Last weekend was a banner one for Japanese skaters, and not the ones you might think.
While Mao Asada, Miki Ando, Daisuke Takahashi and Nobunari Oda continue preparations for the start of the Grand Prix season, Japan's junior contingent pulled off a rare triple triumph at the Junior Grand Prix in Torun, Poland.
Kanako Murakami notched the second JGP victory of her career in the ladies singles, while Yuzuru Hanyu claimed the men's singles title, and Narumi Takahashi and Mervin Tran won the pairs event.
With Japan's stable of senior skaters among the best in the world, it was an encouraging showing for the next generation.
Murakami, who finished fourth at last season's Junior Grand Prix Final, won in dominant fashion, finishing more than 18 points ahead of second-place finisher Anna Ovcharova of Russia.
Hanyu's victory was by an even wider margin, as he bested American Austin Kanallakan by over 27 points.
Takahashi and Tran narrowly defeated the Russian team of Tatiana Novik and Mikhail Kuznetsov, winning by just under one point, to earn their first JGP gold medal.
Murakami, who won the JGP event in the United Kingdom last season, is a 14-year-old native from Nagoya who trains under Machiko Yamada.
Hanyu, also 14, was born in Sendai. He was Japan's junior champion last season under coach Nanami Abe.
The 17-year-old Takahashi hails from Chiba, and skates for Japan with 18-year-old Tran from Canada. The pair began their partnership two years ago. They are based in Montreal and coached by Richard Gauthier.