

Nagoyans were especially in a fever around that time. At every corner of Nagoya, Nagoyans showed their enthusiasm to watch the competition. Pedestrians stopped at the intersection to watch it on the big TV screen furnished on the outside wall of some building. Shoppers bothered to go to an electric store to see on TV how the Japanese figure skaters would perform. Some lucky workers could watch the competition on TV in the office, while less fortunate ones could monitor it on the Internet. Even students could watch the skaters' performance on their cell phones. In the evening, a special news edition featuring Mao Asada's winning the silver medal was distributed to passengers-by at Nagoya station. People rushed to grab the paper.

It really makes sense why Nagoyans were so enthusiastic. All the three figure skaters are from around Nagoya. Mao Asada and Miki Ando are actually from Nagoya while Akiko Suzuki is from Toyohashi, which lies to the south of Nagoya in the same prefecture (i.e., Aichi prefecture). Nagoyans are so proud of the three "local" figure skaters. Nagoya Sports Center (http://www12.ocn.ne.jp/~skate/), where Mao Asada practiced, is getting one of the hottest places to visit now.