NHK Trophy
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The NHK Trophy is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by the Japan Skating Federation. The first NHK Trophy was held in 1979 in Tokyo to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the National Skating Union of Japan. When the ISU launched the Champions Series (later renamed the Grand Prix Series) in 1995, the NHK Trophy was one of the five qualifying events. It has been a Grand Prix event every year since.
Medals may be awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Skaters earn points based on their results at the qualifying competitions each season, and the top skaters or teams in each discipline are invited to then compete at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.
Daisuke Takahashi of Japan holds the record for winning the most NHK Trophy titles in men's singles (with six), while Midori Ito of Japan holds the record in women's singles (also with six). Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo of China hold the record in pair skating (with four), while Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat of France hold the record in ice dance (with five).
History
The inaugural competition – the 1979 NHK Trophy – was held in Tokyo to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the National Skating Union of Japan. The competition is named after the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), the event's sponsor. Robin Cousins of Great Britain won the men's event, Emi Watanabe of Japan won the women's event, Irina Vorobieva and Igor Lisovsky of the Soviet Union won the pairs event, and Irina Moiseeva and Andrei Minenkov, also of the Soviet Union, won the ice dance event.
Beginning with the 1995–96 season, the International Skating Union (ISU) launched the Champions Series – later renamed the Grand Prix Series – which, at its inception, consisted of five qualifying competitions and the Champions Series Final. This allowed skaters to perfect their programs earlier in the season, as well as compete against the same skaters whom they would later encounter at the World Championships. This series also provided the viewing public with additional televised skating, which was in high demand. The five qualifying competitions during this inaugural season were the 1995 Nations Cup, the 1995 NHK Trophy, the 1995 Skate America, the 1995 Skate Canada, and the 1995 Trophée de France. Skaters earned points based on their results in their respective competitions and the top skaters or teams in each discipline were then invited to compete at the Champions Series Final.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a number of modifications were made to the structure of the 2020 NHK Trophy. The competitors consisted initially only of skaters from Japan, although You Young of South Korea was added to the roster once her travel to Japan was approved. The pairs event was also cancelled.
The 2026 NHK Trophy is scheduled to be held from 27 to 29 November in Tokyo.
Medalists
Men's singles
Women's singles
Pairs
Ice dance
Records
| Discipline | Most titles | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skater(s) | No. | Years | Refs. | |
| Men's singles | Japan Daisuke Takahashi | 6 | 2006–07; 2010–11; 2013–14 | |
| Women's singles | Japan Midori Ito | 6 | 1984–85; 1988–91 | |
| Pairs | China Shen XueZhao Hongbo | 4 | 2000–02; 2006 | |
| Ice dance | France Marina AnissinaGwendal Peizerat | 5 | 1995; 1998–2001 |
Cumulative medal count
Men's singles
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan | 22 | 12 | 8 | 42 |
| 2 | United States | 6 | 13 | 7 | 26 |
| 3 | Russia | 6 | 5 | 3 | 14 |
| 4 | Soviet Union | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 5 | Canada | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
| 6 | France | 3 | 2 | 6 | 11 |
| 7 | Poland | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | Great Britain | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | China | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 10 | Ukraine | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 11 | Czech Republic | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Italy | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 13 | Czechoslovakia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| West Germany | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 15 | South Korea | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Switzerland | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 17 | Bulgaria | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Germany | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Israel | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (19 entries) | 46 | 46 | 46 | 138 |
Women's singles
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan | 23 | 19 | 18 | 60 |
| 2 | Russia | 6 | 8 | 7 | 21 |
| 3 | East Germany | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | United States | 2 | 11 | 7 | 20 |
| 5 | France | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Italy | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | China | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| 8 | Uzbekistan | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 9 | Switzerland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | South Korea | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 11 | Finland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Germany | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 13 | Ukraine | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 14 | Canada | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 15 | Kazakhstan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Belgium | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 17 | Azerbaijan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Soviet Union | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| West Germany | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (19 entries) | 46 | 46 | 46 | 138 |
Pairs
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russia | 12 | 8 | 4 | 24 |
| 2 | China | 11 | 7 | 4 | 22 |
| 3 | Soviet Union | 8 | 4 | 3 | 15 |
| 4 | Canada | 6 | 4 | 10 | 20 |
| 5 | United States | 3 | 8 | 12 | 23 |
| 6 | Germany | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 7 | Japan | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| 8 | Italy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 9 | Georgia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Czech Republic | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 11 | East Germany | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| France | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 13 | Poland | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 14 | Hungary | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Totals (14 entries) | 45 | 45 | 45 | 135 |
Ice dance
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 9 | 6 | 12 | 27 |
| 2 | Soviet Union | 9 | 6 | 1 | 16 |
| 3 | France | 9 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| 4 | Canada | 6 | 6 | 3 | 15 |
| 5 | Russia | 5 | 10 | 3 | 18 |
| 6 | Great Britain | 4 | 3 | 4 | 11 |
| 7 | Bulgaria | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 8 | Italy | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 |
| 9 | Japan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 10 | Lithuania | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 11 | Ukraine | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 12 | Germany | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 13 | Belarus | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Hungary | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 15 | Israel | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 16 | Armenia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Austria | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Czechoslovakia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Uzbekistan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (19 entries) | 46 | 46 | 46 | 138 |
Total medals
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan | 47 | 34 | 31 | 112 |
| 2 | Russia | 29 | 31 | 17 | 77 |
| 3 | Soviet Union | 21 | 13 | 8 | 42 |
| 4 | United States | 20 | 38 | 38 | 96 |
| 5 | Canada | 15 | 15 | 17 | 47 |
| 6 | France | 14 | 9 | 9 | 32 |
| 7 | China | 13 | 8 | 11 | 32 |
| 8 | Great Britain | 5 | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| 9 | Italy | 4 | 6 | 8 | 18 |
| 10 | Germany | 3 | 3 | 5 | 11 |
| 11 | East Germany | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| 12 | Bulgaria | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 13 | Uzbekistan | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| 14 | Poland | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| 15 | Switzerland | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 16 | South Korea | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 17 | Finland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Georgia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 19 | Ukraine | 0 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 20 | Czech Republic | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 21 | Lithuania | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 22 | Hungary | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 23 | Czechoslovakia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| West Germany | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 25 | Belarus | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kazakhstan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 27 | Israel | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 28 | Belgium | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 29 | Armenia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Austria | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Azerbaijan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (31 entries) | 183 | 183 | 183 | 549 |
External links
- at Skating Scores