Hill coach Janne Väätäinen, who turned 50 years old, has been enjoying himself in Japan for a long time. He works as the coach of the country’s number one jumper and co-pilot of the national team.
Kento Sakuyama (left) and Janne Väätäinen are the coaches of the Japanese hill country team. Pasi Liesimaa
Didn’t the Savolaine hillbilly guess Janne Väätäinen more than 15 years ago, that Japan will become an investment place for the rest of my life.
– Where has this time gone, sighs Väätäinen, who turned 50 in March.
He has achieved a prestigious position in the land of the rising sun. The man acts as the number one jumper in the country Ryōyū Kobayashi’s as a personal trainer in a team called Team Roy.
For the Olympic season 2025–26, the job description of the Finn, who describes himself as a freelance coach, expanded when he was appointed to the Japanese national team as the second coach.
– We have really good athletes and an incredibly great background team. It’s nice to have such a slightly older bike on the road.
As Japan’s main pilot, he has tried twice in the mc competitions in his own jumping career Kento Sakuyama35.
One of Väätäinen’s areas of responsibility is helping Sakuyama, who travels the world as a language expert.
– Giving speeches in Finnish also causes difficulties, but I manage and get by in Japanese. Today, I already dare to open my mouth and speak about Japan in public, Väätäinen describes.
– If I go to a government agency to do business, it doesn’t hurt if the clerk knows a little English, he adds.
Daughter in Sapporo
Janne Väätäinen has lived in Japan since 2010. In 2020–23, he was Finland’s head coach, but his home remained in Sapporo even then. Pasi Liesimaa
Väätäinen’s roots in Sapporo, the capital of Japan’s winter sports, were helped by a local bride. The couple has a daughter born in 2021.
– I try to speak Finnish to my daughter as much as possible. In Tokyo, there is an absolutely amazing group of volunteers with a Finnish background who run a Finnish school a couple of times a month. We try to visit there regularly with our daughter.
The teddy bear-like Finn has slipped into the Japanese community quite easily.
– Don’t go to teach how to live and do things, but go and learn yourself – whether it’s about sports, coaching, culture or living. It has helped, Väätäinen describes his action plan.
Account date
Japan’s number one jumper Ryōyū Kobayashi (pictured) is Janne Väätäinen’s personal coach. EPA / AOP
Money moves in Japanese winter sports. For example, the most famous hill jumper in the country Sara Takanashi is a millionaire.
Also, the top coat crew makes a much more difficult account than, for example, in Finland.
– If you are in a company team, the salary is not necessarily terribly high, but we are talking about a lifetime position. Employment benefits come on top, so you can run your everyday life quite carefree.
The Finn is paid by the Japanese Ski Federation and Kobayashi.
– I am paid a reasonably good compensation. I am very satisfied with my situation.
Väätäinen does not say the size of his salary, but when he hears the head coach of the Finnish Ski Association’s national ski team Teemu Pasanen 2024 income 58,347 euros, he smiles.
– I should stay in coaching jobs in Japan.
Väätäinen was the head coach of Finnish ski jumping in 2008–10 and 2020–23.
Thank you, KalPa
– The darkness of November in Ruka at the opening of the season seems harder every year, says Janne Väätäinen. Pasi Liesimaa
The downside of Väätäinen’s work is constant travel. During this season, for example, he tours almost the entire World Cup.
It means long absences from home, because of course the Japanese do not fly to their homeland between the World Cup weekends, which are mainly organized in Europe.
– It’s a good thing if I can do these jobs until I’m 55. That would still mean the 2030 Olympics. After that, I would like to work with juniors, Väätäinen states.
– On the other hand, it’s pointless to announce that I’m quitting after the next Olympics, he adds.
Väätäinen is an enthusiastic supporter of KalPa’s ice hockey team. He had once arranged for the Kuopio puck legend Pasi Kuivalainen with that he will fly from Japan to Finland even for a day, if the gold of the SM league is on hold for the people of Savo.
– I subtly hinted this to my spouse. He stated that so what.
The gig for the fish rooster party was missed last May.
– Great thing for KalPa. Personally, I have to admit that 10–15 years ago I would have been much more enthusiastic about it.