2/22/2026 Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics, A blog post from Japan

Here is a lightly polished version that keeps your voice, warmth, and reflective tone while smoothing flow and clarity:

Hello from Kobe, Japan,

Although Miho Takagi’s result in last night’s Milan–Cortina Olympics women’s 1500m speed skating was disappointing, I would like to close these two weeks by expressing my gratitude for the many dramatic and moving moments we witnessed. My applause goes not only to the medalists but also to those who did not reach the podium. I believe the color of a medal often comes down to luck. Of course, a “monster” athlete like Norway’s Klaebo in the Nordic skiing events is naturally expected to win gold, but even he benefits from the three elements of good timing, good conditions, and good fortune—while many other athletes compete in fields where the smallest shift in timing determines the outcome.

I have always loved watching alpine skiing, ski jumping, and figure skating at the Winter Olympics. When I worked overseas, I visited several Olympic ski jumps—not in winter, but in summer during the European Ski Jumping Week. I enjoyed climbing up to the start gates and looking out from the landing areas, and over the years I visited quite a few of them.

Among them, the places I remember most clearly are:

• Holmenkollen: Located on the outskirts of Oslo, Norway. Used in the 1952 Olympics and considered a mecca of Nordic skiing.

• Innsbruck: Host city of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics in Austria.

• Kitzbühel: A ski jumping hill in the Tyrol region of Austria.

• Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Site of the 1936 Winter Olympics, in southern Germany near the Austrian border.

• Oberstdorf: A regular venue for European Ski Jumping Week in southern Germany.

• Lake Placid: Located in the eastern part of New York State, used for the 1980 Winter Olympics.

When I arrived in New York in March 1980, the Winter Olympics had ended just a month or two earlier.

I first visited Holmenkollen in 1964, but I cannot immediately find any photos, so I will skip those. Instead, I’ve attached some photos of the other places—souvenir “patches” (called Wappen in German)—that I collected as mementos of my visits.

I hope you enjoy them.