# Kensuke Nakaniwa

Kensuke Nakaniwa (中庭 健介, Nakaniwa Kensuke, born October 15, 1981) is a Japanese figure skating coach and former competitive singles skater. He is a two-time Ondrej Nepela Memorial champion, the 2003 Winter Universiade bronze medalist, and a three-time Japan national medalist. He finished in the top ten at three Four Continents Championships.

## Personal life

Nakaniwa was born on October 15, 1981, in Fukuoka, Japan.

## Competitive career

In the 1999–2000 season, Nakaniwa won a bronze medal on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series and placed 13th at the 2000 World Junior Championships.
In the 2002–03 season, Nakaniwa made his Grand Prix debut and competed at his first senior ISU Championship, the 2003 Four Continents, where he finished 11th.
Nakaniwa retired from competitive figure skating in 2011.

## Coaching career

Following his competitive career, Nakaniwa became a figure skating coach. Initially, he coached at his hometown rink in Fukuoka before relocating to Chiba in 2021 when he became the head coach of the newly established MF Figure Skating Academy.
Nakaniwa's current and former students include:
* Yuna Aoki
* Maria Egawa
* Sei Kawahara
* Karin Miyazaki
* Ryoto Mori
* Ami Nakai
* Rio Nakata
* Yo Takagi
* Shin Ji-a
* Tsudoi Suto
* Rinka Watanabe

## Programs

| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
| 2008–09 | Nuovo Cinema Paradiso by Ennio Morricone, Andrea Morricone | Braveheart by James Horner | You Are So Beautiful |
| 2007–08 | Sarabande (modern arrangement) by George Frideric Handel | Braveheart by James Horner | |
| 2006–07 | Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo | Slow Dancing in the Big City by Bill Conti | |
| 2005–06 | Sarabande by George Frideric Handel | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by Howard Shore The Return of the King by Howard Shore | |
| 2004–05 | Summer (from The Four Seasons) by Antonio Vivaldi | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by Howard Shore The Return of the King by Howard Shore | |
| 2003–04 | Romeo and Juliet | The Lord of the Rings by Howard Shore | |
| 2002–03 | The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi | Cornish Rhapsody by Hubert Bath | |
| 2001–02 | Romeo and Juliet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | Gettysburg by Randy Edelman | |

## Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix
International :
| Event | 96–97 | 97–98 | 98–99 | 99–00 | 00–01 | 01–02 | 02–03 | 03–04 | 04–05 | 05–06 | 06–07 | 07–08 | 08–09 | 09–10 | 10–11 |
| Four Continents | | | | | | | 11th | | 8th | 6th | 8th | 12th | | | |
| GP Bompard | | | | | | | | | | | | 7th | | | |
| GP Cup of China | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | | 10th | | |
| GP Cup of Russia | | | | | | | 8th | 10th | | | | | | | |
| GP NHK Trophy | | | | | | | | 11th | 8th | | | 8th | | | |
| GP Skate America | | | | | | 12th | 10th | | | | | | | | |
| Universiade | | | | | 9th | | 3rd | | 4th | | | | | | |
| Asian Games | | | | | | | | | | | 3rd | | | | |
| Golden Spin | | | | | | | | | | 7th | | | | | |
| Merano Cup | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7th | |
| Nepela Memorial | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1st | 1st | |
| NRW Trophy | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | | 6th |
| International: Junior ||||||||||||||||
| Junior Worlds | | | | 13th | | | | | | | | | | | |
| JGP Bulgaria | | | 10th | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| JGP Canada | | | | 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | |
| JGP China | | | 10th | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| JGP Germany | | 13th | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| JGP Japan | | | | 8th | | | | | | | | | | | |
| JGP Mexico | | | | | 10th | | | | | | | | | | |
| JGP Norway | | | | | 13th | | | | | | | | | | |
| National ||||||||||||||||
| Japan | | | | 9th | 5th | 4th | 3rd | 6th | 2nd | 3rd | 5th | 4th | 6th | 12th | 9th |
| Japan Junior | 6th | 5th | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | | | | | | | | | | |
| J. = Junior level ||||||||||||||||