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Japan’s national curling championships will be staged in a big city for the first time next month, with Yokohama hosting as part of efforts to raise the sport’s profile and broaden its fanbase.
Curling is popular in areas of Japan with colder climates, such as Hokkaido and Nagano Prefecture, but has not made similar inroads in other parts of the country.
The Feb. 2-9 event in Yokohama has nevertheless “attracted more attention than we expected,” Japan Curling Association senior official Satoshi Sakamaki said. “We want to spread the fun of curling across the country.”
Curler Satsuki Fujisawa (L) and Manatsu Akimoto, a former member of idol group Nogizaka46, attend a promotional event for curling in Yokohama in October 2024. (Kyodo)
The recently built competition arena, Yokohama Buntai, opened last April and will seat some 2,000 spectators, around 10 times more than previous venues that hosted the championships.
The nationals will also serve as a team selection event for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
“I’ve never been this excited about the national championships,” said Loco Solare skip Satsuki Fujisawa, a two-time Olympic medalist and one of Japan’s top curlers.
Photo shows the Loco Solare curling team’s (from L) Satsuki Fujisawa, Yumi Suzuki, Yurika Yoshida and Chinami Yoshida in the Hokkaido city of Kitami, northern Japan, on July 24, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Loco Solare)(Kyodo)
As part of the governing body’s promotional program, a curling clinic was held in Yokohama last June, allowing local elementary school students to interact with star curlers such as Fujisawa.
The association has also appointed Manatsu Akimoto, a former member of the popular all-girl idol group Nogizaka46, as an ambassador to generate interest among a younger demographic.
“People are paying attention to curling, so I’m starting to step things up,” Fujisawa said.
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