For other uses, see NHK Cup (disambiguation).
NHK Trophy
OrganizedJapan Skating Federation
SponsorsJapan Broadcasting Corporation
GenreISU Grand Prix
FrequencyAnnual
StatusActive
CountryJapan
First1979
Prev2025 NHK Trophy
Next2026 NHK Trophy

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.[1] The competition is named after the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), the event's sponsor.[2] 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.[3]

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.[4] 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.[5] 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.[4]

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,[6] although You Young of South Korea was added to the roster once her travel to Japan was approved.[7] The pairs event was also cancelled.[8]

The 2026 NHK Trophy is scheduled to be held from 27 to 29 November in Tokyo.[9]

Medalists

Men's singles

Men's event medalists
YearLocationGoldSilverBronzeRef.
1979TokyoRobin CousinsFumio IgarashiDavid Santee[3]
1980SapporoFumio IgarashiRobert WagenhofferAllen Schramm[10]
1981KobeNorbert SchrammJean-Christophe Simond
1982TokyoScott HamiltonAlexander FadeevGrzegorz Filipowski[11]
1983No competition held
1984TokyoAlexander FadeevBrian OrserBrian Boitano[12]
1985KobeBrian BoitanoViktor Petrenko[13]
1986TokyoAngelo D'AgostinoMakoto KanoPhilippe Roncoli[14]
1987KushiroChristopher BowmanPaul WylieMakoto Kano[15]
1988TokyoAlexander FadeevPetr BarnaKurt Browning[16]
1989KobeViktor PetrenkoAlexander Fadeev[17]
1990AsahikawaGrzegorz FilipowskiViacheslav Zagorodniuk[18]
1991HiroshimaGrzegorz FilipowskiViacheslav ZagorodniukAlexei Urmanov[19]
1992TokyoPhilippe CandeloroElvis StojkoAlexei Urmanov[20]
1993ChibaVyacheslav Zahorodnyuk[21]
1994MoriokaTodd EldredgePhilippe CandeloroVyacheslav Zahorodnyuk[22]
1995NagoyaElvis StojkoIgor PashkevichPhilippe Candeloro[23]
1996OsakaIlia KulikDmytro Dmytrenko[24]
1997NaganoIlia KulikScott DavisGuo Zhengxin[25]
1998SapporoEvgeni PlushenkoTakeshi HondaAndrejs Vlascenko[26]
1999NagoyaTimothy GoebelIlia Klimkin[27]
2000AsahikawaIlia KlimkinLi Chengjiang[28]
2001KumamotoTakeshi HondaJeffrey ButtleIvan Dinev[29]
2002KyotoIlia KlimkinTakeshi HondaLi Chengjiang[30]
2003AsahikawaJeffrey ButtleTimothy GoebelGao Song[31]
2004NagoyaJohnny WeirFrédéric Dambier[32]
2005OsakaNobunari OdaEvan LysacekDaisuke Takahashi[33]
2006NaganoDaisuke TakahashiNobunari OdaTakahiko Kozuka[34]
2007SendaiTomáš VernerStephen Carriere[35]
2008TokyoNobunari OdaJohnny WeirYannick Ponsero[36]
2009NaganoBrian JoubertMichal Březina[37]
2010NagoyaDaisuke TakahashiJeremy AbbottFlorent Amodio[38]
2011SapporoTakahiko KozukaRoss Miner[39]
2012RifuYuzuru HanyuDaisuke Takahashi[40]
2013TokyoDaisuke TakahashiNobunari OdaJeremy Abbott[41]
2014OsakaDaisuke MurakamiSergei VoronovTakahito Mura[42]
2015NaganoYuzuru HanyuJin Boyang[43]
2016SapporoNathan ChenKeiji Tanaka[44]
2017OsakaSergei VoronovAdam RipponAlexei Bychenko[45]
2018HiroshimaShoma UnoSergei VoronovMatteo Rizzo[46]
2019SapporoYuzuru HanyuKévin AymozRoman Sadovsky[47]
2020OsakaYuma KagiyamaKazuki TomonoLucas Tsuyoshi Honda[8]
2021TokyoShoma UnoVincent ZhouCha Jun-hwan[48]
2022SapporoSōta Yamamoto[49]
2023OsakaYuma KagiyamaShoma UnoLukas Britschgi[50]
2024TokyoDaniel GrasslTatsuya Tsuboi[51]
2025OsakaShun SatoLukas Britschgi[52]

Women's singles

Women's event medalists
YearLocationGoldSilverBronzeRef.
1979TokyoEmi WatanabeLisa-Marie AllenSandy Lenz[3]
1980SapporoDenise BiellmannKatarina WittMelissa Thomas[10]
1981KobeKristiina WegeliusVikki de VriesCharlene Wong
1982TokyoKatarina WittRosalynn SumnersTiffany Chin[11]
1983No competition held
1984TokyoMidori ItoDebi ThomasJuri Ozawa[12]
1985KobeCynthia Coull[13]
1986TokyoKatarina WittMidori Ito[14]
1987KushiroTonya Harding[15]
1988TokyoMidori ItoKristi YamaguchiMarina Kielmann[16]
1989KobeTonia Kwiatkowski[17]
1990AsahikawaTonya HardingLarissa Zamotina[18]
1991HiroshimaSurya BonalyChen Lu[19]
1992TokyoSurya BonalyKumiko KoiwaiYuka Sato[20]
1993ChibaYuka SatoChen Lu[21]
1994MoriokaChen LuSurya BonalyJunko Yaginuma[22]
1995NagoyaHanae YokoyaOlga Markova[23]
1996OsakaMaria ButyrskayaTonia KwiatkowskiJulia Vorobieva[24]
1997NaganoTanja SzewczenkoMaria ButyrskayaChen Lu[25]
1998SapporoTatiana MalininaIrina SlutskayaFumie Suguri[26]
1999NagoyaMaria ButyrskayaViktoria VolchkovaTatiana Malinina[27]
2000AsahikawaIrina SlutskayaMaria Butyrskaya[28]
2001KumamotoTatiana MalininaYoshie OndaElena Liashenko[29]
2002KyotoYoshie OndaIrina SlutskayaShizuka Arakawa[30]
2003AsahikawaFumie SuguriElena LiashenkoYoshie Onda[31]
2004NagoyaShizuka ArakawaMiki AndoElena Sokolova[32]
2005OsakaYukari NakanoFumie SuguriElena Liashenko[33]
2006NaganoMao AsadaYukari Nakano[34]
2007SendaiCarolina KostnerSarah MeierNana Takeda[35]
2008TokyoMao AsadaAkiko SuzukiYukari Nakano[36]
2009NaganoMiki AndoAlena LeonovaAshley Wagner[37]
2010NagoyaCarolina KostnerRachael FlattKanako Murakami[38]
2011SapporoAkiko SuzukiMao AsadaAlena Leonova[39]
2012RifuMao AsadaAkiko SuzukiMirai Nagasu[40]
2013TokyoElena RadionovaAkiko Suzuki[41]
2014OsakaGracie GoldAlena LeonovaSatoko Miyahara[42]
2015NaganoSatoko MiyaharaCourtney HicksMao Asada[43]
2016SapporoAnna PogorilayaSatoko MiyaharaMaria Sotskova[44]
2017OsakaEvgenia MedvedevaCarolina KostnerPolina Tsurskaya[45]
2018HiroshimaRika KihiraSatoko MiyaharaElizaveta Tuktamysheva[46]
2019SapporoAlena KostornaiaRika KihiraAlina Zagitova[47]
2020OsakaKaori SakamotoWakaba HiguchiRino Matsuike[8]
2021TokyoMana KawabeYou Young[48]
2022SapporoKim Ye-limKaori SakamotoRion Sumiyoshi[49]
2023OsakaAva Marie ZieglerLindsay ThorngrenNina Pinzarrone[50]
2024TokyoKaori SakamotoMone ChibaYuna Aoki[51]
2025OsakaSofia SamodelkinaLoena Hendrickx[52]

Pairs

Pairs event medalists
YearLocationGoldSilverBronzeRef.
1979Tokyo[3]
1980Sapporo[10]
1981Kobe
1982Tokyo[11]
1983No competition held
1984Tokyo[12]
1985Kobe[13]
1986Tokyo[14]
1987Kushiro[15]
1988Tokyo[16]
1989Kobe[17]
1990Asahikawa[18]
1991Hiroshima[19]
1992Tokyo[20]
1993Chiba[21]
1994Morioka[22]
1995Nagoya[23]
1996Osaka[24]
1997Nagano[25]
1998Sapporo[26]
1999Nagoya[27]
2000Asahikawa[28]
2001Kumamoto[29]
2002Kyoto[30]
2003Asahikawa[31]
2004Nagoya[32]
2005Osaka[33]
2006Nagano[34]
2007Sendai[35]
2008Tokyo[36]
2009Nagano[37]
2010Nagoya[38]
2011Sapporo[39]
2012Rifu[40]
2013Tokyo[41]
2014Osaka[42]
2015Nagano[43]
2016Sapporo[44]
2017Osaka[45]
2018Hiroshima[46]
2019Sapporo[47]
2020OsakaNo pairs competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic[8]
2021Tokyo[48]
2022Sapporo[49]
2023Osaka[50]
2024Tokyo[51]
2025Osaka[52]

Ice dance

Ice dance event medalists
YearLocationGoldSilverBronzeRef.
1979Tokyo[3]
1980Sapporo[10]
1981Kobe
1982Tokyo[11]
1983No competition held
1984Tokyo[12]
1985Kobe[13]
1986Tokyo[14]
1987Kushiro[15]
1988Tokyo[16]
1989Kobe[17]
1990Asahikawa[18]
1991Hiroshima[19]
1992Tokyo[20]
1993Chiba[21]
1994Morioka[22]
1995Nagoya[23]
1996Osaka[24]
1997Nagano[25]
1998Sapporo[26]
1999Nagoya[27]
2000Asahikawa[28]
2001Kumamoto[29]
2002Kyoto[30]
2003Asahikawa[31]
2004Nagoya[32]
2005Osaka[33]
2006Nagano[34]
2007Sendai[35]
2008Tokyo[36]
2009Nagano[37]
2010Nagoya[38]
2011Sapporo[39]
2012Rifu[40]
2013Tokyo[41]
2014Osaka[42]
2015Nagano[43]
2016Sapporo[44]
2017Osaka[45]
2018Hiroshima[46]
2019Sapporo[47]
2020Osaka[8]
2021Tokyo[48]
2022Sapporo[49]
2023Osaka[50]
2024Tokyo[51]
2025Osaka[52]

Records

DisciplineMost titles
Skater(s)No.YearsRefs.
Men's singles62006–07;
2010–11;
2013–14		[53]
Women's singles61984–85;
1988–91		[12][13][16]
[17][18][19]
Pairs42000–02;
2006		[54]
Ice dance51995;
1998–2001		[55]

References

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