As my daughter stepped out onto the ice, I held my breath. Her steps were small. She moved slowly, with focus and balance and seeming assuredness. One -- two -- one -- two.
Mirai was taking the children's lessons offered by Meiji Jingu Skating Rink, a year-round skating facility and training center, which offers three consecutive mornings of classes during holiday breaks, and weekly group and private classes through the year.
Ten children had joined the class for 4-year-olds, and they were the youngest in a rink full of children, ranging in age from preschoolers to junior high schoolers. Straight rows of pink and orange traffic cones had been used to divide the rink into practice areas for classes, grouped by age and skill.
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