Noritake Kinashi freely talks about G-SHOCK and related et cetera.
We visited Mr. Noritake Kinashi of "Tunnels" fame, who has been a fan of G-SHOCK for some time, at his atelier in Azabu Juban to ask him why he is so attracted to the brand. From his first encounter with G-SHOCK, to his collection of rare models, to his special orders for the Kinashi Cycle, there is no end to our conversation. The interview, in which Mr. Kinashi's love of G-Shock exploded, escalated as time went on. Finally, he even proposed a project! G-SHOCK" and related etcetera. Please enjoy Kinashi's unique and unique views on "G-SHOCK" and its related topics.
I usually wear all G-Shocks, like the guy who is always around. .
G-SHOCK, which Ms. Kinashi also uses on a regular basis, celebrates its 35th anniversary this year since its birth in 1983.
I think it's been about 35 years since we "Tunnels" were formed. Am I wrong? We started "Takaaki & Noritake" in 1980, so 38 years. Then we became "Tunnels" in 1981, I think.
That would mean that Mr. Kinashi and G-Shock are of the same generation.
Yes, that's right. In my generation, Fumiya Fujii is celebrating his 35th anniversary this year and is currently on tour. I guess we all become friends with people around the same age. Yes, along with "G-Shock" (laughs).
. . he was with the G-Shock, he said (laughs).
I was walking through time, you know. In the 90s, I would go to Akihabara and get models of "Irkutji," "Manta," and the like. . I remember that all of my friends at the TV station around me were into that kind of thing. We would exchange information with each other about rare models, such as, "I heard there are two rare models at that store over there.
The 1990s were truly a time when the "G-Shock" was a major movement.
. I was in the era of "G-Shock" and other figurines. Toy Story, Spawn, and Star Wars. My studio was full of G-Shocks and toys. I bought toys to open and to look at. I collected a lot of toys. Then, after a while, I grew up and said, "What am I doing with all these toys?
You have a collector's temperament.
. I must have had over a hundred "G-Shocks" alone. If I had two of the same rare model, I would look for someone who had a different rare model and exchange them. I used to have exchange meetings with the guys around me. Yes, I used to line up first thing in the morning at a store in Harajuku that was said to have rare models and buy them. I have always been the type of person who needs to collect everything. It's not that I want to put them all in a row or anything, but the sense of ownership that I get from having them all fills me up.
There were many limited edition models, and "G-Shock" was fun to collect.
Wasn't the one I bought back then still in the back of the "Kinashi Cycle"? . I guess they all got plucked out of the box. At that time, rare models were priced so high that the price went up from 10,000 to 50,000, 70,000, and so on. I wasn't interested in such things at all, but when I heard that the value was going up, I wanted to hide it. I often say to people around me, "I have 4 (pieces) right now, what should I do with them? Then I would say, "Well, I'll give them to you," or "I'll exchange them.
What was it about G-SHOCK that got Mr. Kinashi so hooked on it in the first place , and how did it all begin?
When I went to New York and Los Angeles for the filming of a TV show called "Sei-Dara," the hip-hop artists I met there were all wearing G-Shocks. I was like, "What the hell is that watch? I thought, "What is that watch? I was in the U.S. before Japan. That's when it all started.
. the influence of hip-hop culture.
We were into the combination of G-Shocks, Adidas jerseys, and Kangol hats at the time. We were constantly in touch with the fashion and culture of the area. Oh yeah, and we also used to wear "Double R.L." a lot.
Is there a model that you particularly like or remember?
To be honest, I don't have a particular model in mind (laughs). . I simply like "G-Shock. I also have several luxury brand watches, but we played rock-paper-scissors on the show (laughs). But I still end up with a G-Shock, perhaps because I still have some vestiges of the encounters I had back then. They don't break, they can go into the ocean, and no matter how roughly I treat them, they stay close to me. . And because they don't break, they don't need that much repair and maintenance.
It's a very typical episode for Mr. Kinashi.
I was old, and many people around me were going for luxury watches, but I was not going to be swayed or influenced by them. I said to myself, "I'll just stick with G-Shock. I used to recommend "G-Shock" to everyone. It's still my favorite saying (laughs).
How do you wear your "G-SHOCK" nowadays?
. For example, when I go to Hawaii, I might want to wear a white "G-SHOCK". . or match it with the color of my sneakers , or my hat. . When I wear it with shorts and a T-shirt, those three things become a set menu. . Even if you don't wear it on your wrist, it would be cute to hang it on your bag. G-SHOCK watches come in a wide variety of styles, so they can be worn in a variety of situations. At the beach, in the mountains, camping, etc. .
Mr. Kinashi seems to be an active golfer, soccer player, and surfer . G-SHOCK" is likely to come in handy in such situations.
. I mean, this is all of them. I almost always wear a G-Shock. Even if I'm wearing a suit and tie, I'll wear a G-Shock and sneakers to break it up. And then there is the hat. I feel like I'm always around these guys.
You have also made special orders for Kinashi Cycle in the past, haven't you?
I have been playing with them for a number of years. I think we have done this five times so far. We made quite a few, but the first model sold out in the first day or two. The people at Casio were surprised to hear that. Thanks to that, we have received a good reputation.
The special order models are black and white , all solid designs. What is the aim?
The most important thing is that it is easy for me to wear. The models are based on simple models. There are square models, round models, and most recently, a model with hands. They are all standard models. I have alternated between black and white models, and I intentionally made the black dials harder to read (laughs). (Laughs.) I put them all together with a black base. The white one is for when I go to Hawaii (laughs).
This is out of curiosity, but if the artist Noritake Kinashi were to design a "G-Shock" instead of a "Kinashi Cycle", what would you create?
Yes, that's right. I have a hand motif called "REACH OUT" that I have been drawing for many years, and I paint it on a G-SHOCK that I use as a canvas. I would write on everything from the plastic case to the belt and dial, using white on black and black on white. So far, "REACH OUT" has made hats, bags, and even a soccer ball for the current exhibition, but I think the "G-SHOCK" would go well with it. I think it would be really interesting to see this motif on the entire surface of a G-Shock. What do you think, Casio? (Laughs)
I'd love to have G-Shock participate in the "Kinashi no Kai." . I'd love to have G-SHOCK participate in the event. I want to have fun together! I want to play!
Come to think of it, I remember that Mr. Kinashi started his art career in the early 90's, just as he was getting into "G-Shock". It was a project for "Ikudara," as I recall.
Yes, the River Seine in "Ikudara". But I actually started doing art a little before that. I started doing art with my wife, Narumi. We carved the table we always use with a carving knife, collected broken glass shards and laid them on the table, embedded resin in them, and made chairs, I think. That was the beginning of my art. That was the first time I started doing art. Or, we had banquets every day (laughs). (Laughs) But now I am so tired when I work that my body can't take it anymore....
I hear that the cycle of life has changed a lot recently.
Lately, well, I have been doing what I want to do since the moment "Minasan" ended after 30 years, but I am being chased and attacked by radio and GYAO every day (laughs). (Laughs.) I started a radio show called "KINASHI NO KAI. It's the first time for me to do a regular radio show by myself, and it's a live broadcast. I'm doing it with my young brothers, and it's fun to work with them. I am doing it at my own pace.
." is well received, isn't it? Many people around me are listening to it.
. yes, I'll make sure to mention today to the viewers in the next broadcast. "Casio gave us 35 G-Shocks!" (laughs). (Laughs.) I'll tell them that there's going to be a big event in Shibuya, and I'll make sure to advertise the G-Shock!
I appreciate that!
Thanks to your support, "KINASHI NO KAI. I was thinking of holding the next "KINASHI NO KAI" event at the Akasaka Blitz. I'm thinking of holding the next "KINASHI NO KAI" event at the Akasaka Blitz. It will be like a festival, and we will hold a festival all day long. I'm still working on the details, but we'll have my friend's udon shop, my favorite bakery in Juban (Azabu), and of course yakisoba and takoyaki on standby. And of course we had yakisoba and takoyaki on standby, as well as a hat shop, a bag shop, and a Buddhist altar shop. It was a complete mess (laughs). (Laughs.) Then we will invite musicians we know and have a lot of fun, and it will definitely be a great event. I would love to have G-Shock participate in the event.
That sounds interesting, it will be a unique event (laughs). Speaking of events, "G-SHOCK" used to have a target pitching game, Struck Out, where instead of a ball, a "G-SHOCK" was thrown.
That's amazing (laughs). That's what I thought of G-SHOCK! It's certainly durable and won't break even if you throw it. Let's do the same thing at Akasaka Blitz! How about lining up G-Shocks on the shelves instead of targets, and if you throw the G-Shock you bought and drop it, you get another one?
. a "G-Shock" projectile.
Then, the G-Shock that I threw hits the merchandise and falls off, but not if mine is left on the shelf. If it works, you can ring a bell (laughs). . Or, it would be fun to make the "G-SHOCK" look like a hoop by fastening it to the belt of a watch, and then throw it in a ring. The title is "G-SHOCK Ring Toss! It would be a fun way to show the strength of the G-SHOCK. I think it would be a good idea. I guess it's not a good idea.
I'm getting all kinds of ideas (laughs).
And let's do it on the main stage, not at a food stall or something. We can do it next to the musicians singing (laughs). That would be great! It wouldn't be fun to do something normal, so I'd like to do something silly like this.
It's getting kind of grandiose (laughs) . . It would be interesting to see it come to fruition. Leaving that fun for the future, I would like to close with a congratulatory comment to G-SHOCK, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary.
Yes, first of all, congratulations. . the best part is that "G-SHOCK" continues to evolve with its own style, unchanged for 30 years. I hope that "G-SHOCK" will continue to be "G-SHOCK" for a long time to come. For me, too, I'm sure I'll be associated with "G-SHOCK" for a long time to come, so please keep up the good work. Something like that?
Noritake Kinashi
Born in Tokyo , 1962. Started working as a comedy duo "Tunnels" in 1981. They have produced many legendary programs such as "Tunnels no minasan no okagedeshita", "Tunnels no nama de daradara de ikasete! and "Nerton Kohkeidan", and became charismatically popular, especially among young people. As an individual, he is also a painter and has been showing his works regularly since his first solo exhibition in 1994. He is currently touring Japan with his ninth solo exhibition in Japan, "Noritake Kinashi: Timing - Light of the Moment. www.kinashiten.com