The 23-year-old, the first man to win consecutive Olympic titles since the United States' Dick Button in 1952 after he won the men’s singles at Pyeongchang 2018 to add to his victory at Sochi 2014, will make his first appearance since the Games in Oakville.

The Japanese star told reporters last month that he wants to return to his figure skating roots this season, through a routine called Origin.

"I want to skate while feeling like I did when I first began," Hanyu said in a practice session at his training base in Toronto.

In July he became the first figure skater and youngest individual recipient of the People’s Honour Award in Japan.

Also competing in Canada is due to be silver medallist in the women’s event at Pyeongchang 2018, Evgenia Medvedeva from Russia and US women’s champion Bradie Ennell.

The event is part of the International Skating Union's (ISU) Challenger Series, a B circuit to the Grand Prix Series.

From the home nation, Canada's ice dance pair Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, the reigning world bronze medallists, are due to debut a new routine, done to the same music Kazakhstan's Denis Ten skated to last season.

Ten was stabbed to death in July during a botched car robbery.

"We were saying, 'Thank you Denis for bringing this music to us.'" Weaver said.

"It's our way of saying thank you to him."

The Grand Prix circuit is due topen with Skate America from October 19 to 21 in Everett in Washington, while Vancouver is scheduled to host the Grand Prix Final from December 6 to 9.