RAYJI thank you very much for this interview!!!
Nice to meet you RAYJI, please introduce yourself in a paragraph.
I am RAYJI!! I am a solo artist who does sing and rap while slapping my bass!! Well, NICE TO MEET YOU! I knocked out NEW YORKERS with my bass skills! They called me “CRAZY RAYJI”, because I played my bass so crazy!
How did you enter the MUSIC WORLD?
When I was in my 3rd year of high school, one of the school events brought me to make the decision to be a musician.
So you started your solo activities in 2018?
I was in a band (ViV) for about 4 years. After the dissolution, it was hard to decide which way I wanted to wander; to be independent / to join a new band / to be a support bassist / etc.
From August 2018 I decided to be a solo artist, playing the bass and singing songs. It was the hardest choice but, it’s a fun road! (lol)
How would you describe yourself with your favorite Kanji?
Well nothing particular but sora(Sky 空) just comes up.
While I walk around I often stop for a moment to look at the sky, because when I look up at the sky, I can open my mind and that would release me from various (troubled) feelings.
Why did you choose to play bass guitar?
I wasn’t able to play the guitar because a guitar has 6-strings. It was tough work for me as a beginner to press more strings with one finger. While with a bass you only have to press one-string to pour out a cool sound, so I started a bass guitar. (laugh)
Why do you think someone should listen to “RAYJI”, what’s your unique point?
First of all, I think that what I create is very different from the Japanese music style. Japanese music structure typically has the verse, bridge, and it can be more exciting on the chorus. I don’t say that it’s good or not, but I often don’t have a bridge inside my songs. When my song has it inside it just happens naturally.
My chord progressions are unique and I never have typical popy chords. I literally don’t want to create typical popular songs. (smile) I do arrange all my music by myself and it takes more time to create a good song, but all the songs I create are fully created with my own ideas.
However, the most unique point is that you can enjoy my performance to watch me singing and playing the bass. It’s unique, because there is (almost) nobody who sings and slaps the bass. Also I created a unique different bass sound which nobody plays, so please check it out! (smile)
You said; “My music style has a different appeal than J-music“. Could you please explain that?
Japanese only feel really comfortable listening to typical Japanese music which is easy to remember, but my music isn’t like that. “My music is totally different from other music you know, you have never heard something like this before”. Therefore, because it’s so different, it takes much longer until it’s loved by a lot of people.
After disbanding of ViV, why did you decide to continue as a solo artist? Why didn’t you join a new band?
I didn’t really feel like forming a new band after my band broke up. However, if I encounter some good people now, I might start a new band, but right now I’ve no reason to search for other members. I really like to do stuff my way, so it would be difficult to work with someone else. If I take something seriously, I will take it all, actually I thought that I didn’t had the right environment to be able to suppress my power, but I’ve heard a famous quote “If you don’t meet the people with the same ambitions, you can start walking alone rather than forcibly following someone“. The quote fits me also because until now I didn’t meet that person yet who also really wishes to spread my music around the world from scratch together with me .
When I started I was a bassist who has never sung ever before, the reason why I decided to sing too is when I went to NEW YORK in April 2018 while I was playing my show the audience were shouting “Make some noise!”. The moment I started to “sing” the audience went crazy, which impressed me and gave me the feeling I could sing too! It also showed me, even if I’m not the world’s best singer, that if the chemistry with my bass is perfect that people still love it!
It’s maybe over-self-conscious, but somehow I feel lucky to not have met a vocalist, still I have gone beyond myself every time again. I should do my best as a singer and bassist, my singing skills grow slowly, I’m getting better, so please watch out for me! Please look forward to RAYJI’s songs in the future!
How would you describe your own appearance style? Do you still describe your appearance as visual?
To be honest, it’s so hard for me to decide my appearance. (smile) Because I used to be a visual kei artist, people who like Visual Kei also do know me. I still do appreciate them knowing me and loving me.
However since I started solo, my own style and also activity are separated from the visual kei world. It’s not that I don’t like visual kei at all, but I think visual kei is more a “Japan” thing and feels not “popular” enough overseas. So when I started my solo career overseas it was a challenge for me to show myself without make-up.(smile) Also it was a huge pressure to act all by myself, also I thought if I would expose myself by not wearing makeup that it would make myself stronger.
But in the end I started to wear make-up again, everything that I’ve released since October 2020 you can see me wearing makeup. After wearing make-up again and having long(er) hair again, I thought “RAYJI you look HOT!“, so I decided to go on with this style again. But hey it’s still hard to say which category I fit in. I am “RAYJI“, I don’t see myself as Visual Kei, because my music style isn’t visual at all. I don’t think that I fit in any group because no-one ever looked and felt like mine.
Currently we live in the world of Corona. Is there something you have learned in these difficult times?
This brought me to see the reality which I hadn’t taken seriously and something that I had put off. We need to change our mind to have such an easy way to just follow someone else without our own ideas. We should deal with any situations in our own thoughts, have our own mission and vision. I’ve started doing it now. Our life in the world will be polarised more in every situation just like the sky in between cloudy and sunny. And nothing to change if you expect someone else would back you up. I can change the world, that’s what I’ve been recognizing.
Has Corona had any positive impact on your life? For example, getting a more close friendship with your fans?
When CORONA just happened I started to stream my lives, a bit more earlier than any other band streamed their lives. This was because I already had plans to stream my live shows so I already had prepared a lot of things, I only needed to set up a few more things at home. Even if CORONA is awful I’m glad that it happened, because of it I am able to deliver my music to the world. If I would have streamed my lives before CORONA, only a few people would have supported me, because it wouldn’t be accepted that much, fans (but also musicians) would prefer real lives, but now many of my fans and new people saw my live streaming so far, which makes me very happy!
I’m really glad that my live shows are accepted so positively. Also I don’t feel satisfied enough about it, because I should always come with new ideas and I should be able to handle any situation. I really think that live streaming is a great thing, but the damage which happened to the music industry was so huge! Anyway I will do my best to stand firmly and give anything that I’ve got inside of me.
I really appreciate my fans who buy my live tickets and goods to support me, without them I wouldn’t be able to keep going! I’m really grateful to those who supported my live streams, because thanks to them I could do it. If you keep following me I can move forward, still it’s not about money, I’m glad with any kind of support, because it motivates me to continue! Because I do have fans, I can’t just stop!
“Rocked Out Quarantine“, how was the response of your fans? Did they appreciate that they could watch your show via live stream?
They enjoyed it because they were happy to be able to see my streaming live show in the crazy times. Especially some fans who are out of town were happy to watch my show online.
How do you feel about live streams? Do you enjoy it?
Yeah! It was so much fun! I totally enjoyed it! (smile)
It was really enjoyable to remodel my home and to buy various stuff to make it happen such as; lights, projector, smoke, etc. While performing the live show I activate the smoke with a button with my foot. (laugh) I also have updated my PC to do more crazy things, also I was able to improve my music skills a lot, which is great!
Those who watch my live streams know that I’ve changed a lot since I started to stream my live shows. I was able to work on my music more seriously than before because it wasn’t easy to stream my shows. As I mentioned earlier it wouldn’t be enough just to do the live streaming, so I will temporarily stop the streams. When this interview is published I already started with some new stuff, so please support me with that too!
What’s the biggest challenge of being a musician?
It’s just to keep going, don’t keep fluttering, just keep working hard and having some goal, that’s what I believe.
In 2020 many musicians gave up. My close friends who supported me also gave up, which is a pity. The music industry in Japan faces a hard time, but I won’t give up, I will keep going on. There are surely many more obstacles within the upcoming 10 years, but I hope that you and I can say after such a long time “you did do a great job“.
It wouldn’t be easy to keep going in this music world, things and people will change their shapes during the times, I hope that I can continue because I wanna keep going to create music.
In 2018 you released the single “Face The Music” with rapper SHAD AD. How did you know him? Also will you work with him again in the future?
It’s a good song, isn’t? (smile) The lyrics are pretty intense, but it really feels amazing to perform it on stage.
I’ve met SHAD at a bar in Shibuya where he was rapping. I talked a bit with him afterwards with my bad English, but it was so exciting! It was fun to talk with him! Also, meeting him was faithful to me and in the meanwhile he taught me a lot, such as how to write lyrics; “What do you want to convey? it’s very important to know.” He told me 3 HIP-HOP policies; “Don’t lie, be honest, don’t be a dick”
I really wanna work with him again, but SHAD Is very busy and I am also busy with my own solo activity, but if it’s possible again I wanna do it with him, because he has good music ideas, intelligence, and is respectable. Well, if time comes, we will play music together as a duo again!!
In 2018 you went to NEW YORK, for what purpose did you go there? And how was the trip?
It was the first time for me to go abroad. I was supposed to go to England but after some talk with a friend I agreed that I should go to NEW YORK first, so I changed the idea to NEW YORK. Doesn’t it sound sloppy?! (lol) But well it’s my sixth sense. (lol)
Back then, I hadn’t found my own music style yet, so maybe it was good to go on a journey to find myself. I felt like being a rockstar and I was confident to be a successful bassist!
I talked a bit with SATO about it, he is also a close bassist to me and he told me this; “Some musicians have the vibe, some just don’t have it”.
When I was in NEW YORK they invited me to JapanFes. There was a contest with all invited acts and I got 2nd place. But I won’t join it in the future anymore, I didn’t really enjoy it.
But I really enjoyed playing at various cafes and bars in NEW YORK. After all, I made 40 new friends in just two weeks, while starting with 0 friends in NEW YORK. It’s amazing to make friends at a moment just playing the bass guitar.
I wanna be a bassist who nobody saw before, it’s not about being the best, but just wanna be noticed and liked by the people next to me and to meet wonderful new friends this way.
In October 2019 you went to Singapore. How did you get invited? And how was it to be able to play overseas?
In October 2019, I visited Singapore for the first time. I used to have Singaporean fans come to watch ViV in Japan. I always told them I would come to Singapore but it didn’t happen due to the band disbandment…. But it’s a promise to keep, right?! Of course, it’s a promise which I couldn’t keep up back then, but I’ve made it true!
Well, I visited Singapore all by myself and I didn’t know where to go. (laugh) I didn’t have any connections, so I had to start from zero! So when I arrived in Singapore, I visited bars all over and asked if I could play. Everybody was so kind to me.
Well actually I met WATARU SUZUKI by chance, he took the same flight back to Singapore, so I already talked to him a bit on the way to Singapore and he told me that he would introduce me to MIRAGE. So after all I contacted him again and he helped me to perform and introduced me to various people. Thanks to him I’ve made so many friends in Singapore and coulded perform at various places etc. Wataru really helped me so much and now he is still one of my best friends in my life.
Many fans of mine in Singapore looked forward to seeing me again, that made me happy and impressed. (even made me cry, lol) I visited Singapore in March 2020 again, but since corona just hit it was hard to play any show, but I hold one in secret.
This all probably brought me to evolve in music. Now I have one of my friends who is an organizer in Singapore, can’t wait to visit there again soon and to see all my fans there!
You do wish to be famous all over the world right? So which countries would you love to go for a world tour?
Yes I really wish to be. That’s also a reason why my lyrics are in English. At the beginning there were various obstacles but I guess I’m so much better now.
There are various countries I wanna go to too. (smile)
I haven’t been to New York for two years, so of course I wanna go there and of course to Singapore too! The list of countries I wanna go to is endless, I wanna go anywhere. Even if I cannot plug in my amp because I’m not only a bassist, but I’m also a singer.
Organizers from all over the world. I’m looking forward to working with you! (laugh) If you let me play the bass, I’ll be sure to give a super exciting show!♪
Who is the musician you admire the most?
It’s Michael Jackson. I like his enthusiasm. He isn’t around us anymore, but I don’t think that there will be anyone who can surpass him in the future at all. I started to like his music from his ballads, but his music is too good to be described in words. His live shows were extraordinarily long which does teach me a lot to hold a good (long) show.
Why did you decide to sing most of your songs in English?
Of course, a reason is because I’m not only performing in Japan but also overseas. Also my experience of playing in New York is a reason.
Also, isn’t it difficult to sing in Japanese also? (lol) I guess it’s because the sounds in the Japanese language are so “crispy”. Beside that the lyrics of my songs are quite dark. I guess you could say that my lyrics are (very) heavy (for Japanese people). Very heavy and deeply. Well it also feels it would be better for people in Japan to listen to my lyrics in English rather than having my deep heavy words delivered directly in their faces.
How do you get your inspiration for making new music?
Just looking at the sky, I guess. If you just sit outside and look at the sky while feeling the wind, you can see many things. In that sense, it’s “nature“. There are times when a leaf speaks to me, and there is always life out of there and sometimes I go to the zoo. (laughs)
Please tell me the process of writing and composing a new song.
In my case, I start by writing music. I also start writing lyrics first sometimes. But I don’t always have a good “tune” for what I’ve written.
I compose in many different ways. Sometimes I start from the bass, sometimes from a phrase, sometimes from humming. Sometimes I just play around with the synthesizer and give shape to the sounds I encounter.
I probably compose most often in my dreams and give shape to it when I wake up. lol
What is your inspiration for writing lyrics?
First of all decide on the words. For example “I’m walking in the wind“. We keep On Walking is a song with words that came to my mind when I was walking on the streets in Hokkaido, that day it was windy.
My lyrics are mostly real, so I write everything I’m thinking straight away on paper.
I don’t think I could have sung it otherwise. What I think/feel is REAL now, and because I thought/felt it, it’s the reason why it’s important to put it into words. It’s my reason to put in the spotlight.
My new song “A White Room“, which I still only performed via streaming, contains a line that says “I was singing in front of a corpse without shedding a tear“, it’s the truth. My grandmother passed away in May 2020, the same month I started live streaming and I was streaming the live show in the room where her body was.
I’m the only one who can do so, so I can sympathize! Well I still have a long way to go. (laugh)
What’s your favorite place to write a new song?
I don’t really have a favorite place to write a new song, but it happens often that I hear a sound coming from the outside. Of course, I have to keep my body and consciousness alert to the sounds coming in. In the end, I am at home most of the time, but the most interesting moment is when I open the bathroom door. LOL! People don’t think about anything when they open the door to the bathroom, do they? It’s the only time when you are not bound by your own consciousness. I believe that the sounds that come in at that moment are original and limitless.
Songs come to me even when I’m in the shower, but this is more like choosing from my own drawers.
Also. I write songs even in my dreams. Laughs
I think it’s the same for everyone, but in my case, I remember the content when I wake up. So if I write a song in a dream, I wake up and record it. There are times when I do that.
As for lyrics, I go to museums and zoos, and just hang around and write.
Why do you continue to play the bass and what appealed to you to develop the techniques?
I use my bass to make sounds that don’t sound like bass pounds at all. I believe that the bass as an instrument must continue to change, just as a 5-string bass has changed over the years. That’s how it feels for me.
We have to keep playing what is good and we should keep showing amazing things also we should create a new world of sounds. And that’s what I’m trying to do here.
And maybe it will do another collaboration with SHAD AD! So please look forward to it.
What is the most valuable event in your musical career so far?
For me, the present is always a precious moment, but the catalyst that changed my music and my life was the “Around Japan in 47 Prefectures with a Single Bass” that I did in 2015. I don’t like to dwell too much on the past, but I think it was definitely a turning point for me. I don’t want to do it again, though. LOL
Please tell me about the bass sound / technique.
I’ve tuned my bass differently from the standard, I’ve changed my thinner side into F D A D. “Who decided what’s standard?” is a rebellious thought!
I also use a capo, I cannot play my songs without it.
There are various ways of slapping the strings, and so-called “loose technique” style is naturally played.
I have various ways to slap my bass, and I put general skills into mine easily. I can show my own skills that you’ve never seen. For that reason my bass is customized to have room for my own techniques and styles.
The thing is, “it’s music” the point is “I sing and play the bass“. It’s easy to play the bass, I can do it, you can do it, still it’s difficult to sing and play the bass.
Please write liner notes about the lyrics of “You Do You and TATTOO”.
・You Do You
The title of this song “You Do You” was given to me by my dear friend Steve when I went to Singapore.
“You live your life” like “Go your own way!” Isn’t that kind of cool said? (smile)
The MV was shared on youtube in October 2020, but I released the song in March 2020. Due to Corona I couldn’t shoot the MV earlier, which is a pity but, there are also some good points about it, because I could re-record the song and update it into a better version.
I also added some words in the middle of the lyric.
“I’ll never let you down so. I’ll always be here for you. I’ll give you everything. I’ll give you my all. It’s all up to you, your wish will come true. Words from my mate Steve for you. Just you do you.”
It’s up to you to make your wish come true.
I’ll give you the words Steve gave me.
“You have to be yourself“. That’s what he says
You know, that I’m real guy, right? I’m not fake.
Anyway do you know the most important part of this song? It’s the solo section in the interlude. Let me explain… In Singapore we were shooting a video at a place called Marina Bay Sands, on the shoot day we decided to meet early in the morning. We decided to meet early that day, maybe 7:00 in the morning. Marina Bay Sands is usually full of tourists, but there was no one there, so I watched the sunrise. I was alone, in a foreign country. The feeling of that time I include inside the interlude part. It’s feels beautiful and grand, yet somehow lonely, yet powerful. It’s not lonely, but solitary.
The lyrics of the song are also quite powerful.
The bass riff, well, this riff is really hard to play, lol. I still find it hard to play well, and I almost make mistakes when I play it live. It would be too long to talk about the bass, but if I were to make it short, I would say, “This song has no guitar sound, this song is made up of only bass, drums, and singing”. BOOOM! Right? I want you to be surprised.
・TATTOO
This song I only played live and hasn’t become a released song yet. But it’s a very popular song. (smile) It’s a ballad song and at my live shows I’m just singing instead of playing my bass also. But hey I am a bassist. (laugh) But I don’t mind it because RAYJI is included in this song even if I don’t play the bass.
The first part of the lyrics says; “A man huddled on the side of the road, many people passed by, pretending not to see him. The man puts on a hoodie and starts walking. The man hides his TATTOO that contains his strong will and thoughts and then he disappears among the people walking aimlessly.
Of course, this is about me. I still have those moments now and then. (laugh)
It’s like, “This is what was written on the TATTOO“, and from that point on, it’s from a third person’s perspective; “What we lack is the power to love people. We sometimes quarrel, but we just wanted to protect the things and people that are important to us. We are always chased by time and can only see what is in front of us.”
This is a story about the power of love contained in a TATTOO.
From that point on, it’s all about me again. I’ve been through a lot in my life. I was playing the bass guitar at that time too. This is the first time I’ve ever said this kind of feeling to someone in writing. I’ve never said this to anyone in writing before, but it’s probably still with me to this day, and it’s the reason I’m not flirtatious with girls. Lol
Grumbling; “If you were still here, I wonder what you would say to me? I don’t know how to live my life“.
Then it leads to the chorus, but after the chorus, there is a section where it calms down. It’s the sound of the rain coming up, if you know what I mean. The rain has stopped. Let’s not look down anymore. In the live performance, I take off my hoodie at this point. I show my own TATTOO. My strong will and thoughts come back again.
And from here on, this is the section I added after the world of Corona.
“We need you. It’s you. So let’s live strong together. The rain has already stopped. I’m not afraid of anything. I’m not afraid of anything, because we’re not alone” If Corona wouldn’t exist, I don’t think I would have added this part..
I hope the world will come to a point where people don’t hurt each other and people care more about each other. And if there are people who are hurt, I hope this song will help them to understand that “You are not alone” but that there are always people who do care for you.
If you’re interested in this song, please check out my 2nd anniversary live performance on YOUTUBE! It’s a really good song.
Could you please write a story about each music video?
* You Do You
I talked about this song in the previous question, but this MV was shot at the live venue I was planning a tour, however due CORONA I couldn’t hold the tour, also at that time I didn’t shoot a MV to the song yet so I thought “Let’s shoot it here“. For this song I sing while I’m slapping my bass.
* No One…
The MV for this song is a mixture of video footage which were taken in Singapore. The cameraman “Darren”, who I met in Singapore, took the videos. I’m very close to him. This song has evolved and has an amazing vibe feeling when I play it, so please watch me playing it. I’m singing while slapping my bass!
* I’m All Set
We shot the MV for this song in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. It was during the rainy season, but don’t worry! The day of the shoot was sunny, and there was no rain all day!
I hope you’ll be aware that it’s a dance number to dance on. This was the first song I sang while slapping the bass. I talked to SHAD about wanting to try rapping, and he helped to write me this song.
* Tell me the way to get to your heart/RAYJI feat. Mirage
This song is an R&B track, so it’s not typical music which Japanese people are used to. But it’s a great song!
It’s a collaboration with Mirage, and she has a really nice voice, right? I met her through this song, and now she’s my English teacher. LOL!
A lot of my songs are slaps, but the bass solo in this song is jazzy. I’m also a jazz musician, so I’m good at this kind of solo. I remember learning how to solo on the saxophone because not many bass players can do this. Lol
* We Keep on walking
For the MV of this song, I remember how hard it was to walk through the sand dunes and how I got a seawater shower on my head. I also have strong memories of the director being hospitalized after the shooting.(smile) Of course, he’s doing fine now!
Oh yeah, the white doves in the MV. We shot that scene in Hawaii. The lyrics say, “A white bird has come,” and I was wondering if it would come, and it did. LOL That’s why I shot it with my smartphone.
I’m often asked about the scene where I pick up the bass before the rust. This is the only time I’m dressed differently in the MV. It is the clothes which I also wear in the MV of “NOT A SLAVE“.
Even if I stop someday, someone will pick up my sound and the sound will continue to be connected. Someone who fights now, like me when that person released NOT A SLAVE, when I was struggling and struggling, will pick it up. It has the meaning of that. There is a scene where a woman is holding a baby, but it does connect with this. Life goes on. The sound continues. As if the wind were passing by.
* Face The Music / RAYJI feat. SHAD AD
The lyrics of this song are pretty much what I want to say, but a lot of it is to myself. I’m saying to myself, “Don’t let me down” There’s a scene where the two RAYJIs are facing each other, to my past troubled self, my present self is telling it to me from the future.
SHAD’s rap was really cool. Up until then, when I was filming, all I thought about was how to look cool or how to look good. But then SHAD taught me that music is fun. Music is fun. It’s so simple, but it’s the first time I’ve met someone who can do it. At the end of the MV there’s a scene where I’m dancing with SHAD, but it’s more of an improvisation. The smiles you can see in the middle of the song are real ones. It was really fun. I still think it’s great to have friends who can teach you important things like that.
* Euclid Av
This MV was also very interesting to create. (smile) You know the flames are real flames. You saw the flames circle around me at my solo scene, right? It was really hot, I almost couldn’t breathe.
I thought my eyes were going to melt when I saw the reflection in the flames.(laugh) But well men like to play with fire! (laugh). I don’t know what it is, but it really got me excited.
Oh, yeah, about the bass. The riffs in this song are really cool, aren’t they?
When I went to New York, I only had my bass and I still poured out an amazing cool BOOOOOM sound! with just one bass.
This song, Euclid Av, contains riffs from a song I was playing over there.
The title comes from my homestay on Euclid Avenue, in New York.
The lyrics of this song have changed and now it’s easier to understand, and you can listen to more crazy bass solos (at live shows).
* NOT A SLAVE
This was my first MV since I went solo.
Well, I thought it was hard to be alone. (laugh) It’s nice that I am in the spotlight all the time, but it’s hard to keep it up all alone. But I didn’t want to be supported by a backing band at all. (laugh) I didn’t want to make it too easy for me. (laugh)
This song has become so powerful at my live shows, that it has received a total new vibe, But if I would look back to the beginning I would say; “You’ve started well!! Good Job!”.
Would you please write a comment to “RAYJI Digital Concert LIVE ‘2nd Anniversary of my solo debut‘?
Please check out the music of RAYJI, who has evolved overwhelmingly in his two years of activity.
Please watch my concert by all means! (smile). It’s a really important performance to me, so please watch it by all means! August 1st, 2020, was the day that I made steady progress for two years and corona didn’t stop me.
What makes you smile?
It’s a little different from the question, but I really feel happy when I am cleaning my ears. (smile) At such times I really feel happy and makes me smile much more than any other time.
What are you doing in your freetime? Do you have any special hobbies?
Lately, I’ve been playing music all day. If I’m not busy all day, I play video games all day.
Oh and while this interview has been made ready to be published I started a youtube GAME channel. I don’t want to turn it into a fulltime job because it’s just something relaxing I can do at home, but I hope that while I am streaming games online that I can connect with people and also to share my own music to those who are watching! (smile)
Please follow me. (smile) The channel is named 「ドラちゃんズ」 and my twitter name is 「@DorachanS_GAME」
Do you like traveling? Is there a place you want to go for your vacation?
Of course I love to travel. I usually go somewhere with my bass, but I also would like to travel without my bass and visit some place. I would like to go anywhere in the world. Also I would like to go all over Japan without taking my bass with me, but that may be a long time coming.
What is your favorite local food in Japan?
I love many kinds of local food! Natto and Umeboshi are indispensable for unique foods in Japan! (laugh) Also Sake is cheaper in Japan. (laugh). It’s much cheaper here than juice. I want people overseas to know that Sake, Natto and Umeboshi are the best foods of Japan! (laugh)
Of course I also like Sashimi, regarding Sashimi, it’s better to go to the towns near the sea than to eat it in the center of Tokyo. But if you drop me a message I will recommend a few restaurants in Tokyo (laugh). Welcome!
Is it important to stay in touch with your fans? What do you do to “stay in touch”?
Of course, the connection with my fans is very important! I’m not exchanging messages with my fans right now, but sometimes I get a message on Instagram. Well I’m also doing overseas activities about twice a year. Also the culture is totally different from overseas, it’s a different way of thinking. In Japan it’s basically NG to contact your fans directly, but overseas it seems to be okay, but I won’t do it. So well, I’m not recognized by any overseas person, lol. Also it’s very difficult to work in two cultures/countries the same time. I also feel worried about various things.
For example; at my live shows, I say that it’s okay to take photos/videos with your smartphone, it’s natural overseas isn’t it? (smile)…
But in Japan, it’s almost always prohibited. But since it’s casual overseas, I do allow it in Japan. Still, people wouldn’t understand why you would visit a gig if you would film all the time.(laugh) But if you would just do it for a minute, I guess it’s totally fine.
So if you send me a message to my Instagram, I’ll reply to you when I have the time. I’m waiting for you to follow me and to write me a message. (smile)
What’s your ultimate goal?
I don’t know if it’s the ultimate, but one of my biggest goals is to win a Grammy for the best bassist player (I’ll get it eventually).
So now I value any progress that I make. Wherever I go, with whoever I talk, it’s all important for my growth. Of course it’s not an easy path. It’s a very steep hill and I may never get there, but I’m going to get there no matter what. That’s why I want to take everything easy and not with a rush.
I’m not looking forward to reaching my goal, I’m looking forward to seeing where I’ll be when I reach it.
A live performance is planned for February 20, 2021 to celebrate RAYJI’s birthday. What can fans expect if a birthday live is held? Also, how big is the venue considered?
To be honest, I don’t know if I will be able to make it, since Corona is spreading in Japan right now. But if it is possible, I hope you will look forward to it because it will be my first live performance in exactly one year, and more than anything, I want you to feel the RAYJI that I have been working on for a year.
I tried to keep the size of the event small, but due to the Corona disaster, it’s hard for fans to come from outside of Tokyo. I am truly looking forward to seeing you all there.
I am good at advertising, right? Laugh
**He didn’t perform in front of “fans” for such a long time anymore due corona.
We came to the end, please give your final message to your fans.
First of all, a big thanks to Ryu for giving me this interview opportunity, even though she’s a foreigner she is good at Japanese and I respect that. [note; Kenshin (JRNR staff) helps always with fixing my Japanese-text (smile)]
I do study English myself, so I will keep giving my best too!
Anyway talking about my future gave me strength and helped me to reaffirm my will. Thank you very much.
Also thank you to all my fans and readers for reading this long interview until the end. It was long right?! (I didn’t write that for a long time) I guess this is also very rare content, about lots I talked about the first time and I don’t even talk so much in my daily life.
And although it is not a promise, I have made some promises that are similar to big wishes to all of you.
I often say “If we can meet again, we meet again.” So I am looking forward to meeting you somewhere again, and let’s meet again somewhere after that again. Wherever you are, I’ll take my bass and go to meet you someday. So please wait for me!
I’ll go and meet you guys someday, no matter where you are. Wait for me.
Thank you for staying with me for such a long time! Please look forward to my future RAYJI! Thank you very much
From RAYJI
Thanks again for this wonderful interview!! Please keep on rocking!