Tamura Hono interview in B.L.T. July 2024 edition

 

It has been about a year and a half since your last performance at Tokyo Dome. Did that period feel long or short to you, Tamura-san?

It felt like exactly the right length, a proper year and a half—not too long or too short. Even though it didn't seem like either to me, hearing the number again made me realize only a year and a half had passed since then.

What changes has Tamura-san felt over this past year and a half?

In a good way, I think we've stayed the same, but the environment around us, like the size of venues and locations has changed a lot. It was surprising in that sense, and especially at first, it felt strange as I wondered why things had changed so drastically.

You have released 4 singles in just a year, but did you notice the reaction growing every time?

Right... However, our approach to the songs and productions, as well as how we connect with Buddies hasn't changed at all. Speaking of which, the Blu-ray for 'Soko Magattara, Sakurazaka?' was released recently, so I've been watching it bit by bit. Looking back at our first single, there were fewer people around, plus it was during the pandemic, so watching it now I can see that we have indeed changed a bit (laughs). The vibe was quieter back then, but I don't mean it in a bad way at allーit was just our natural state at that time. It made me realize that we've become much brighter since then.

You can’t help but notice changes after three and a half years have passed, right? Nevertheless, I think your high motivation has remained the same, but every time a new single comes out, your performances seem to evolve, and with each performance, you showcase new possibilities. As a viewer, I can’t help but wonder what sparked these changes (laughs).

I'm glad you feel that way. Certainly, until the time we released our second single, it was pretty obvious that we didn't have many songs, so it was frustrating. With fewer tracks, it was hard to fully express ourselves and our options were limited. It was also a time when we struggled because people weren't seeing us the way we wanted them to. Thankfully, as we released more singles, we gained more songs, allowing us to show more colors and different sides of the group. I personally think that the biggest reason we can add variety to each performance is because the number of our songs has increased. Moreover, in my eyes, all the other members are just truly amazing and by combining our efforts with the staff has made it possible to present Sakurazaka as it is now.

Even with the same song, Sakurazaka’s performances on music shows and live stages always bring something new. It was great to see Tamura-san center 'Nagaredama' again at the '3rd YEAR ANNIVERSARY LIVE' after a while.

Being the center doesn't change how I approach a song as I perform all of them with the same intensity, but I remember struggling a bit with ‘Nagaredama’ since we had never performed a detailed breakdown of the choreography before. Because it was our first time performing like that, not only me, but the other members also had parts where we were required to move around at an impeccable timing to certain directions. During rehearsals, we realized that we wouldn't be able to make it in time for the movement, so we had to adjust our timing. There were many things I experienced for the first time, so even though it was tough, I learned a lot from knowing that we could also show ‘Nagaredama’ in this way. ZOZO Marine is a large stadium, so it's interesting to be able to show this kind of production and staging that can only be seen here for each song. I hope that this will be an opportunity for more Buddies to come and enjoy our concert.

Right after that, Kobayashi Yui-san's graduation concert was held as a stand-alone concert, and I feel that it highlighted new possibilities for your existing songs.

It's not like everything is already done from the start. We create it together with the dancers through trial and error as we go. During the actual performance, we focus solely on delivering Sakurazaka's songs and its worldview making sure Buddies feel it, so I'm always curious after each performance about how well everyone will receive the finished product. I hope we can continue to betray everyone's expectations in a good way.

The only show left is the additional concert at Tokyo Dome. In March, you did 8 performances across 4 cities as part of the 4th Tour. Since it was right after Kobayashi-san's graduation, did you feel any sense of loss in her absence?

It's really difficult to put into words, but not really. It's not like we relied entirely on Kobayashi-san because she was here, and everyone is aware that what we're doing is the same now, as it was then. What we want to convey is the same, and we don't feel like we have to work harder because she’s no longer here. Of course, that means there are other members who will step up to fill her role, so I think that will allow us to present the songs in a new way with them stepping in.

By the way, did you feel any difference in experience when performing with the 3rd generation members?

I don’t feel it at all. We don't treat them differently as juniors more than necessary just because they're 3rd gen. We treat them equally as individuals regardless of seniority, so I feel that's why the group has a good atmosphere. When the 3rd gen members first joined, we were still kind of tiptoeing around each other, but once we started talking and stood on stage together, there were no walls between us since we’re all Sakurazaka members.

With such an amazing atmosphere, can you express your resolution for the upcoming Tokyo Dome concert?

After all, Tokyo Dome’s scales allow for production that can’t be done elsewhere, which I'm really looking forward to, so we're going to give it our utmost best to match the production and the big stage with our performance. It was the same during ZOZO Marine and the 4th Tour, but there was a part of me that felt a boost of confidence and thought, "We've got this!" as we firmed up the setlist and production. We always succeed when we go on stage with that mindset. I hope we can stand on stage with the same assurance, leaving no room for doubt, so we can present our current complete form. However, Tokyo Dome is not our end goal, so I hope we can put on a performance that makes people anticipate our next step, such as dome tour or concerts abroad.

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Raw: Kiryu

Translation: Kiryu

QC: tmi