TOKYO — Just months after making Olympic history, Japan’s beloved figure skating duo Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara have announced another milestone that has sent fans into celebration: they are engaged.
The pair, affectionately known as “Riku-Ryu,” revealed the news on social media on Sunday, August 23, sharing photos that included a touching proposal on the ice, with Kihara down on one knee presenting Miura with a ring. The announcement quickly drew widespread attention across Japan and the international skating community.
“We’re engaged,” the couple said in their joint announcement, reflecting on the happy and difficult moments they have shared and describing each other as an irreplaceable part of their lives.
From Skating Partners to Life Partners
Their engagement marks a remarkable new chapter in one of Japanese sport’s most inspiring partnerships.
Miura, 24, and Kihara, 34, began skating together in 2019 and went on to transform Japanese pairs figure skating. Their achievements included major international titles and world championship victories in 2023 and 2025, while they also contributed to Japan’s silver-medal performance in the figure skating team event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
But their defining moment came at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
After a difficult short programme left them in fifth place, Miura and Kihara produced a stunning comeback in the free skate to capture Japan’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in pairs figure skating. Their triumph turned the duo into household names and one of the country’s most celebrated sporting partnerships.
Their road to Olympic glory was far from easy. Reports have highlighted the physical challenges both athletes faced during their competitive careers, including recurring injuries that tested their resilience. Yet their ability to overcome adversity became a defining part of the “Riku-Ryu” story.
A New Beginning After Retirement
The engagement announcement comes after the pair retired from competitive skating in April 2026, closing a historic chapter on the ice and opening the door to a new life beyond competition.
In their message to fans, Miura and Kihara said they intend to continue supporting one another as they move forward together.
For a duo whose careers were built on trust, timing and the willingness to catch each other through every difficult moment, becoming life partners may feel like the most natural next step of all.
From Olympic gold to a proposal on the ice, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara have given fans a real-life love story that goes far beyond the final score.
And for “Riku-Ryu,” their most important partnership is now entering its next chapter.
Why This Story Is Resonating
The news has attracted significant attention because Miura and Kihara are not simply a newly engaged celebrity couple. Their relationship has developed alongside a partnership that changed the history of Japanese pairs skating. Their Olympic comeback, years of shared challenges and emotional connection have made Sunday’s announcement especially meaningful for fans who have followed their journey from the beginning.
No wedding date has been publicly announced as of August 23, 2026.
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