User:Henni147/sandbox/Philanthropy of Yuzuru Hanyu

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Yuzuru Hanyu
Hanyu at the exhibition gala of the 2015–16 Grand Prix Final
Hanyu skating "Requiem of Heaven and Earth", a tribute to the victims of 3.11
Yuzuru Hanyu article series
Skating career
Other works
Solo ice shows
Ensemble ice shows

Yuzuru Hanyu, a two-time Olympic champion in men's figure skating from Japan, has made continuous philanthropic contributions after experiencing the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in his hometown of Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, becoming a symbol figure for reconstruction and recovery efforts in Japan. He was appointed as a Tsunami Disaster Prevention ambassador by Japan's Cabinet Office in 2014 and as a spokesperson for the Japanese Red Cross Society in 2015. He is also a leading tourism ambassador of Sendai, one of the worst hit cities by the earthquake in 2011, and a special messenger for the television segment News Every on Nippon TV, covering documentaries on disaster-stricken areas among others.

Hanyu has participated in various charity events for recovery after the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, including 60 ice shows across Japan in 2011, and is the chairperson of Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata, an annual ice show and commemoration event inaugurated in 2023. He has dedicated various skating programs to the victims of the disaster, including his gala exhibitions at the 2014, 2018, and 2022 Winter Olympics, and his performances on the annual charity program 24-hour TV "Love Saves the Earth" [ja] on Nippon TV from 2014 to 2022. By the end of 2023, Hanyu has donated a cumulative total of ¥365 million (US$3.12 million) for reconstruction, disaster prevention, and other humanitarian purposes. The donations include the full prize money for his two Olympic wins and all royalties from the sales of his best-selling autobiography series Blue Flames I–IV.

In 2018, Hanyu was bestowed with the People's Honor Award by the prime minister of Japan for his athletic achievements and cultural contributions that "gave dreams and thrills to the people and hope and courage to society". His philanthropic efforts left a strong impact in Japan and overseas, having inspired organizations, companies, and individuals to spread awareness and support projects for disaster prevention and recovery.

Background[edit]

Philanthropic contributions[edit]

Spokesperson appointments and ambassadorships[edit]

  • Representative of the Great East Japan Earthquake Employment, Education and Health Support Organization
  • Tsunami Disaster Prevention ambassador
  • Spokesperson for the Japanese Red Cross Society
  • Sendai tourism ambassador[1]
  • Tour de Tōhoku ambassador
  • Special messenger for News Every on Nippon TV
  • Other contributions[2]

Charity events and tribute performances[edit]

See also: Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata

Donations for recovery and disaster prevention[edit]

"Pooh rain" and donations to children's facilities[edit]

Refer to caption
"Pooh rain" after Hanyu's free skate performance at the 2019–20 Grand Prix Final with girls picking up the gifts

The "Pooh rain" was a popular tradition among Hanyu's fans who used to throw hundreds of Winnie-the-Poohs and other stuffed toys onto the ice after his competitive performances to express their support and admiration.[3][4] In some cases, it took multiple minutes and required ten or more "sweepers" to clean up the amount of thrown gifts from the ice.[3][5] The tradition arose from Hanyu's habit to carry a Pooh bear-covered tissue case to his competitions, which was also a good luck charm for him. The first major "Pooh rain" occurred at the 2015 World Figure Skating Championships in Shanghai, where Hanyu won the silver medal behind his former training mate Javier Fernández. The following years, it became a regular spectacle at skating competitions until the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.[5][6] The phenomenon received global recognition, being broadly covered by international media at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics among others.[7][8]

Hanyu used to donate the stuffed toys to local charities or distribute them to children in the surrounding area of the competition venues.[3][7] The gifts from the 2018 Grand Prix of Helsinki were donated to the Finnish "Christmas Tree Collection" charity project and sent to children who otherwise would have been left without Christmas presents that year.[9] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 World Championships in Stockholm were held without a live audience, so Hanyu's fans organized a campaign titled "Yuzuru4Children", donating money and Winnie-the-Pooh toys to various local facilities, including a children's hospital as well as shelters for mothers and children escaping domestic violence.[6]

Impact[edit]

[10][11] [12][13][14]

Awards and honors[edit]

Chronology of donations[edit]

  • Donation in ¥ – Official donation amount in Japanese yen at the time, not considering current inflation rates
  • Donation in US$ – Exchange rate in US dollars at the time, rounded to thousands
Donations related to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
Year Event Donation in ¥ Donation in US$ Recipient Notes Ref.
2011 Courage from Kobe, a city of recovery 12,727,838 152,000 General relief fund The charity skating event was held together with Shizuka Arakawa, Daisuke Takahashi and others. ¥9,773,515 were collected by fundraising and another ¥2,954,323 by auctioning the skaters' jackets and other personal belongings. [15] [16]
2014 2014 Winter Olympics 6,000,000 55,000 Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture Hanyu donated the full prize money for his Olympic win of ¥3 million each, rewarded by the Japanese Olympic Committee and the Japan Skating Federation. [17]
2015 Yahoo! charity auction 1,997,000 17,000 General relief fund Hanyu, ambassador for the Tour de Tōhoku, provided a cycling jersey with his signature for a charity auction by Yahoo! Japan. [18]
2016 Yahoo! charity auction 3,361,000 30,000 General relief fund Hanyu provided his pair of skates for an online charity auction by Yahoo! Japan. [19]
2018 2018 Winter Olympics 10,000,000 92,000 Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture Hanyu donated the full prize money for his Olympic win of ¥5 million each, rewarded by the Japanese Olympic Committee and the Japan Skating Federation. [20]
Yahoo! charity auction 8,501,000 80,000 General relief fund Hanyu provided his second pair of skates for an online charity auction by Yahoo! Japan. The skates were sold by the Japanese luxury fashion house Samantha Thavasa. [21]
Yuzuru Hanyu Exhibition: Thank you for your support, Japan! 42,780,000 385,000 General relief fund The exhibition was organized by Yomiuri Shimbun, presenting 100 photos as well as costumes and medals of Hanyu. It was held in seven cities across Japan from April to August. [22] [23]
2019 Yahoo! charity auction 7,122,994 64,000 General relief fund Hanyu provided his third pair of skates for an online charity auction by Yahoo! Japan. [24]
2021 Blue Flames I & II 31,449,134 286,000 Ice Rink Sendai [ja] Hanyu donated all royalties and part of the proceeds from the sales of his autobiography series Blue Flames for the rebuilding of his home rink (cumulative donation during his competitive career from 2012 to 2021). [25] [26]
2023 "Yuzu" Tamamushi lacquer pen 3,000,000 22,000 Sendai The "Yuzu" Tamamushi lacquer pen, featuring Hanyu's Olympic program Heaven and Earth, was a collaborative project with Fujisaki and Tohoku Kogei Manufacturing. ¥3 million of the proceeds from the sales were donated to Sendai City for recovery and disaster relief. [27]
Blue Flames I–IV 55,881,272 400,000 Ice Rink Sendai Hanyu's first donation to his home rink as a professional figure skater included the royalties and proceeds from Blue Flames III & IV, which were first published in 2023. [26]
Total 182,820,238 1,583,000
Other donations
Year Event Donation in ¥ Donation in US$ Recipient Notes Ref.
2014 2014 Winter Olympics victory parade in Sendai 7,400,000 68,000 Miyagi Skating Federation Hanyu donated the parade's surplus of revenues to a local ice rink in Miyagi Prefecture, funding workshops and talent scouting. The donations were generated from the sales of T-shirts and other goods as well as donations and sponsorship fees. The event was organized by the Sendai municipal government. [28]
2018 2018 Winter Olympics victory parade in Sendai 22,041,883 207,000 Miyagi Skating Federation Hanyu donated the parade's surplus of revenues to a local ice rink in Miyagi Prefecture. The event was a successor to the 2014 victory parade. [29]
Kahoku Shimpo Special Edition 3,000,000 27,000 Miyagi Skating Federation The local newspaper Kahoku Shimpo published a special issue on Hanyu receiving the People's Honor Award, with ¥3 million in proceeds from the sales being donated to the Miyagi Skating Federation to help improve local skating facilities and equipment. [30]
2019 Yuzuru Hanyu 3.11 Smile Stamp 33,852,715 311,000 Japan Foundation The Yuzuru Hanyu 3.11 Smile Stamp was a collaborative project with Line Corporation. The proceeds of the sales of 24 different stamps picturing Hanyu were donated to the Japan Foundation's Disaster Recovery Support Special Fund for the case of large-scale disasters to occur in the future. [31] [32]
Kahoku Shimpo Special Edition 2,000,000 18,000 Miyagi Sports Promotion Agency Kahoku Shimpo published a second special issue on Hanyu, with the proceeds being donated to local athletes, supporting them to participate in international competitions. [33]
2020 Yuzuru Hanyu Exhibition 27,804,540 264,000 National Corona Medical Welfare Support Fund The exhibition was a successor to the 2018 edition, organized by Yomiuri Shimbun, and was held online during the COVID-19 pandemic. [23] [34]
2022 Yuzuru Hanyu Exhibition 85,935,835 644,000 Yomiuri Light and Love Foundation The exhibition was a successor to the 2022 edition, organized by Yomiuri Shimbun, and was held in three cities from April to August. The proceeds were donated to a disaster relief fund in case of any large-scale disaster to occur in the future. ¥10 million went to the reconstruction of areas affected by the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake. Another ¥10 million were donated to Ishikawa Prefecture after the 2024 Noto earthquake. [23] [35] [36]
Total 182,034,973 1,539,000

See also[edit]

Notes and references[edit]

  1. ^ 羽生結弦さんが仙台市の公式LINEに登場 市政だよりの表紙にも [Yuzuru Hanyu appears on Sendai's official LINE, and is also on the cover of the city's newsletter]. Kahoku Shimpo (in Japanese). Sendai. December 26, 2023. Archived from the original on December 26, 2023.
  2. ^ 僕しかできない支援模索を 羽生結弦さん、震災13年に [Looking for support that only I can provide – Yuzuru Hanyu, 13 years after the earthquake]. Kyodo News (in Japanese). Minato, Tokyo. March 11, 2024. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Park, Alice (February 16, 2018). "Here's What Yuzuru Hanyu Does With All Those Pooh Bears Everyone Throws on the Ice". Time. New York City. ISSN 0040-781X. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023.
  4. ^ McCarvel, Nick (December 4, 2019). "Yuzuru Hanyu has a global audience that follows him anywhere – literally". NBC Sports. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Lutz, Rachel (February 2, 2018). "Why are so many Winnie the Poohs being thrown on the ice for Yuzuru Hanyu?". WSLS-TV. Roanoke, Virginia. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Kobayashi, Yuta (March 27, 2021). "Yuzuru Hanyu's fans back Pooh bear campaign for children in city hosting skating worlds". Mainichi Shimbun. Chiyoda, Tokyo. Archived from the original on March 7, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Bieler, Des (February 16, 2018). "So what's the deal with Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu and all those Winnie-the-Pooh dolls?". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023.
  8. ^ Macur, Juliet (July 20, 2022). "Oh, Pooh. We May Never See Another Skater Like This One". The New York Times. New York City. ISSN 1553-8095. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022.
  9. ^ Kivimäki, Katariina (December 4, 2018). "Yuzuru Hanyun lahjoittamat Nalle Puhit joulupuu-keräykseen" [Winnie the Pooh donated by Yuzuru Hanyu to the Christmas Tree Collection]. Skating Finland (in Finnish). Helsinki. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023.
  10. ^ Tanaka, Masayuki (March 21, 2019). LINEスタンプ、靴のオークション...羽生結弦の被災地支援がスゴイ! [LINE stamps, shoe auctions ... Yuzuru Hanyu's support for the disaster-stricken area is amazing!]. AERA (in Japanese). Kita-ku, Osaka: The Asahi Shimbun. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on March 13, 2024.
  11. ^ 被災地の子らへ、ベルの輪を [Supporting children in the disaster-stricken areas by making a circle of bells]. Bellmark Education Grand Foundation (in Japanese). Kita-ku, Osaka: The Asahi Shimbun. February 29, 2016. Archived from the original on August 17, 2016.
  12. ^ 羽生結弦さんの田んぼアートが見ごろに 宮城県角田市 [Yuzuru Hanyu's rice field art is in full bloom Kakuda City, Miyagi Prefecture]. Art Exhibition Japan (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo: Yomiuri Shimbun. July 18, 2023. Archived from the original on July 21, 2023.
  13. ^ "Hidden Wonders of Japan: Kakuda City Rice Paddy Art Features Skating Champ Yuzuru Hanyu". Japan Forward. Chiyoda, Tokyo: Sankei Shimbun. August 24, 2019. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023.
  14. ^ Rizzacasa d'Orsogna, Costanza (September 5, 2023). "L'arte tanbo in Giappone: i campi di riso diventano quadri" [Tanbo art in Japan: rice fields become paintings]. Corriere Della Sera (in Italian). Milan. ISSN 1120-4982. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023.
  15. ^ Flade, Tatjana (April 21, 2011). "Shooting for the top". Golden Skate. Cary, North Carolina. Archived from the original on August 23, 2011.
  16. ^ イナバウアーでメッセージ [Message through the Ina Bauer]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Chuo, Tokyo. April 9, 2011. Archived from the original on March 11, 2024.
  17. ^ 「ゆづの恩返し」報奨金600万円は被災地へ寄付 ['Yuzu's gratitude' reward of ¥6 million donated to the disaster-stricken area]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo. February 26, 2014. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021.
  18. ^ 羽生結弦ファン熱狂!着用ジャージが199万円で落札される [Yuzuru Hanyu fan enthusiasm! Jersey sold for 1.99 million yen]. Josei Jishin (in Japanese). Bunkyo, Tokyo: Kobunsha. September 3, 2015. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021.
  19. ^ 羽生、16年もスケート靴出品→336万円に 幅広く支援活動行う [Hanyu continues to sell skates in 2016, raising 3.36 million yen and conducting a wide range of support activities]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo. March 7, 2018. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024.
  20. ^ "Huge hometown crowd celebrates Olympic figure skating champ Yuzuru Hanyu in Sendai". The Japan Times. Chiyoda, Tokyo. Kyodo News. April 22, 2018. ISSN 0447-5763. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020.
  21. ^ 羽生結弦選手のスケート靴 サマンサタバサが850万円で落札 [Yuzuru Hanyu's skates sold for 8.5 million yen by Samantha Thavasa]. Oricon (in Japanese). Minato, Tokyo. March 12, 2018. Archived from the original on October 13, 2022.
  22. ^ 羽生結弦写真展11日から日本橋高島屋皮切りに全国7都市開催 [Yuzuru Hanyu photo exhibition will be held in 7 cities nationwide, starting with Japan Bridge Takashimaya from the 11th]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo. April 4, 2018. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023.
  23. ^ a b c 羽生結弦展2022情報: グッズ売上から8593万5835円を被災地支援に寄付 [Yuzuru Hanyu Exhibition 2022 Information: 85,935,835 yen from merchandise sales donated to support disaster-stricken areas]. Art Exhibition Japan (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo: Yomiuri Shimbun. December 27, 2022. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023.
  24. ^ "Hanyu's figure skates raise $64,000 for 2011 quake charity auction". Kyodo News. Minato, Tokyo. March 12, 2019. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023.
  25. ^ ZK Goh (March 11, 2021). "Hanyu Yuzuru and how 2011 earthquake catastrophe shaped his career". International Olympic Committee. Lausanne. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023.
  26. ^ a b 羽生結弦さん、5500万円寄付アイスリンク仙台に [Yuzuru Hanyu donates 55 million yen to ice rink Sendai]. The Nikkei (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo. July 27, 2023. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023.
  27. ^ 「ユヅ」モチーフ特製ボールペン、仙台市へ売上金一部300万円寄付 藤崎と東北工芸製作所 ["Yuzu" motif special ballpoint pen, 3 million yen of the sales proceeds donated to Sendai City – Fujisaki and Tohoku Kogei Works]. Kahoku Shimpo (in Japanese). Sendai. March 25, 2023. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023.
  28. ^ 羽生選手凱旋パレード剰余金740万円 宮城県スケート連盟に寄付 [Hanyu's Victory Parade with surplus of 7.4 million yen, donated to the Miyagi Skating Federation]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo. May 29, 2014. Archived from the original on November 23, 2022.
  29. ^ "Olympic figure skater Hanyu's parade brings $16 mil. benefits". Kyodo News. Minato, Tokyo. November 30, 2018. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023.
  30. ^ 宮城県スケート連盟に300万円寄付 羽生結弦選手特集号の収益金など [3 million yen donated to Miyagi Prefecture Skating Federation, proceeds from Yuzuru Hanyu Special Issue and more]. Kahoku Shimpo (in Japanese). Sendai. July 14, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018. 河北新報社は13日、フィギュアスケート男子の羽生結弦選手（23）の国民栄誉賞受賞を祝い、協賛金を募って発行した特集号などの収益300万円を宮城県スケート連盟に寄付した。連盟は県内のスケート場の設備充実や、大会運営に必要な備品購入などに充てる方向で、使い道を検討する。[On the 13th, Kahoku Shimpo congratulated figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu on winning the People's Honor Award, and donated 3 million yen in proceeds from a special issue published to raise funds for the Miyagi Prefecture Skating Federation. The federation will consider ways to use the money, with the aim to improve the facilities at skating rinks in the prefecture and purchase equipment needed to hold competitions.]
  31. ^ 羽生結弦選手がLINEスタンプに 本人監修24種類 購入が寄付になる [Yuzuru Hanyu issues 24 types of LINE stamps supervised by himself – Purchase becomes a donation]. Oricon (in Japanese). Minato, Tokyo. March 7, 2019. Archived from the original on July 20, 2022.
  32. ^ Sasakawa, Yohei (January 31, 2020). 「羽生結弦スタンプ」LINEスタンプからの寄付 ["Yuzuru Hanyu Stamp" Donation from Line Stamps]. Japan Foundation (in Japanese). Tokyo. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020.
  33. ^ 仙台市スポ振興事業団へ羽生選手特集号収益200万円贈る [Sendai City Sports Promotion Agency to receive 2 million yen in proceeds from the special issue of Hanyu]. Kahoku Shimpo (in Japanese). Sendai. June 5, 2019. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020.
  34. ^ 「オンライン羽生結弦展」収益をコロナ基金に ['Online Hanyu Yuzuru Exhibition' proceeds going to Corona Fund]. Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo. October 24, 2020. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022.
  35. ^ 「羽生結弦展2022」スタート　「SEIMEI」「天と地と」「マスカレイド」の衣装も ['Yuzuru Hanyu Exhibition 2022' started, displaying costumes "Seimei", "Heaven and Earth", and "Masquerade"]. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). Minato, Tokyo. April 20, 2022. Archived from the original on April 20, 2022.
  36. ^ 羽生結弦展2022情報:トルコ地震被災地の救援・復興に基金から1000万円を寄付 [Yuzuru Hanyu Exhibition 2022 Information: 10 million yen donated from the fund for relief and reconstruction of earthquake-stricken areas]. Art Exhibition Japan (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo: Yomiuri Shimbun. February 17, 2023. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023.

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External links[edit]



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