[Arashi] ARASHI LIVE TOUR 2015 Japonism - Q&As - Sho
Aaaand they're done! I'll try and get started on the group crosstalk tomorrow, but in the mean time please enjoy these Q&As.
Comments are always welcome; enjoy!
ARASHI LIVE TOUR 2015 Japonism - Q&As
Aiba | Jun | Nino | Ohno | Sho
ARASHI LIVE TOUR 2015 Japonism - Q&As - Sho
Q1. When would you think to yourself, "I'm glad I was born as a Japanese person"? At what times do you notice the nice things about Japan, or the fact that you're Japanese?
A. It's safe. I mean, there are so many vending machines here, you know? There's no other country with vending machines everywhere like Japan does. There are plenty of countries that cannot install them for crime prevention purposes because you put money in those things. It's unbelievable... I mean, it's not so bad when they're vending machines, but when you go to the more rural areas, you see these unmanned market stalls where people put out vegetables and tell others to leave their money there. Isn't it rare to find a country like that? I like going overseas, but that sort of thing definitely comes to mind when I'm going abroad. I'm sure Japan's not safe everywhere you go, but it's generally not that dangerous either. So... being safe is definitely important, yeah? (laugh)
Q2. Which particular era are you interested in with regards to Japan's history and traditions?
A. The time of the Meiji Restoration, and the period of high economic growth in the Showa era. It really gets me going. Around the end of the 60s... when the Osaka Expo took place. I was able to go to the RIHGA Royal Hotel for "Casa BRUTUS" before, did you know that it was built for that purpose? It wasn't built to invite foreign visitors, it was built to accomodate the Osaka Expo. They built a hotel for it, isn't that incredible? And the time of the Meiji Restoration was really exciting too. The fact that there were people who weren't going with the changing times, but actually changing it themselves. It'd be those two, I think.
Q3. Please tell us about sceneries in Japan that you particularly like or have left an impression on you.
A. That would definitely be my grandpa's place, I think. I used to go there for summer breaks and such. I used to sit out on the veranda, and right in front of me was this... it wasn't that big, but there was this pond. Then, there were these akebi vines or something of that sort. On the other side of that were a lot of trees. It might not equal the "scenery of Japan", but it was something you can't see in the city. My relatives would gather for summer breaks, and when there were summer festivals my grandmother would bring me to them... things like that. So it includes all sorts of different things, but I would say that it's something like my grandpa's place during summer breaks.
Q4. What does "Arashi-izm = Arashi-like" mean to you?
A. Once you take a look at our calendar this time... I think it's packed full of us being "Arashi-like" (laugh). We were being completely serious with it you know, us middle-aged adults (laugh). Like the grandpa on the cover (Ohno)... apparently he coloured his tooth black himself. Man, I was so surprised. He just goes ahead and does that kind of thing himself (laugh). We were being so silly. We're such idiots. I mean... we're the same people who go on stage to people screaming for us once the lights go off and the special effects kick in! We're those same people, you know? Yet we're so stupid... it's awesome (laugh).
Q5. Please express "Japonism" in the form of a type of scent.
A. Sakuramochi. [T/N: 桜餅, pink mochi with a red bean paste filling and wrapped in a picked sakura leaf] It has a scent that's entirely unique. But if you were to ask me if that's a nice scent, I'm not really sure. If you asked foreigners that question, would 100 out of 100 people say that it's a "nice" smell? Probably not, I don't think. But as a Japanese person... the smell is kind of soothing, I suppose.
Q6. Including the cover to "Yarisugichatta Japonism Calendar 2016", which shot was your favourite out of a total of 13 shots? And if you were to recommend one type of goods from this tour, what would it be?
A. That calendar really is great (laugh). It's tough to choose a shot that I like. What to do. Hmm... maaan, I guess it would definitely be the cover for me. But June is pretty charming too (laugh). There's really something charming about June as well, but it would have to be the cover. It's really ridiculous... there's no other match for it (laugh). Hahahaha... seriously, it's so stupid, this calendar (laugh).
As for the goods, it'd be the "gift envelopes". You can actually use it anywhere, as many as you want. I think the tour goods line-up this year is really great.
Comments are always welcome; enjoy!
ARASHI LIVE TOUR 2015 Japonism - Q&As
Aiba | Jun | Nino | Ohno | Sho
ARASHI LIVE TOUR 2015 Japonism - Q&As - Sho
Q1. When would you think to yourself, "I'm glad I was born as a Japanese person"? At what times do you notice the nice things about Japan, or the fact that you're Japanese?
A. It's safe. I mean, there are so many vending machines here, you know? There's no other country with vending machines everywhere like Japan does. There are plenty of countries that cannot install them for crime prevention purposes because you put money in those things. It's unbelievable... I mean, it's not so bad when they're vending machines, but when you go to the more rural areas, you see these unmanned market stalls where people put out vegetables and tell others to leave their money there. Isn't it rare to find a country like that? I like going overseas, but that sort of thing definitely comes to mind when I'm going abroad. I'm sure Japan's not safe everywhere you go, but it's generally not that dangerous either. So... being safe is definitely important, yeah? (laugh)
Q2. Which particular era are you interested in with regards to Japan's history and traditions?
A. The time of the Meiji Restoration, and the period of high economic growth in the Showa era. It really gets me going. Around the end of the 60s... when the Osaka Expo took place. I was able to go to the RIHGA Royal Hotel for "Casa BRUTUS" before, did you know that it was built for that purpose? It wasn't built to invite foreign visitors, it was built to accomodate the Osaka Expo. They built a hotel for it, isn't that incredible? And the time of the Meiji Restoration was really exciting too. The fact that there were people who weren't going with the changing times, but actually changing it themselves. It'd be those two, I think.
Q3. Please tell us about sceneries in Japan that you particularly like or have left an impression on you.
A. That would definitely be my grandpa's place, I think. I used to go there for summer breaks and such. I used to sit out on the veranda, and right in front of me was this... it wasn't that big, but there was this pond. Then, there were these akebi vines or something of that sort. On the other side of that were a lot of trees. It might not equal the "scenery of Japan", but it was something you can't see in the city. My relatives would gather for summer breaks, and when there were summer festivals my grandmother would bring me to them... things like that. So it includes all sorts of different things, but I would say that it's something like my grandpa's place during summer breaks.
Q4. What does "Arashi-izm = Arashi-like" mean to you?
A. Once you take a look at our calendar this time... I think it's packed full of us being "Arashi-like" (laugh). We were being completely serious with it you know, us middle-aged adults (laugh). Like the grandpa on the cover (Ohno)... apparently he coloured his tooth black himself. Man, I was so surprised. He just goes ahead and does that kind of thing himself (laugh). We were being so silly. We're such idiots. I mean... we're the same people who go on stage to people screaming for us once the lights go off and the special effects kick in! We're those same people, you know? Yet we're so stupid... it's awesome (laugh).
Q5. Please express "Japonism" in the form of a type of scent.
A. Sakuramochi. [T/N: 桜餅, pink mochi with a red bean paste filling and wrapped in a picked sakura leaf] It has a scent that's entirely unique. But if you were to ask me if that's a nice scent, I'm not really sure. If you asked foreigners that question, would 100 out of 100 people say that it's a "nice" smell? Probably not, I don't think. But as a Japanese person... the smell is kind of soothing, I suppose.
Q6. Including the cover to "Yarisugichatta Japonism Calendar 2016", which shot was your favourite out of a total of 13 shots? And if you were to recommend one type of goods from this tour, what would it be?
A. That calendar really is great (laugh). It's tough to choose a shot that I like. What to do. Hmm... maaan, I guess it would definitely be the cover for me. But June is pretty charming too (laugh). There's really something charming about June as well, but it would have to be the cover. It's really ridiculous... there's no other match for it (laugh). Hahahaha... seriously, it's so stupid, this calendar (laugh).
As for the goods, it'd be the "gift envelopes". You can actually use it anywhere, as many as you want. I think the tour goods line-up this year is really great.