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 +Men's event medalists Year Location Gold Silver Bronze 1979 Tokyo Robin Cousins Fumio Igarashi David Santee 1980 Sapporo Fumio Igarashi Robert Wagenhoffer Allen Schramm 1981 Kobe Norbert Schramm Jean-Christophe Simond 1982 Tokyo Scott Hamilton Alexander Fadeev Grzegorz Filipowski 1983 No competition held 1984 Tokyo Alexander Fadeev Brian Orser Brian Boitano 1985 Kobe Brian Boitano Viktor Petrenko 1986 Tokyo Angelo D'Agostino Makoto Kano Philippe Roncoli 1987 Kushiro Christopher Bowman Paul Wylie Makoto Kano 1988 Tokyo Alexander Fadeev Petr Barna Kurt Browning 1989 Kobe Viktor Petrenko Alexander Fadeev 1990 Asahikawa Grzegorz Filipowski Viacheslav Zagorodniuk 1991 Hiroshima Grzegorz Filipowski Viacheslav Zagorodniuk Alexei Urmanov 1992 Tokyo Philippe Candeloro Elvis Stojko Alexei Urmanov 1993 Chiba Vyacheslav Zahorodnyuk 1994 Morioka Todd Eldredge Philippe Candeloro Vyacheslav Zahorodnyuk 1995 Nagoya Elvis Stojko Igor Pashkevich Philippe Candeloro 1996 Osaka Ilia Kulik Dmytro Dmytrenko 1997 Nagano Ilia Kulik Scott Davis Guo Zhengxin 1998 Sapporo Evgeni Plushenko Takeshi Honda Andrejs Vlascenko 1999 Nagoya Timothy Goebel Ilia Klimkin 2000 Asahikawa Ilia Klimkin Li Chengjiang 2001 Kumamoto Takeshi Honda Jeffrey Buttle Ivan Dinev 2002 Kyoto Ilia Klimkin Takeshi Honda Li Chengjiang 2003 Asahikawa Jeffrey Buttle Timothy Goebel Gao Song 2004 Nagoya Johnny Weir Frédéric Dambier 2005 Osaka Nobunari Oda Evan Lysacek Daisuke Takahashi 2006 Nagano Daisuke Takahashi Nobunari Oda Takahiko Kozuka 2007 Sendai Tomáš Verner Stephen Carriere 2008 Tokyo Nobunari Oda Johnny Weir Yannick Ponsero 2009 Nagano Brian Joubert Michal Březina 2010 Nagoya Daisuke Takahashi Jeremy Abbott Florent Amodio 2011 Sapporo Takahiko Kozuka Ross Miner 2012 Rifu Yuzuru Hanyu Daisuke Takahashi 2013 Tokyo Daisuke Takahashi Nobunari Oda Jeremy Abbott 2014 Osaka Daisuke Murakami Sergei Voronov Takahito Mura 2015 Nagano Yuzuru Hanyu Jin Boyang 2016 Sapporo Nathan Chen Keiji Tanaka 2017 Osaka Sergei Voronov Adam Rippon Alexei Bychenko 2018 Hiroshima Shoma Uno Sergei Voronov Matteo Rizzo 2019 Sapporo Yuzuru Hanyu Kévin Aymoz Roman Sadovsky 2020 Osaka Yuma Kagiyama Kazuki Tomono Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda 2021 Tokyo Shoma Uno Vincent Zhou Cha Jun-hwan 2022 Sapporo Sōta Yamamoto 2023 Osaka Yuma Kagiyama Shoma Uno Lukas Britschgi 2024 Tokyo Daniel Grassl Tatsuya Tsuboi 2025 Osaka Shun Sato Lukas Britschgi
Women's singles +Women's event medalists Year Location Gold Silver Bronze 1979 Tokyo Emi Watanabe Lisa-Marie Allen Sandy Lenz 1980 Sapporo Denise Biellmann Katarina Witt Melissa Thomas 1981 Kobe Kristiina Wegelius Vikki de Vries Charlene Wong 1982 Tokyo Katarina Witt Rosalynn Sumners Tiffany Chin 1983 No competition held 1984 Tokyo Midori Ito Debi Thomas Juri Ozawa 1985 Kobe Cynthia Coull 1986 Tokyo Katarina Witt Midori Ito 1987 Kushiro Tonya Harding 1988 Tokyo Midori Ito Kristi Yamaguchi Marina Kielmann 1989 Kobe Tonia Kwiatkowski 1990 Asahikawa Tonya Harding Larissa Zamotina 1991 Hiroshima Surya Bonaly Chen Lu 1992 Tokyo Surya Bonaly Kumiko Koiwai Yuka Sato 1993 Chiba Yuka Sato Chen Lu 1994 Morioka Chen Lu Surya Bonaly Junko Yaginuma 1995 Nagoya Hanae Yokoya Olga Markova 1996 Osaka Maria Butyrskaya Tonia Kwiatkowski Julia Vorobieva 1997 Nagano Tanja Szewczenko Maria Butyrskaya Chen Lu 1998 Sapporo Tatiana Malinina Irina Slutskaya Fumie Suguri 1999 Nagoya Maria Butyrskaya Viktoria Volchkova Tatiana Malinina 2000 Asahikawa Irina Slutskaya Maria Butyrskaya 2001 Kumamoto Tatiana Malinina Yoshie Onda Elena Liashenko 2002 Kyoto Yoshie Onda Irina Slutskaya Shizuka Arakawa 2003 Asahikawa Fumie Suguri Elena Liashenko Yoshie Onda 2004 Nagoya Shizuka Arakawa Miki Ando Elena Sokolova 2005 Osaka Yukari Nakano Fumie Suguri Elena Liashenko 2006 Nagano Mao Asada Yukari Nakano 2007 Sendai Carolina Kostner Sarah Meier Nana Takeda 2008 Tokyo Mao Asada Akiko Suzuki Yukari Nakano 2009 Nagano Miki Ando Alena Leonova Ashley Wagner 2010 Nagoya Carolina Kostner Rachael Flatt Kanako Murakami 2011 Sapporo Akiko Suzuki Mao Asada Alena Leonova 2012 Rifu Mao Asada Akiko Suzuki Mirai Nagasu 2013 Tokyo Elena Radionova Akiko Suzuki 2014 Osaka Gracie Gold Alena Leonova Satoko Miyahara 2015 Nagano Satoko Miyahara Courtney Hicks Mao Asada 2016 Sapporo Anna Pogorilaya Satoko Miyahara Maria Sotskova 2017 Osaka Evgenia Medvedeva Carolina Kostner Polina Tsurskaya 2018 Hiroshima Rika Kihira Satoko Miyahara Elizaveta Tuktamysheva 2019 Sapporo Alena Kostornaia Rika Kihira Alina Zagitova 2020 Osaka Kaori Sakamoto Wakaba Higuchi Rino Matsuike 2021 Tokyo Mana Kawabe You Young 2022 Sapporo Kim Ye-lim Kaori Sakamoto Rion Sumiyoshi 2023 Osaka Ava Marie Ziegler Lindsay Thorngren Nina Pinzarrone 2024 Tokyo Kaori Sakamoto Mone Chiba Yuna Aoki 2025 Osaka Sofia Samodelkina Loena Hendrickx
Pairs +Pairs event medalists Year Location Gold Silver Bronze 1979 Tokyo 1980 Sapporo 1981 Kobe 1982 Tokyo 1983 No competition held 1984 Tokyo 1985 Kobe 1986 Tokyo 1987 Kushiro 1988 Tokyo 1989 Kobe 1990 Asahikawa 1991 Hiroshima 1992 Tokyo 1993 Chiba 1994 Morioka 1995 Nagoya 1996 Osaka 1997 Nagano 1998 Sapporo 1999 Nagoya 2000 Asahikawa 2001 Kumamoto 2002 Kyoto 2003 Asahikawa 2004 Nagoya 2005 Osaka 2006 Nagano 2007 Sendai 2008 Tokyo 2009 Nagano 2010 Nagoya 2011 Sapporo 2012 Rifu 2013 Tokyo 2014 Osaka 2015 Nagano 2016 Sapporo 2017 Osaka 2018 Hiroshima 2019 Sapporo 2020 Osaka No pairs competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Tokyo 2022 Sapporo 2023 Osaka 2024 Tokyo 2025 Osaka
Ice dance +Ice dance event medalists Year Location Gold Silver Bronze 1979 Tokyo 1980 Sapporo 1981 Kobe 1982 Tokyo 1983 No competition held 1984 Tokyo 1985 Kobe 1986 Tokyo 1987 Kushiro 1988 Tokyo 1989 Kobe 1990 Asahikawa 1991 Hiroshima 1992 Tokyo 1993 Chiba 1994 Morioka 1995 Nagoya 1996 Osaka 1997 Nagano 1998 Sapporo 1999 Nagoya 2000 Asahikawa 2001 Kumamoto 2002 Kyoto 2003 Asahikawa 2004 Nagoya 2005 Osaka 2006 Nagano 2007 Sendai 2008 Tokyo 2009 Nagano 2010 Nagoya 2011 Sapporo 2012 Rifu 2013 Tokyo 2014 Osaka 2015 Nagano 2016 Sapporo 2017 Osaka 2018 Hiroshima 2019 Sapporo 2020 Osaka 2021 Tokyo 2022 Sapporo 2023 Osaka 2024 Tokyo 2025 Osaka
Records
+ Discipline Most titles Skater(s) Years Men's singles 6 2006–07;2010–11;2013–14 Women's singles 6 1984–85;1988–91 Pairs 4 2000–02;2006 Ice dance 5 1995;1998–2001
Cumulative medal count Men's singles
Women's singles
Pairs
Ice dance
Total medals
References
External links
Japan Skating Federation ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy at Skating Scores