Exclusive interview with Tomoki Hiwatashi

The first one-on-one interview of 2025 features Tomoki Hiwatashi,

representing Team USA.

I originally requested the interview back in the summer of 2024, but due to

scheduling conflicts between Hiwatashi and myself, we were only able to

make it happen during the off-season.

My first encounter with Hiwatashi dates back to 2018.

Since then, we’ve had many chances to speak, but surprisingly, we’d

never had a truly in-depth conversation. This interview turned out to be a

chance to learn new things about him for the first time.

On March 27th, I visited Kinoshita Academy Kyoto Ice Arena, where he

trains.

That day’s session was a light one, just under an hour and without any

jumps since he had sprained his ankle.

While out for a run, he came across a cute dog that caught his attention—

and in that moment, he twisted his ankle.

As he cheerfully recounted the story with a big smile, it was classic “THE

Tomoki”—the bright, joyful personality we all know—and the interview was

filled with laughter from start to finish.

Hiwatashi speaks fluent Kansai dialect in a very gentle voice.

He often used Japanese idioms and four-character phrases, and there

were many moments where I felt his way of expressing himself was even

more traditionally Japanese than mine.

We talked about his family, his team in the U.S., training in Japan, his

private life, and even his future.

・Why did you move your training base from the U.S. to Japan?

About a year and a half ago, after the season ended and I hadn’t

achieved the results I wanted, I felt I needed a change.

Since I wasn’t seeing the results I’d hoped for, I reached out to Coach Mie

Hamada, who I had known for a long time through events like Junior

Worlds.

After some twists and turns, I decided that a big change was necessary

overall, and chose to move here and train under her guidance.

・How did your rinkmates respond?

I think they had already known I was coming, so it wasn’t like anyone

was shocked. I was accepted quite naturally.

I’m really grateful for that.

They slowly let me ease into the group.

・Your parents are Japanese, so I assume you’ve visited Japan

often,

but as someone born and raised in the U.S., wasn’t living in Japan a

bit like moving to a foreign country for you?

This is actually my first time living in Japan and the first time living

outside of the U.S. at all.

It’s also the first time I’ve lived alone.

So, in many ways, I needed a change.

Living in a foreign country has been a challenge, but somehow I’ve been

managing on my own (laughs).

It made me realize how much support I had from my parents, coaches,

and friends before.

Feeling that, I’ve been even more dedicated in my training.

・Have you felt homesick?

It still feels like I’m living in a foreign country.

When I go back to the U.S. and arrive at the airport, I really feel like I’ve

come home.

Just like Japanese people feel relieved when they land at Haneda or

Narita after being abroad, I feel a sense of peace no matter which airport I

land at in the U.S.

・Are there any differences between training in Japan and in the

U.S.?

I think Japanese skaters are all incredibly dedicated.

The coaching styles and techniques of Coach Hamada and Coach Hiroaki

Sato are also quite different from what I was used to.

There are things I didn’t know before that I’m learning now.

・Do you train at any rinks besides Kinoshita?

Not very often.

When Kinoshita is closed, I’ve skated at the Kansai International Airport

rink a few times, but I mainly train at Kinoshita.

・ How do you usually spend your day?

Now that it’s the off-season, I’ve finally had a moment to relax.

I’m happy I can finally enjoy gaming in peace again (laughs).

I came here in June after injuring my back.

While recovering, the season began without much of an actual break.

Last year, there was BOI (Bloom of Ice), and I had just moved, so there

were so many things to handle.

This year, entering the off-season, I finally feel like I’ve been able to settle

down and enjoy games and other activities.

During the pandemic, I played games and had opportunities to make

friends online.

We even had offline meetups in the U.S., and I’ve participated in some in

Japan as well.

If you can speak English, you can connect with people from all over the

world—Europe, America, anywhere—through online games.

Depending on the game, there are times when a lot of Japanese people

join too.

When I mention that I’ve moved to Japan, that I’m in the Kansai region,

people often say, “Let’s meet up.”

I’ve met a variety of people—college professors, university students, even

full-time homemakers.

・Do people know you're a figure skater?

Sometimes I tell them after we’ve met.

Of course, only to people I’ve gotten close to.

They don’t treat me any differently, and I really appreciate that.

I used to think I could only make friends through skating, but I’m happy

that I’ve made friends outside of it too.

I’m also taking online university courses.

I started studying around 19 or 20 when I moved up to senior level.

I began thinking about college before graduating high school.

I placed third at Junior Worlds when I was 16.

Then, in my last year as a junior at 19, I decided to focus solely on skating

and didn’t enroll in college for a year after graduating high school.

・You won gold at Junior Worlds at age 19—what an achievement!

Do you have any clear ideas about your future career?

Not really, I haven’t thought about it much.

I’m not like Camden or Vincent, who have clear goals like finance or

working at a bank.

For now, I’m just trying to earn business credits that could be useful later.

In my head, it’s always skating first.

I figure I’ll think about the rest after I retire.

My life basically revolves around skating, gaming, and studying.

Since coming to Japan, I’ve realized just how rich in nature Colorado was

—it was really a beautiful place.

But Japan is super convenient—you can go anywhere by train, not just by

car.

I love going to Nara Park by myself and feeding the deer. I really like deer!

I go to Nara Park often.

There are a lot of foreigners there, and it feels familiar because in the

U.S., I was also surrounded by people of many different races.

When I see tourists from abroad in places like Nara, Kyoto, or Osaka, I

feel a sense of connection.

・Do you have any other favorite or recommended places?

When Jimmy (Jimmy Ma) came to Japan last year, we went to Nishiki

Market—it was really fun.

I also hung out with Camden (Camden Pulkinen) when he visited.

With both Jimmy and Camden, it was kind of a spontaneous “Hey, want to

go somewhere?” kind of thing, and a bunch of us got together.

・ Do you have a lot of friends?

I think my circle of friends has gotten smaller.

Back in the day, there were almost 30 skaters in the U.S. men’s singles

field.

Now there are only 18.

There aren’t many from my generation anymore—Jason Brown, Jimmy,

and I are now the third or fourth oldest.

Every time I go to Nationals, I’m like, “Wait, am I the oldest one here? Uh-

oh.”

I’ve become one of the veterans.

When I entered seniors, there were guys like Jeremy Abbott and Max

Aaron.

I was a total rookie back then—it’s hard to believe how much I’ve aged

(laughs).

Physically, I think I’ve hit my peak—maybe even started to decline a little.

In terms of stamina, the peak is probably around 20–21.

At 22 or 23, my results weren’t great.

I didn’t really benefit from altitude training in Colorado.

Even after coming down to lower elevations, I didn’t feel a difference.

Going back up was just exhausting.

I like Colorado, but the altitude didn’t work for me.

At the recent Four Continents held in Colorado, I thought, “Yeah,

everyone’s struggling—I totally get it” (laughs).

・If you hadn’t become a skater, what do you think you’d be doing?

Hmm... Well, my mom is super responsible, so if she had been around

and guiding me, I probably would’ve grown up pretty normally.

Would I have done sports? I’m not sure.

I’m absolutely hopeless at ball sports—can’t throw, can’t kick, definitely

can’t play baseball.

I went to Spo-Cha (sports entertainment center) recently, and I was

terrible. I couldn’t hit anything (laughs).

If I had to pick something I’m interested in, maybe gymnastics.

When I’m injured and not skating, I still try to stay in shape through

exercise, or I just go sightseeing or stay home playing games all day.

Maybe I could’ve been a NEET (laughs).

But with my mom being so on top of things, I probably wouldn’t have gone

off track.

I can never really decide what I would’ve done if not for skating.

I’m not the type who studies super hard (laughs).

My older sister went to a music university, and my younger sister went to

a junior college in Japan and then another university in the U.S.

Both of my sisters are married and very responsible.

・You seem to have had a lot of injuries and health issues…

Yes, I think that’s true. I’ve never had surgery, though.

I fractured my ankle at age 13.

Then came back problems—I get some sort of back pain every 2–3 years.

The year before last, I had a fracture too.

And this season, I broke a rib at NHK Trophy from coughing too much.

I’ve dislocated my left shoulder 3 or 4 times—it’s fine now.

But last year, I dislocated my right shoulder 5 times.

During my SP at Four Continents, it popped out mid-performance but

slipped back in.

It also dislocated when I was trying to put on a jacket in the kiss and cry at

Golden Spin, and again while heading out for dinner during NHK Trophy.

These days, it can pop out just from putting on a coat.

It used to hurt for a week after dislocating, but now it only hurts for about

five seconds.

I don’t even think much of it anymore.

I probably shouldn’t have skated at Golden Spin after NHK, but I did.

Just moving a certain way in the kiss and cry—pop! It came out again.

I’ve kind of gotten used to it, for better or worse. It slips out and just goes

back in.

It might even happen in my sleep without me realizing.

Still, with the right precautions, I’m okay.

Once I retire from skating, I think I should probably get surgery.

I had asthma when I was around 8 or 9, but not anymore.

I also had a nut allergy incident at Junior Worlds.

I had an anaphylactic reaction on the flight to Bulgaria after eating an in-

flight meal.

・Even with all of that, you didn’t withdraw from competitions—you

performed. That’s amazing. Which competition was the hardest on

your body?

This season’s Sectionals was really tough with the broken rib.

I limited my jumps.

NHK Trophy, Sectionals, and Golden Spin were all difficult this season.

I had a fever one week before NHK and couldn’t train for four days.

I recovered on Monday, got back on the ice, and NHK started that

Thursday.

・Was that the first time you cried that much after a performance?

After the free skate, my rib hurt so badly.

It was tears of both pain and “I did it!” (laughs).

It had hurt since that morning.

NHK was a whirlwind.

That was my fourth time competing there, I think?

There were a few decent performances over the years, but I really wanted

to deliver something strong.

At Nationals, I did my best apart from the short program.

The toe loop has always been hit-or-miss for me—probably the hardest

jump.

The Axel used to be my worst jump since junior days.

If I can land an Axel, I feel like I can do anything.

Since coming to Kinoshita, my Axel has become way more consistent.

Now if someone tells me to go do an Axel, I can just pop one out.

The toe loop has always had about a 70–80% success rate.

Whether it lands or not depends on the day, really.

・ You competed at the Four Continents, your final event of the

season, under very difficult circumstances.

Did you hear anything from U.S. Figure Skating before the event?

Four Continents came after the accident, and I just hoped to do

something meaningful.

I was chosen because of the accident.

There were times when I felt down or overwhelmed.

I personally felt a lot of sadness.

I wanted to deliver a performance that could honor the people affected by

the accident and also bring joy to those watching.

At least for the free skate, I think I was able to do that.

We had talked about how the media might ask difficult questions.

The U.S. team wanted to face it together as one.

・What is the most memorable competition you've had?

Last year’s NHK Trophy, Junior Worlds in Zagreb, and the Four

Continents right before that.

At that Four Continents, I had this strong determination like, "I’m going to

Junior Worlds!"

The 2020 Four Continents was also a well-rounded, satisfying competition

for me.

But if I had to pick the most memorable one, it would be when I won

Juvenile Nationals for the first time in 2011.

I still remember it clearly and watch the video from time to time.

I started skating at five and won at age ten—looking back, it felt like the

prelude to eventually representing the U.S.

What music did I skate to? I think it was a cute, playful piece.

It was a country-style song, and I wore a checkered shirt with denim pants

as a costume.

I really liked that.

I think that was the true starting point for me.

・ I’'ve seen a lot of situations (laughs), but can you share a

memorable competition mishap?

I’ve forgotten my banquet suit so many times.

If I’m not in formalwear at a banquet, it means I forgot it.

Just think, “Oh, he forgot it again” (laughs).

Usually when I forget, I buy something locally—like just a shirt from GU or

somewhere.

One time, I was in such a rush that I got on the bus still in my pajamas.

That was at a JGP event.

I figured, “Well, I’m just going to wear my costume anyway, so whatever.”

All I could think was, “I’ve gotta go, I’ve gotta go!”

Nowadays I’d probably just call an Uber, but back then I was still a junior,

and I felt like I had to be responsible and ride the official bus.

I didn’t want to be late, so I skipped changing clothes.

I had a jacket on top so it wasn’t obvious, but the pants were definitely not

skating gear (laughs).

I can’t even remember which competition it was or how I did.

I forget things most often at overseas competitions.

But I always manage somehow.

My rule of thumb is: as long as I have my skates and my costume, I’ll be

fine.

I’ve even gone to practice in my loungewear.

That was at the JGPF in Canada.

At the time, there was a movement to avoid wearing character shirts due

to copyright issues.

So I started practicing, took off my jacket, and realized I was wearing a

LINE “Brown the bear” pajama top.

I was like, “Oh no, I forgot to change!” I quickly turned the shirt inside out

and kept practicing.

I even changed clothes right there at the rink with my shirt off, and

someone took a photo of that moment.

I asked them, “Uh... could you delete that?” (laughs).

・I actually remember that incident well!

It was a shirt with a huge bear on it, right? It was kind of shocking

(laughs).

I took a photo too, but figured it was best to keep it private. (laughs)

If I ever become a coach, I’d probably be yelling, “What are you doing?!”

But I don’t think I’d make a good coach.

I’ve never been great at explaining things verbally.

Recently, I had a chance to help teach at the Uji club, and it was the first

time I really had to put into words what I do.

I do most things based on feeling, so trying to translate that into language

and teach kids is tough.

It’s fun, but if we’re talking about whether I’m suited for it... probably not.

Every skater jumps differently.

And each child also has a different way of jumping, so trying to preserve

their individuality while helping them develop their own technique is quite

a challenge.

When I have time in the off-season and get a request, I’ll go help out.

I do sometimes wonder what those kids think of my coaching (laughs).

・Is there anywhere you want to go right now?

Do you want to return to the U.S. for a while?

The U.S. is ultimately a place I’ll return to.

I like hot springs, amusement parks, and mountains.

Back when I was in Colorado, if someone said “Let’s climb a mountain,”

I’d be like, “Ugh, really?”

But once I was there, it was actually fun.

Vincent (Zhou), who was really into hiking, always tried to get me to go.

I kept thinking, “Give me a break! Enough already!” (laughs)

We haven’t been in touch lately—he seems busy.

I’ll probably reach out when I retire from skating. The bond will always be

there.

Vincent, Camden (Pulkinen), and Andrew (Torgashev).

The three of us have been skating together since juniors.

We trained together in Colorado too.

We’re close in age, and I want to stay connected with them in the future.

To me, those three are really special.

I heard Camden and Vincent might meet up in New York soon.

Yeah, I’d love to go visit New York after I finish skating, whenever that

may be.

Camden seems to be working hard—he even said during Four Continents

that he had to work.

Sounds rough!

・You all seem to be very close.

I get the sense that they feel the same way about you.

Maybe it’s just me having a one-sided crush? (laughs)

They might be thinking, “Man, he messages me a lot.”

Who knows—maybe they feel the same, maybe not (laughs).

If they do, I’d be really happy.

I’d love to be invited to their weddings someday.

Not sure if I will ever get married though (laughs).

・What would you say are your strengths and weaknesses?

Basically, I like myself.

I’m not full-on narcissistic, but I am pretty self-centered.

Because I like myself, I try not to do things that would make me dislike

who I am.

I think, “If I like myself, I should act in ways that I can be proud of.”

I really don’t want to dislike myself.

So when I have a choice, I try to do what feels right.

I want to be someone I think is cool.

I don’t think about it consciously all the time, but I rarely end up hating

myself.

That said, my weakness is definitely being self-centered.

I often don’t notice what’s going on around me and just focus on myself.

・But isn’t that the same as being focused?

When I’m under pressure, I tend to lose sight of everything else, and

that sometimes affects my relationships.

That happens with my parents too.

If my mom starts yelling, I yell back, and we get into it.

Now that I live apart, whenever my mom calls, I’m like, “Uh-oh, what’s she

going to say today?” (laughs)

She says things out of love, but when her tone gets strong, mine does too.

When we can just talk normally, I think, “Yay, we had a normal

conversation today!”

・Sounds like you have a great, open relationship with your family.

Yeah, I really think so.

I’m truly grateful for the support of my parents.

・What does skating mean to you?

It’s something fun!

I think it’s best to enjoy fun things while you still can.

If I’m having fun, I think the audience and people around me will enjoy it

too.

As for the future, ideally I’d like to become a judge or technical specialist.

It seems tough, though—I haven’t really looked into it much…

I don’t have much confidence in my ability to coach well, so that’s not

something I’m considering.

I don’t know what kind of job I’ll end up doing, but if I stay involved in

skating, I’d like to contribute as a judge or tech specialist and help future

kids.

I’ll think about all that after I retire.

While I’m skating, I’m not thinking about the future.

It’s all kind of vague—I don’t have any clear vision.

I can’t even picture myself being successful or living an ordinary life.

Once I quit skating, my goal is to enter the “real world.”

But since skating has been a part of my life for so long, I do want to stay

involved somehow.

Among my generation, even Conrad (Conrad Orzel) has retired.

I thought, “Wait, seriously? You’re quitting now? Let’s keep going

together!”

I really wanted to tell him, “Don’t quit!”

It feels like things are disappearing one by one.

Of course, there’s more to life than skating, and I don’t want to force

anyone.

But recently—starting last year—I’ve started to wonder when my time to

retire might come.

・Many athletes choose the Olympics as a turning point to retire, but

I hope you’ll choose to retire only when you truly feel that you’ve

done everything you wanted to. I believe that’s something many

figure skating fans would wish for as well. I think fans also feel, “I

want to see you skate for as long as possible,” and “I want to see

even one more competitive program.”

Yes, ideally, I want to end my career at a moment when I can say, “I did it!”

Sometimes I get DMs from fans.

I try to read as many as I can, and I give likes (favorites) whenever

possible.

But that’s actually something I’m not so good at.

Back when I was a junior skater, I used to reply to every message on

social media and respond to handwritten letters too—I really had that kind

of mindset.

I still want to do my best, but when the number of followers goes from

1,000 to 2,000, then to 5,000 and 7,000, the number of messages

increases too.

I try to reply when I have time, but lately it’s been difficult.

When Takahashi (Daisuke Takahashi) and Hanyu (Yuzuru Hanyu) were

competing, so many fans came to the venues.

Among them were people who also watched us, and I was very grateful

for that.

Even now, there are fans who still come to the competitions.

Some people watch every Grand Prix event, and I feel very supported by

them.

Ilia (Ilia Malinin) is just on another level. The 4A is a truly one-of-a-kind

weapon.

Nathan (Nathan Chen) also had something unique—he could land every

type of quadruple jump.

The fact that two skaters like that came out of the U.S. is really amazing.

In the early 2000s, it was the era of introducing the 4T.

Then there came a time when the strongest skaters were the ones who

could land two quads, like the salchow and toe loop. That era brought out

Nathan and Boyang (Boyang Jin).

Even in this Four Continents Championship, you see combinations like

3A+1Eu+4S… laughs

When skaters like that exist, I think the whole sport evolves and

progresses.

When I landed my first quad, I felt like, “I finally made it into the club!!”

Like, “Oh, I finally did it…” laughs

But this sport just keeps advancing, and advancing, and advancing…

・Are there any skaters from Kinoshita Academy you’re especially

keeping an eye on?

Isn’t it Mao? (Mao Shimada – immediate answer)

I often watch Vincent’s practice, and I’ve seen Nathan’s too. In both

cases, their parents worked really hard and were deeply dedicated to

supporting their children.

That’s the kind of family that tends to succeed in the U.S..

Their moms, in particular, played a big role.

I think it’s probably similar with Ilia (Ilia Malinin), too.

But Mao is different.

When I watch her approach to practice, she’s quietly focused, working

hard all on her own.

I’m not a Japanese skater, so I don’t fully know the Japanese system, but

to me, Mao is kind of a standard or benchmark.

If that’s the norm among Japan’s top skaters, that’s really impressive.

Her life seems to revolve completely around skating—and that’s amazing.

Because me? At home, I’d be playing tons of video games with Vincent.

(laugh)

Camden and Andrew too—we’d hang out or play games.

I even went out and had fun with Nathan during competitions.

That kind of total devotion to skating—it’s on a different level from what

I’ve seen in the U.S.

Of course, Mao has the skills. But she’s also strong because she puts in

the work.

It’s hard to imagine her losing.

When I watch Ilia, Nathan, or Vincent, I think: technically, they’re

unbeatable—they’ve got the jumps, skating, spins, everything.

But with Mao, it’s not just her skills—it’s her daily mindset and training

approach that make her seem unbeatable.

She’s different from the American skaters in that sense.

Maybe it’s a cultural thing, I’m not sure—but I do wonder if Yuzuru Hanyu

and Shoma Uno were the same way. It’s just incredible.

I’m the kind of person who needs to separate things—skating is skating.

I enjoy it, and once I’m done, I go home and focus on necessary training,

recovery, and self-care.

The rest of my time is my own—playing games, relaxing, doing my thing.

But Mao seems like everything is connected for her.

She doesn’t draw a line—it’s all one and the same for her.

I’m really enjoying myself here in Japan.

I’m having a great time—on the ice, of course, but also just being in this

environment.

・Finally, what are your goals for the upcoming season?

The Olympics, of course! I mean, it doesn’t cost anything to say it, right?

(laughs)

The biggest event I’ve competed in so far is the Four Continents.

I want to take even one small step closer to bigger competitions like

Worlds or the Olympics.

I want to keep climbing, one step at a time.

And I want to participate in as many competitions as possible.

I really want people to enjoy watching me perform.

This past season, I timed my peak for Nationals.

But next season, I’m aiming to peak earlier—around July or August—so I

can deliver results from the very first event.

Of course, I can’t stay at my peak the whole time, so I’ll have to drop and

rebuild, and then peak again for Nationals.

Domestically, in Japan, my first event might be the Kinoshita Trophy.

In the U.S., it’ll probably be the Cranberry Cup.

As for programs, I’d like to work on at least one of them again with Cathy

(Cathy Reed).

As Hiwatashi shared in this interview, he recently revealed on Instagram

that his free skate for the upcoming season will be choreographed by

Misha Ge.

We’re excited to see a new side of Tomoki Hiwatashi through this

program.

He had to withdraw from the U.S. Championships during the Beijing

Olympic season due to COVID.

We sincerely hope that he’ll be able to enter this Olympic season in full

health and condition.

※Fun facts about Tomoki Hiwatashi

Tomoki’s autograph was designed by his father.

The “HIWATASHI” part is a family-wide signature used by his relatives,

and the kanji for “知” (from his name “Tomoki”) cleverly contains the

katakana character “キ” (Ki).

It’s a wonderful signature that blends English, Japanese kanji, and

katakana.

Many fans already know this, but Tomoki’s father used to write a blog.

Though the last entry was in January 2013, it contains many photos and

stories from Tomoki’s childhood.

The writing is witty and clear, making it a genuinely enjoyable read.

There’s even a photo of Tomoki in his adorable costume when he won the

Juvenile title—it’s worth searching for!

https://t.co/GZ6FOOb1LZ

Special thanks : Tomoki Hiwatashi

Translator : Kanako Onodera

Interviewer,Writer,Photographer : Kasumi Nabikawa