Two-time ISU Figure Skating World Champion Shoma Uno of Japan announced a return to competitive skating in Ice Dance with Marin Honda. The skaters shared the exciting news on social media. “Shoma Uno and Marin Honda have decided to form an ice dance team and compete in the upcoming season,” they said on their Instagram accounts.

Olympic Ice Dance plans in the making for Honda and Uno

Uno, a two-time Olympic medalist, and Honda, the 2016 ISU World Junior Champion, started to practice Ice Dance together in October 2024, just a few months after Uno had announced his retirement from competitive skating. 

“Since the day we made this decision, we have set our sights on the goal of competing in the Olympics and have continued to dedicate ourselves to ice dancing,” the skaters wrote. 

“Every day, we move forward with strong determination as we take on new challenges.”

Why Uno and Honda chose Ice Dance?

Always known for his excellent skating skills, Uno can build on that exploring a new discipline. “Through our competitive careers so far, we have experienced a wide range of emotions—both difficult and joyful,” the couple said.

“With the feelings that only the two of us can share in our hearts, we will continue to build days that we can be proud of.”

“Shomarin”, as the team is nicknamed, have been teasing figure skating fans all over the world by sharing practice videos on their Instagram couple account but it was not clear whether they want to compete or perform in ice shows. 

Shoma Uno competes during the Men's Single Free Program at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Gangneung, South Korea. © Getty Images

Uno to follow in Takahashi’s footsteps

Shoma Uno is not the first Japanese top figure skater to turn to Ice Dance. The 2010 ISU World Champion Daisuke Takahashi came back as an Ice Dancer in 2020 with Kana Muramoto. Muramoto & Takahashi became the first Japanese Ice Dancers to win a silver medal at the ISU Four Continents Championships in 2022. 

Also, two-time ISU Four Continents Champion Rika Kihira and  ISU Grand Prix medalist Koshiro Shimada have started an Ice Dance career with Shingo Nishiyama and  Ikura Kushida respectively.

When will Honda & Uno compete?

Marin Honda and Shoma Uno are expected to debut in the 2026/27 season probably first in national events and then in international competitions this coming fall.

Shoma Uno competes in the Men's Free Skating at the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2022 in Montpellier, France. © ISU

Shoma Uno and Marin Honda: Career Highlights

Shoma Uno is a Japanese top figure skater and looks back at an amazing career in Single Skating:

• ISU Figure Skating World Champion 2022 & 2023
• Olympic silver medalist 2018 & Olympic bronze medalist 2022
• ISU Figure Skating World Championships silver medalist 2017 & 2018
• Six-time ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix Finalist, winning a medal each time 
• ISU Figure Skating World Junior Champion 2015
• Six-time Japanese Figure Skating National Champion

Marin Honda performs in the Women's Free Skating at the ISU Figure Skating World Junior Championships 2016 in Debrecen, Hungary. © ISU

Japan’s Marin Honda had a successful junior career before focusing on show performances:

• ISU Figure Skating World Junior Champion 2016
• ISU Figure Skating World Junior Championships silver medalist 2017
• ISU Figure Skating Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist 2015
• Multiple ISU Figure Skating Junior Grand Prix medalist