White Box Tour

White Box Tour
Official logo of the White Box Tour
Ice show typeTouring solo show
FormatOn-screen narration with live figure skating performances
ThemeSkating performances as exhibits in an art museum
Start dateJanuary 9, 2027
End dateFebruary 7, 2027
No. of shows5
CountryJapan
Venue
BroadcastTV Asahi
ProducerYuzuru Hanyu (performer)
DirectorMikiko
Organizer
  • Team Sirius
  • CIC
  • TV Asahi
SponsorPhiten
Websitewhitebox.icestory.jp
Yuzuru Hanyu article series
Skating career
Other works
Solo ice shows
Ensemble ice shows

The White Box Tour (full title stylized as 'Yuzuru Hanyu Ice Story 4th WHITE BOX') is an upcoming solo ice show by Japanese figure skater and two-time consecutive Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu in 2027, organized by his management company Team Sirius in partnership with CIC, and TV Asahi. The show is scheduled to be held at Pia Arena MM in Yokohama on January 9, 11, and 13 as well as Ecopa Arena in Fukuroi, Shizuoka on February 5 and 7.

The White Box Tour is the fourth main installment of the Yuzuru Hanyu Ice Story series, produced and directed by Hanyu himself in collaboration with Japanese choreographer Mikiko. The second half of Hanyu's preceding solo show Realive titled Prequel: Before the White, which was presented in 2026, served as a prequel for the main event. The show was announced to stage figure skating performances as living exhibits in an art museum.

Background

Refer to caption
Yuzuru Hanyu at the 2018 Winter Olympics

Yuzuru Hanyu is a Japanese figure skater and ice show producer who competed in the men's singles discipline and turned professional in 2022. Regarded as one of the greatest skaters in the sport's history, he is the first two-time Olympic men's champion in 66 years with back-to-back gold medals at the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics, and the first male single skater to complete the Super Slam, having won all major international senior and junior titles in the course of his career.

His first major work as a professional skater is the ongoing Yuzuru Hanyu Ice Story, a series of solo ice shows produced by himself and directed by renowned Japanese choreographer Mikiko, who is internationally known for her collaboration with the J-pop trio Perfume and her involvement in the Tokyo handover segment at the 2016 Summer Olympics closing ceremony among others. Until the White Box Tour, the Ice Story series consisted of an introductory show titled Prologue (2022), the first solo ice show production in the history of figure skating, followed by three main installments with Gift (2023), the Repray Tour (2023–24), and the Echoes of Life Tour (2024–25) as well as the solo project Realive (2026). Each show featured 8 to 15 skating programs that were merged into a cohesive, sophisticated story supported with video narration by Hanyu on screen. The Ice Story series has been a huge commercial success, with all live performances being sold out by lottery and more than 200,000 spectators in attendance, as of April 2026.

Tour dates and venues

Chronological list of tour dates and venues of the White Box Tour 
Date Venue Location Seat. capacity Max. capacity Image Ref.
Jan 9, 11 & 13, 2027 Pia Arena MMYokohama TBA12,141 Outdoor view of Pia Arena MM
Feb 5 & 7, 2027 Ecopa ArenaFukuroi TBA10,000 Outdoor view of Ecopa Arena


Notes and references

References

  1. ↑ Macur, Juliet (July 20, 2022). "Oh, Pooh – We may never see another skater like this one". The New York Times. New York City. ISSN 1553-8095. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022.
  2. ↑ Russell 2022, p. 23–25.
  3. 1 2 "Figure skating hero Hanyu Yuzuru to start gaming-inspired 'RE_PRAY' solo ice tour in Saitama". International Olympic Committee. Lausanne. September 4, 2023. Archived from the original on September 4, 2023.
  4. ↑ St. Michel, Patrick (July 22, 2021). "The Olympic opening ceremony that wasn't". The Japan Times. Chiyoda, Tokyo. ISSN 0447-5763. Archived from the original on July 22, 2021.
  5. ↑ Matsubara, Takaomi (January 12, 2023). "Going Pro: Hanyū Yuzuru reinvents what it means to be a figure skater". Nippon Communications Foundation. Minato, Tokyo. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023.
  6. ↑ 羽生結弦さん 映画「国宝」の音楽担当とのコラボ演目を初披露 アイスストーリー第4弾開催も発表 [Yuzuru Hanyu premieres a collaborative program with the composer of the film 'National Treasure' and announces fourth installment of the Ice Story series]. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). Minato, Tokyo. April 12, 2026. Archived from the original on April 12, 2026.
  7. ↑ Kano, Shintaro (December 7, 2024). "Hanyu Yuzuru celebrates turning 30 with 'Echoes of Life' opening". International Olympic Committee. Lausanne. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024.
  8. ↑ Frammartino, Martina (June 5, 2024). "I videogiochi come rappresentazione della vita: il tour RE_PRAY di Yuzuru Hanyu" [Video games as a representation of life: Yuzuru Hanyu's RE_PRAY Tour]. Fantasy Magazine (in Italian). Tremestieri Etneo: EADV. ISSN 1974-823X. Archived from the original on June 5, 2024.
  9. ↑ Frammartino, Martina (April 29, 2026). "REALIVE: l'evoluzione dell'arte performativa di Yuzuru Hanyu" [REALIVE: the evolution of Yuzuru Hanyu's performance art]. Fantasy Magazine (in Italian). Tremestieri Etneo: EADV. ISSN 1974-823X. Archived from the original on May 1, 2026.
  10. ↑ Tamai, Kodai (November 4, 2026). 羽生結弦さん「アイスストーリー」第4弾 27年1、2月に開催 [Yuzuru Hanyu's 'Ice Story' Part 4 to be held in January and February 2027]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo. Archived from the original on November 5, 2026.
  11. ↑ "About Pia Arena MM". Pia Corporation (in Japanese). Yokohama. 2018. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Shizuoka Ecopa Arena facility guide". Ecopa Official. Fukuroi, Shizuoka. 2026. Archived from the original on April 22, 2026.

Works cited