Japanese pair skaters Riku Miura, 24, and Ryuichi Kihara, 34, known as 'Rikuryu', announced their engagement on August 23, 2026. The couple shared the news on their social media accounts, including Instagram and X, posting photos of Kihara proposing on the ice rink and Miura displaying her engagement ring [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
Miura and Kihara have been skating partners since 2019 and have competed together for seven years [1, 6, 2, 7]. Their partnership reached its peak at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, where they won Japan's first-ever Olympic gold medal in pair skating. After a difficult short program, they delivered a record-breaking long program to claim gold [1, 6, 2, 7, 3, 4, 5].
The pair also completed a 'Golden Slam' by winning Olympic, World Championships, Four Continents Championships, and Grand Prix Final titles, a first for Japanese pair skating [1, 7, 4, 5]. In April 2026, Miura and Kihara announced their retirement after the 2025-26 season but said they plan to promote pair skating in Japan and pursue new opportunities together [1, 2, 7, 4, 5].
Their personal relationship has drawn considerable media and fan attention, with Miura describing their bond as natural and like family during a February 2026 press conference: "Our relationship has probably gone beyond the usual categories like siblings or friends. Being together is natural, like family." [1]
Fans expressed overwhelming joy online, with many congratulating the engaged couple. One fan wrote, "Finally this day has come! Congratulations on your engagement, Rikuryu! You two are so perfect for each other and we hope you can continue from ice partners to life partners forever." [6]
The couple said, "We got engaged. Through happy and difficult times, we have supported each other and become irreplaceable for one another. We are truly happy to finally share this news and will continue to support each other step by step in our own way." [1]
Miura and Kihara will officially retire from competition following the conclusion of the current 2025-26 season.
