[MAGAZINE] Kawashima Noel (Travis Japan) - Myojo (August 2023) (Part 4)

[dreamweavernyx]

And here's the last part!

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I want us to become a “classic” idol group

Please give some messages to those members, who you’ve placed such great confidence in. First up, Miyachika-kun.

He’s an incredible leader, you know. Despite being our leader, he’s never intervened in our quarrels or conflicts (laughs). When we were living together in America, I realised that that’s a good way of doing things. If I was ever in deep trouble, it’s reassuring to think that if I turned to him, he’d definitely be able to help me out. I’m sure if Chaka (Miyachika) were the leader for another group, the different perspective would surely have prompted him to pick a different leadership style. I think that it’s precisely because we’re Travis Japan, because it’s the 7 of us, that he’s the kind of leader that he is. We don’t really notice it on a day to day basis, but when we’re in a pinch, we do come to realise that he’s actually been supporting us all this time. That’s the kind of leader he is.

Next, (Nakamura) Kaito-kun.

To me, he’s like a brother. I didn’t think that way before we went over to America, but in the course of living together with him, I came to think this way. Well, it’s precisely because we’re like brothers that the difference between the times we get along and the times we don’t is pretty extreme, though (laughs). But our fundamental ideals, like the way in which we approach our work, are similar. That’s why I talk to Kaito the most about things like how we should improve Travis Japan. I reallyyyy like him. He once said to me, at the time when the previous members of the group were leaving one by one: “Noel-kun, you could have pursued any path you wanted, but thank you for staying with the group.” I’ve never forgotten that. At the time, I thought that from where I stood, it was me who should be thanking him. Thanking him, for staying by the side of someone like me - that’s what I felt then, you know.

You weren’t initially on good terms with Shizuya-kun, right?

Shizuya hated me back in the day, you know. The reason for his hatred was pretty clear. In order to be able to devote myself to my work as quickly as I could, there was a period where I was furiously clearing the necessary credits for graduating university. Because of that, I’d show up at the rehearsal venue 1-2 hours late. At that time, I was of the firm belief that the things I was learning in school would definitely be helpful to the group someday, but I hadn’t shared that belief with the other members. To someone like Shizuya, who puts the group first, it probably looked like I wasn’t taking the group seriously. So it was pretty much a given that he’d hate me. I was pretty prickly back then, too, and obstinately believed that if someone disliked me I wasn’t obliged to convince them to like me. I regret that. If we’d only sat down and properly talked things out, all of this could have been avoided. Even now, there are times when things I’m determined about don’t turn out the way I intended, and I end up being hard on myself for it. When I do, Shizuya will reach out and tell me, “for the time being, just smile!”. Shizuya’s been a great help to me many times, that way. I’m glad we’re in the same group. Thank you for everything.

Matsukura-kun.

Machu (Matsukura) is probably really similar to me. He himself has told me before that we’re similar. Up until Machu joined us, I was in charge of composing and writing lyrics, as well as taking charge of the camera, but those responsibilities have now shifted over to Machu. Our hobbies, and the way we grasp culture, are pretty similar. Well, apart from fashion (laughs). Machu’s one of the members with whom I got a lot closer after we stayed together. But Machu tends to sleep in a whole bunch of random places, such as the sofa, rather than in our room. I worried for a whole week, wondering if he hated me or something, but when I finally asked him if I’d done something wrong, he said: “That’s not it. It’s just that I end up falling asleep before I realise it.” (laughs) I guess you could call him lovable; he’s precious that way.

Genta-kun.

I’ve said this over and over again, but he’s the one who broke through my shell. Like I said at the start, I wanted to make myself seem like a flawless idol, so I’d put on countless layers of armour on myself. For example, even though I actually couldn’t eat spicy food at all, I saw even that small thing as something negative, and would pretend to eat (the spicy food). Genta was like, “Noel, you can’t even eat spicy food?! How lameee!”. I was pretty pissed at first (laughs). I was like, why was he trying to peel off my armour? But once I did, it felt a lot easier to breathe. Genta was the one who helped me destroy my stubborn, preconceived notion that an idol absolutely has to be perfect. He’s the one who showed me that people don’t love an idol because he’s perfect.

Finally, Shimekake-kun.

He’s my buddy. We go way back, you know. As far as I can remember, I’ve been with him for my entire Johnny’s life. From 2009, we stood on the same stage for “PLAYZONE”, and from 2010 we were in the same group. Well, we didn’t get along well at the start, though. When it was decided that the two of us would appear on radio together, I thought that in order to ensure the broadcast went well we should get to know each other better, and so the two of us went out to eat together. The more I found out about him, the more I realised that he was entirely different from me (laughs). I guess you could call it some kind of cultural exchange - I couldn’t understand him at all. When we went out for ramen, he’d order chashu ramen with additional chashu topping, but somehow he’d leave the chashu behind. What’s more, the amount he left behind was more than the added chashu (meaning that some of the original chashu portion also got left behind). I didn’t get it at all, and so I couldn’t accept it. But, well, it’s not like he leaves behind the chashu every time - it was just the once. It just so happened that I was with Shime the first time he tried chashu ramen. I guess I shouldn’t dismiss the things that he tries out so easily. After all, I wouldn’t be able to easily come up with the kinds of ideas Shime has. I’ve resolved that the next time, if Shime orders additional toppings for his ramen, I’ll order a smaller bowl, and if he leaves the topping behind I’ll volunteer to eat it on his behalf (laughs).

Just like what Kaito-kun said to you before, Noel-kun, you have many talents and could have pursued any path you desired, and I get the sense that you would have succeeded no matter which path you did pursue. Despite that, you chose to stay with Travis Japan. Having heard all that you’ve said today, I’m starting to see why you made that choice.

I’ve thought about it. Idols are not something that are essential to life. Rather than an essential nutrient such as protein, fat or carbohydrates, being an idol is closer to being like a vitamin or mineral - if you have them, then your life will be enriched. I want to do my best so that Travis Japan will become something like that for everyone. But conversely, being a Johnny’s, being an idol, being part of Travis Japan is something essential to my life, something as necessary as oxygen. And crucial to my being an idol is the presence of these other 6 members. Perhaps right now, my idol-self is still nothing more than a thin layer of superficial gilding. But if I continue to be with the other members, with Travis Japan, I’m of the firm belief that someday I can become a bona fide idol, an irreplaceable presence who can bring smiles and love to people.

Well then, are there any dreams you’d like to achieve from now on, on a personal level?

I’d like to do work related to the dissemination of information, such as being a newscaster or reporter. I’d like to become a bridge that connects someone with someone else, or with something else.

And how about your dreams for the group?

First off, I’d like for Travis Japan to get even bigger and bigger. In the past, I used to think that Travis Japan’s fans and Noe-tans were a little weird. Like, if you were going to support an idol, you should just support a more ‘classic’ idol group. If you were to compare idol groups to products on a shelf, I thought of Travis Japan as one of those non-comforming products that gets placed in a corner on the shelf. I felt gratitude for the fans for picking us up and loving us despite all that. But, it’s thanks to all the people who have come to love us that we were able to fulfill our dream of debuting. That’s why I’d like for us to get bigger and bigger, so that someday we may become what some may dub to be a ‘classic’ idol group. I want to prove to those who picked us up, thinking “oh, this doesn’t look too bad”, that they weren’t wrong about us. We love, more than anything else, the people who love Travis Japan. We’ll keep moving forward, so as to keep creating moments that make people think: “Ah, I love them”. That’s what we can do in order to repay the fans (for all they’ve done for us), and it’s Travis Japan’s dream to do so.