According to this news, Dai-chan will leave for Vancouver on 31th Jan and continue to practice at a rink near Vancouver for the last minute adjustment.
http://www.rnc.co.jp/news/index.asp?mode=1&nwnbr=2010012505

This news said his hometown Kurashiki-shi and the city council provided a financial incentive to him and his mother took it for him on 25th.

Dai-chan flew to Vancouver today. He looked very composed.

http://www.fnn-news.com/news/headlines/articles/CONN00170952.html
"My goal has been to win a gold medal and I won't change it. I'd like to enjoy the period of the olympic games from today and spend the time relishing everything."


According this news,
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/olympic/2010/news/skate/news/20100131-OYT1T00608.htm
"4T is better now, compared to JNC. It's not 100% but I'd like to increase the success rate in two more weeks."


And NHK also schedules to air Dai-chan's news in "Sunday Sports" tonight. (I don't know how long it is.)
http://www.nhk.or.jp/dospo-sunday2/yokoku/yokoku_sun.html

Good luck, Dai-chan!!

Thank you for the head up, miyu!
Nice smile!!
I can't wait to see NHK broadcast news tonight!

Thanks for the news, miyu!

Here's another video: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/k10015347231000.html

And more articles: http://www.47news.jp/CN/201001/CN2010013101000435.html
http://vancouver2010.nikkansports.com/figure/news/f-sp-tp0-20100131-591249.html

The first article says his success rate on the quad is about 50%. But he also changed his skates in the middle of the month, so he did what he could. The second article says that the success rate of the quad when he does it by itself has increased, and that it's 50% when he does program run-throughs.

50% in the program, with new skates, doesn't sound bad at all. Hopefully it'll increase more in the next two weeks!

Thank you for the news, guys

Hi Miyu:

Thanks a lot for news. Daisuke looked very nice and relaxed.

It is so exciting for me that Dai now lives so close to me , at least the same time zone.(Maybe he is still in the air.)

I had a sigh of relief after looking at his hair style in this picture.
Much nicer now.

But, how did he get this idea of "kotou"
Did anybody know, so strange and funny.

Miyu, Calliope, thank you so much for the news!

Genki wrote:

Daisuke looked very nice and relaxed.

I hope he is relaxed. Sometimes I think that we can't even imagine the pressure Daisuke is under...

Genki wrote:

I had a sigh of relief after looking at his hair style in this picture. Much nicer now.

Yes, me too. On this picture Daisuke looks much better

So the media saw him off at Narita Airport, and they were waiting for him at Vancouver when he arrived too. (Sorry, I just think this is kind of ridiculous... Is it really that necessary to film athletes at both departure and arrival and ask them the same questions?)

Video: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/k10015352541000.html

The media weren't the only ones waiting for him, local fans from Vancouver were waiting for him too! Some lucky fans got his autograph.

According to some articles, he plans to practice at a rink near Vancouver for a few days and move into the athletes' village two days before the SP. He also feels pretty relaxed and wants to enjoy Vancouver.

Thank you for the update, Calliope!!

Calliope wrote:

Is it really that necessary to film athletes at both departure and arrival and ask them the same questions?

As far as the media leave him queit until the game after this, it would be OK.

You can see his nice smiles at Vancouver airport in those links.
http://vancouver2010.nikkansports.com/figure/news/f-sp-tp0-20100201-591401.html
http://mainichi.jp/enta/sports/general/news/20100201k0000e050009000c.html
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/olympic/2010/news/skate/news/20100201-OYT1T00225.htm?from=navlp

Why he came to Vancouver so early is because he needs about a week to get over his jet lag.
He will move to Olympic Village two days before the competition. I think he will stay the house which JSF has prepared for the skaters and coaches near Vancouver. (I'm not sure though.) JSF also has prepared the practice rink. Dai-chan will practice there.
Miki and Nobu are still practicing at Simsberry and Mao will stay in Japan until 20th. I don't know about Akiko and Takahiko but perhaps they are still in Japan. So I think Dai-chan can have enough practice time.

Thank you for the information! Good to know that Dai made it safely to Vancouver, lucky him to be there already! LOL I hope he'll have some time to visit this beautiful, beautiful city, either now or after he's done competing.

miyu wrote:

As far as the media leave him queit until the game after this, it would be OK.

Yes, exactly. Hopefully now they won't bother him too much until the 16th/18th....

Here is vid. It's almost like NHK's.

http://www.fnn-news.com/news/headlines/articles/CONN00170985.html

I hope he's doing his practice in calm until Olympic Games begins this time.

Hey, everyone, please post your messages to Daisuke, thank you.

http://daisuke-takahashi.megabb.com/message-for-daisuke-towards-to-olympics-f24/good-luck-in-olympic-winter-games-vancouver-t696.htm

i missed my chance to see him! =( i was wondering if anyone knows when he will be returning to japan... maybe then i could meet him before he leaves! thanks! loved his performance in the Olympics <3

Hi, xmisosoup, welcome to DTFF!
Well, I don't know when he will leave Canada, but he's still supporting with Japanese Ladies team with Nobunari and Takahiko. Here is a vid!

Japanese Men's team are supporting with Ladies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDX8K2hgo4c

=O! thank you soo muchh! that totally made my day to know hes still in Vancouver! hopefully i can catch him if hes sightseeing in Vancouver! : )