Princess Kaguya's Glowing Garden In Sakuramachi Kumamoto (かぐや姫の光る庭)

Skating at the Iizuka Ice Palace: Living My Yuri on Ice Dreams

There I was, standing at the entrance of Iizuka Ice Palace, feeling like I had just stepped into an episode of Yuri on Ice. If you’re not familiar, this rink was actually featured in the anime, which made my inner fangirl do a triple axel (in spirit, not in reality—because let’s be honest, I’d probably break something).

It’s about an hour and fifteen minutes from Hakata Station, which, in Japan-time, feels like a minor detour rather than a full-on journey. When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to find the rink almost empty. No dodging wobbly beginners, no speed skaters zooming past me—just wide, open ice, ready for me to (attempt to) glide gracefully across it.

I laced up my skates, took a deep breath, and channelled my inner ice dancer. Somewhere deep in my brain, buried under years of London life, were the patterns my coach had drilled into me. (MORE KNEE BEND) And let me tell you—I almost remembered them! Well… sort of. My feet knew what they were supposed to do, even if my timing was an absolute disaster. But honestly, that’s half the fun, right? The struggle, the small victories, the moments when you finally nail that step sequence—only to immediately forget everything and having to start over.

To my delight, my forward scratch spin is still there—a minor miracle! But my jumps? Oh dear. Rusty doesn’t even begin to cover it. I gave one an attempt, wobbled mid-air, and decided that maybe today wasn’t the day for heroic comebacks. Let’s just say, I don’t think Viktor Nikiforov would be particularly impressed.

But something about being in that rink, in that moment, rekindled a fire in me. I need to skate more. Not just as a fun hobby, but because nothing quite compares to the feeling of moving on ice, chasing that perfect edge, and laughing at yourself when it inevitably goes wrong.

So, to anyone considering a visit—do it. Even if you’re not a Yuri on Ice fan, even if your skating skills are questionable at best. Because there’s just something magical about having almost all the ice to yourself and remembering why you fell in love with skating in the first place.

They also had a comic area near the lockers...

Titles like One Piece, Naruto and Go Ahead.

They also had a Yuri on Ice FRAMED POSTER at the front!!!

—Emmy

It's been 3 days since I've finished my latest rewatch of Yuri!!! On Ice and I'm still reeling with all the small, gentle touches during Yuuri and Viktor exchange during the gala and how smoothly they are integrated into the choreography as a testimony of their love.

These touches don't happen in the spur of the moment, they are well-practised details of the routine. Every little movement causes a change in momentum and movement and thus affects one's balance. Add a slippery surface and interactions with a partner to the equation and a fleeting touch turns into a feature that demands to be planned and excuted timely.

The touches being part of the routine takes away nothing from their significance - on the contrary. They show the love and care Yuuri and Viktor have poured into this routine and thus symbolise the love and care they poured into their relationship. They are a part of the story Yuuri and Viktor tell through this programme - the story of their love.

Note how at first, Yuuri skates alone. He's fighting alone, expressed through the jumps, copying Viktor and trying to catch up with him. There's a reason why the part until Viktor arrives is exactly the same as Viktor's FS. Then, Viktor takes over and pulls Yuuri along. He woos Yuuri and supports him [the lift]. Eventually, Yuuri reciprocates his feelings [the caress of Viktor's cheek and the soft, loving smile right afterwards].

From there, they skate side-by-side as partners and skaters of equal skill, which gives us a glimpse into their future.

Eros portrays the physical and sensual aspects of Yuuri's feelings, Yuri On Ice showcases his love in a wider and more general sense and narrates the story of him and Viktor from his own viewpoint. In the gala version of Stammi Vicino, he and Viktor tell their story together in the grand conclusion of Yuuri's season theme.

i think teruhashi shouldve murdered the kokomins on screen

Guys… what if a season two was secretly in production the entire time… haha

They Say Never Meet Your Heroes

Chapter 4

Kill Your Darlings, Yuuri

They say you can’t fix what you won’t admit is broken—which is a tough pill to swallow when you’re lying in a psych ward and an unexpected, sharp-tongued stranger is dropping truth bombs at you. But Yuuri isn’t just facing reality; he’s renegotiating it. Goodbye, illusions of perfection and glittery hero worship—hello, brutal honesty and the chance to rebuild himself from the ground up. Because apparently, sometimes you have to kill your darlings, especially when they’re the things holding you back.

MIKHAIL SHAIDOROV YOU ARE THE NEW 4CC CHAMPION!!!!!!!!

Art inspired by this post

when things go south

That still doesn't change the fact that there are 49 million kangaroos in Australia and 3.5 million people in Uruguay. That means if kangaroos attacked Uruguay, each person would have to fight 14 kangaroos.

... Did you mean to send this to me?? Or??