Honda began short track speed skating at the age of nine with his brother, but soon switched to figure skating. For someone who started skating quite late, he caught up very quickly and was, at 14, the youngest Senior National Champion in Japan ever. Honda became the first Four Continents Champion in history when he won the inaugural event in 1999. Honda left Japan to train with Galina Zmievskaya in the USA and then moved to Canada to work with Doug Leigh. Honda is the first male skater from Japan to medal at World Championships since Minoru Sano took the bronze in 1977. Honda withdrew from the 2005 World Championships after injuring his ankle in a fall during the Qualifying Free Skating.