“ I am not interested in any particular achievement. I just want to keep on creating something.”
Name : Yohei Tanaka
Gender : Male
DoB : 16.10.1981
City of Birth : Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Status : Single
Family : 1 Sister 30yo
Hometown : Tokyo, Japan
Education : Highschool
Job : Massage, Cook, Music producer, Art model
Religion : Buddhism
Politics : –
As a child… How would you picture yourself at 30?
JOB – How did you decide to do this job?
I have always wanted to be a musician. As a child I would play the piano very often and I imagined making it my job…I learned how to play from 5 to 10 years old an then practiced by myself. Later I also played drums and tuba and electronic music on my computer.
This actually led me to one of my first job, since I was making music for video games from the age of 23 to 27. Today, I produce musical events from time to time.
My best memory is now. I think that every moment is important and my best memory is right now while I am having this interview.
HOME / PLACE OF LIVING – Where you thought we would be living by now?
Tokyo! I was born in Saitama prefecture and grew up in Tokyo. My family lives here and I never imagined living somewhere else. Living in Tokyo is natural for me. It is the center of Japan and the place where there are more opportunities.
Yohei in a busy crossing of the Shinjuku district of Tokyo.
Yohei is assistant teacher of a Japanese martial art called Buido.
Striking and memorable events…
IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE – What are the most memorable event of your personal life?
5 years ago, I met a Butoh dancer at a workshop about body massage techniques.
This meeting changed my life…. She was supposed to do a Butoh performance on the next month and she asked me to make the sound of this performance.
I started Butoh a few months later and it gave a new direction to my life. My body and my mind were clearer and I understood that everything is connected to the body. Meditation, Improvisation, music… Life!
This event made me see my body and this changed my life.
IN THE WORLD – What are the main events that stroke the world you are living in?
Japan : The earthquake that occurred in Fukushima on March 11 2011 was a real shock for me. Our values and our future were stable before the earthquake but they were destructed in just a second. They were not stable anymore and everyone was down. Few weeks after the earthquake, Tokyo was in crisis. I felt fear of radiation and I was thinking seriously about how to survive this dangerous situation and how my everyday life could be affected.
World : I think that the invention of the internet changed our living style and the way we communicate. Thanks to that fabulous invention, we can contact people on the other side of the world very easily…
BEST MEMORY – What is your best memory?
My best memory is now. I think that every moment is important and my best memory is right now while I am having this interview.
GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT –
I always try not to have much confidence and do my best to be modest. I think that I am proud of living without pride but still am self confident.
Looking back / Reviewing expectations
10 YEARS AGO, When I was 20 I was very confused so I could not imagine future. Those days I had some mental sickness and a depression so I could not think about future at all…
TODAY, live in Tokyo but I may want to move to Kyoto soon. I am really happy in my life and I am satisfied with my way of life which allows me to be free and do what I want everyday.
Yohei has many little jobs which never are located at the same place and uses Subway to get around.
Yohei lives in this cute little house that he renewed in the Mejiro neighborhood of Tokyo.
30 years old, a turning point?
WHAT’S NEW? – Did you notice some changes since you are 30 YO?
Yes! I really felt that being 30 is major turning point in one’s life. Something is built up finally, after a long succession of efforts. In my case, I started a workshop when I turned 30 about organizing the body, listening situation sensitivity, listening music and eating food. At 30, I can express myself more clearly and take decisions with less hesitation.
I think we are just pretending to act as our actual age but I would like to be the one who is enjoying my various generation, not pretending.
OLD OR YOUNG? – Do you feel « old » or « still young »?
Both! I still have the curiosity of my childhood but sometimes I feel like I’m an old mature man that already have experience. In my mind, I feel that I have many different ages of myself, younge but also older. Human beings have many aspects that I do not think we can synthetize it easily. Sometimes in enjoy being the young me and sometimes I enjoy being adult. I think we are just pretending to act as our actual age but I would like to be the one who is enjoying my various generation, not pretending.
My Values
My Typical day
And tomorrow?
YOUR STORY IN 10 YEARS – What is the story you want to tell within 10 years?
I think I will work as a chef, masseur and music producer. I want to be married and have children by then. I will probably move from Tokyo to Kyoto because it is a beautiful city where I like to spend time.
One of my goals is also to write a book about my experiences, my thoughts, body and space. In the future, I also would like to the someone with a flexible mind and that I will be able to change myself at any time.
THE WORLD IN 10 YEARS – How do you imagine the world you will be living in within 10 years?
Japan : To be honest, I don’t think that situation in Japan will get better in the near future. In the past, Japan has been inspired by other countries to create its system. Since the earthquake, Japan is inspiring other countries in both positive and negative way. I really hope that we handle the situation in such a good way that we be an example for the world.
I am also very afraid of the actions of the Japanese government lately that may lead us to go war…
World : I can’t really imagine how the world will be in 10 / 20 years because the world is changing too fast. Nevertheless, I think there will be new technologies, new concepts, new values, new life styles and that something completely new will emerge with positive and negative aspects. I don’t know exactly how but I imagine that the changes will make our sense of space and time evolve.
Fears and Dreams…
FEARS – What are you afraid of?
I am afraid of death…
ACHIEVEMENTS – What are the things you want to achieve?
I am not interested in any particular achievement. I just want to keep on creating something.
Creation is life.
DREAMS – What is your craziest dreams?
I wish I were more energetic at the age of 100 than 90 years old!
