The man who helps Japanese figure skaters stay sharp
In a country renowned for its sword-making tradition, Kimitaka Sakurai is focused on blades of a different sort.
The 41-year-old will serve as the official skate sharpener for Japan at the upcoming ISU World Team Trophy, the last competition of the 2024-2025 figure skating season, which takes place from Thursday to Sunday at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
Skate sharpening is not a lucrative endeavor, but Sakurai has been doing it full time for 14 years, and he is a master at his craft. He now gets customers of all ages — between 2 and 90, to be exact — and skill levels from all over Japan. He estimates he sharpens about 2,000 pairs a year.
His style?
'I stick to the basics. Unless there is a specific request, I don't do anything fancy,' said Sakurai, a former figure skater who used to compete nationally before switching to his behind-the-scenes role.
And don't expect him to pat himself on the back if one of his clients reaches the top of the podium.
'A blade is only a blade. It's equipment. No matter how great of a job a sharpener does, it's not going to make someone a better skater. My job is to achieve consistent sharpening results and help people skate with blades that are right for them. If a skater performs well, I can't take credit for that.'
Still, the need for well-maintained blades is pretty clear: Elite figure skaters perform jumps, spins, turns and other physics-defying moves, all while balancing on a blade just 4 millimeters thick. Regular sharpening is crucial for maintaining optimal performance and reducing the risk of injury on the ice.
According to Sakurai, even very tiny changes to the sharpness of the blades can make a huge difference in the way a skater feels on the ice — which is why customer satisfaction is a top priority.
Sharpening a pair of skates takes Saukrai about 20 minutes. It can sometimes be done solely by a machine, but may require additional work by hand. |
Mai Yoshikawa
Sakurai's clients include Olympic medalists Mao Asada, Shizuka Arakawa and Daisuke Takahashi, as well as young elite skaters Rio Nakata, Ami Nakai and Rinka Watanabe.
When he's not working for the national team, Sakurai is in charge of boots and blades at Ice Space, a group of full-service figure skating equipment, apparel and maintenance stores where he first started part time as a college student. He works six days a week, mainly in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, where he is the store manager.
Sakurai believes there are only about 10 physical shops, including three run by Ice Space, in Japan that offer a custom sharpening service for figure skates, which makes him a rare breed.
Figure skaters competing at the national level get their skates freshly sharpened once every two to three weeks, but Sakurai says how often athletes need to sharpen their skates depends on factors such as skating style, skating frequency and ice conditions.
'Skate blades are like kitchen knives. A dull blade gets the job done but takes more effort. Sharpening is essential if you want the best performance,' Sakurai said. 'Sushi chefs sharpen their knives daily, whereas home cooks might wait until there's a problem. The frequency of knife use and knife sharpening varies from person to person. It's the same with figure skates.'
'For some skaters, the sharper the blades, the easier it is for them to jump, but that's not necessarily true for everyone. For example, Mao-chan isn't a fan of super sharp blades,' he said, referring to retired three-time world champion Asada. 'There's no one-blade-fits-all in figure skating.'
Sakurai admits skate sharpening can become repetitive at times, but says the sense of responsibility keeps him going. |
Mai Yoshikawa
Sakurai's rates are either ¥2,200 ($15.37) or ¥3,300 per pair, depending on whether it's done solely by a machine or requires additional work by hand, which involves smoothing out imperfections using a sharpening stone. The entire process takes about 20 minutes.
Most skaters need a bit of an adjustment period after having their skates sharpened, so Sakurai says it's best to get them sharpened a week or two before competition.
Sakurai admits skate sharpening can become boring and repetitive at times, but there's a reason he doesn't want to quit.
'I think it's the sense of responsibility that keeps me going. There are people who choose to get their skates sharpened by me. I can't let them down,' Sakurai said.
'Whether they're recreational or advanced level skaters, I put the same amount of energy into my work. I take pride in my job, but it's really the skaters who are doing the heavy lifting. I know that because I was once a skater.'
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