[ICE TIME] Taira Shinohara Benefits from Training with Yuma Kagiyama

Top American junior Taira Shinohara did something unusual in the spring of 2023: he reached out to Beijing Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama on Instagram and asked if they could possibly spend some time training together.

You can call it the electronic equivalent of what in the pre-Internet days was known as a "cold call" ― contacting someone you don't know in the hopes of getting an appointment or a sale.

Though he was not sure what to expect, Shinohara was pleasantly surprised when Kagiyama replied that he would be happy to train with Shinohara when he was in Japan. And so, the stage was set for something that has become sort of an annual ritual.

Shinohara, who is from Schaumburg, Illinois, returned home recently after training for several days with two-time world medalist Kagiyama at the Chukyo University rink outside Nagoya in June 2024.

Following his time in Aichi Prefecture, Shinohara spent a few days skating at the MF Academy rink in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, before heading back to the United States.

"I usually like to go to Japan for vacation during the summer," Shinohara told Ice Time in an exclusive interview this week. "That is when I have a break from the skating season."

Taira Shinohara Exhibits a Commitment to Fitness

Shinohara, who was the 2024 US junior silver medalist, said he wants to maintain his condition while away from his normal training routine.

"Since a couple of years ago when I started skating more seriously, it happens that I need to practice when I am on vacation in Japan," Shinohara noted. "Otherwise, when I come back, I will be out of shape.

"The past few times I have gone to Japan I have taken my skates," Shinohara continued. "This time I coordinated with rinks where I can practice. I chose the two places based on where I wanted to go the most."

The Catalyst for Contacting Kagiyama

Shinohara, who turned 18 in May, first reached out to Kagiyama in the wake of a profound disappointment.

"Last year at nationals (2023) was not the way I wanted to skate, I ended up in eighth place," Shinohara recalled. "I was a little worried about the next season and on the downside in terms of motivation because of how I skated. My results were not what I wanted.

"Going into the following season (2023-24), I wanted something that boosted my passion for skating," Shinohara stated. "So then I was thinking, 'Who is the skater I want to skate the most with?'

"That is when I thought of Yuma, because he won silver at the Olympics, but also I love how he skates," Shinohara remarked. "He has a full package between jumps, spins, step sequences, skating skills and presentation. All of that stuff.

"Since Instagram allows people to directly message any other person, I tried sending a direct message to Yuma and then, surprisingly, he replied back and that is when I was able to schedule a practice session with him," Shinohara commented.

"Last year we trained in Fukuoka," Shinohara said. "That is my mother's hometown. It is easier to get ice time in Fukuoka, [and] it was very nice of him to come all the way to Fukuoka."

When their practice sessions were finished, Shinohara's relatives gave Kagiyama a tour of the sights in Kyushu's largest city.

"My family and I took him around to some different places in the city," Shinohara remembered. "This year, because it was just me and Yuma, we took the train and he took me around to many sightseeing spots near Nagoya."

Shinohara Says He Was Moved by Kagiyama's Dedication and Passion

Ice Time asked Shinohara, who will skate on the Junior Grand Prix circuit in the 2024-25 season, what it is like to train with one of the greatest skaters in the world.

"Training with Yuma is in a way very eye-opening," Shinohara stated. "You get to see how a top-level skater trains on a daily basis, which is a lot different from how they practice in competition or skate in competition. It is a good experience for skaters to see how other skaters train."

Shinohara, who won the Bavarian Open in Germany in January, recognizes that although the glory comes at events, the growth is gained in training.

"In this sport, the majority of time you spend at practice," Shinohara commented. "Competition is also important, but the training that goes into the competition is very important, but not well known."

Shinohara then spoke about what he discovered while working with the 21-year-old Kagiyama for seven days this month.

“Specifically with Yuma, what I find very established about him is that he puts a lot of concentration and importance into everything he does, whether that is just one jump attempt or spin attempt or stroking exercise."

Taira Shinohara

Added Shinohara, "Yuma puts a lot of energy and commitment into whatever he is doing when he is on the ice. That is what I found very top level and unique about how he practices."

Taking Cues From One of the Sport's Elite

Being in Kagiyama's presence has impacted Shinohara's view on training.

"This year, especially, I have a different outlook on training and the intentions I put to everyday practices," Shinohara noted. "Before it was just an everyday thing that I would come to the rink, practice, then leave the rink.

"Watching Yuma, he comes to the rink and he is like, 'What am I supposed to work on the most today?' and he goes on from there. Training with him for seven days, I was able to shift my mindset a little bit more and now I am more aware of what I train. There is more effort, energy and importance put into each thing I do on the ice."

Impressed with Coach Kensuke Nakaniwa

Following his time with Kagiyama, Shinohara traveled to Chiba for his scheduled visit at the MF Academy. Ice Time wanted to know what Shinohara's reason was for going there.

In Chiba, I wanted to work with Coach Kensuke [Nakaniwa]. Watching the Junior Grand Prix last season, I really liked his students' jump technique. So I was curious how they practice at their own rink.”

Taira Shinohara

In addition to Nakata, Nakaniwa also coaches senior skaters Rinka Watanabe and Yuna Aoki. He previously worked with Ami Nakai and South Korea's Jia Shin.

MF Academy Skaters Project Joy at Practice

Shinohara glowed when he talked about Nakaniwa, who has blossomed into one of the best coaches in Japan, and his approach to training skaters.

"I was with the MF Academy for five days," Shinohara remarked. 

He then said, "I only got to see Rio for two days because he was at an ice show. MF Academy is really unique in that everyone is having fun with skating all the time.

"Not all the practice sessions are freestyle sessions because of how the rinks work in Japan," Shinohara pointed out. "But in open sessions, a lot of the skaters are talking with other skaters or joking around. Then during their freestyle training sessions, they get very serious in their practice and they train really hard.

"What I thought was interesting about the MK Academy skaters was that they have this clear on-and-off switch between just having fun and then going into serious training mode," Shinohara said. "I think that 'switch' allows them to keep their motivation up for continuing to train while having fun with the process."

Admiration for Nakaniwa's Approach to Coaching 

Shinohara talked about his time at the MF Academy and why he likes Nakaniwa's teaching method.

"In Chiba, I trained two to four hours a day," Shinohara stated. "They usually had a two-hour open athlete session, then a training session that was sometimes one hour or two hours. There was also off-the-ice training and physical conditioning.

"I only got to work with Coach Kensuke for a brief period, so I don't think I was able to know all of his techniques or teaching style," Shinohara continued. "But I really like how he approaches coaching, in the sense that his philosophy is to make training fun for the skaters and not repetitive so that the skaters don't get bored with training."

It is clear that in Shinohara's view, Nakaniwa has a more progressive strategy than some coaches of the past have had.

"That is what I found interesting, because some of the other coaches, their main focus is disciplined training," Shinohara commented. "Something that is hard and maybe not the most pleasant, but makes a skater great. Coach Kensuke and MF Academy have the opposite approach of making skating more fun."

Future Goals on the Ice 

Ice Time asked Shinohara where he currently stands with the development of his quad jumps.

"Although they are inconsistent, I am landing the quad toe loop and salchow," Shinohara said. "Once in a while I will try loop, flip and lutz ― all three of them ― but not on a daily basis."

With the Winter Olympics in Italy just over 18 months away, I wondered if trying to make the US team was something Shinohara was striving for.

"For me, the 2026 Olympics is a goal that is in the back of the mind, not the front of the mind, because right now I have many other goals I am striving for, and I am very busy with those goals," Shinohara stated.

"Just thinking about the next competition, my mind gets full," Shinohara added. "Because I have never been to the Olympics, I can't imagine how it is going to be to get there. I'm just hoping that if I work hard right now, and if I am meant to go to the Olympics, then my work is going to lead me there."

For the time being, Shinohara is focused on the upcoming JGP season, where he will be one of the top American skaters.

"Going to the JGP Final is my goal this year," Shinohara declared. "I feel like it is a realistic goal this year, so I want to work towards that."

Shinohara's next event is an important one for American juniors.

"My next competition is the Junior Cup in Milwaukee in July," Shinohara remarked. "US Figure Skating decides on most of the JGP assignments based on the results in Milwaukee."

A Big Move Ahead

Once the summer is over, Shinohara will be packing up and heading across the country to attend college and continue his skating career in Southern California.

"I will be attending the University of California, Irvine, this fall," Shinohara noted before adding, "I will be majoring in mechanical engineering. The STEM field (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) is my stronger side. I will be moving in mid-September."

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Author: Jack Gallagher

The author is a veteran sports journalist and one of the world's foremost figure skating experts. Find articles and podcasts by Jack on his author page, and find him on X (formerly Twitter) @sportsjapan.