Interview Ichiro Yamaguchi (Sakanaction) × Ryo Tanaka (Creative Director / Photographer)| TORAHEBI coffee × Yamaichi Collaboration 2nd “Yamaichi Blend”

What we care about intuition is “good discomfort.”

――When you first learned about TORAHEBI coffee, what did you think?

Yamaguchi: "I thought that the keyword "coffee & science" had a tremendous discomfort. The reason why I react if I think it's funny or like it is always whether there is a good sense of discomfort. A disgusting discomfort is just something you hate, but a good discomfort is an opportunity to like it. Not only fashion, but also food, making music, we value it in everything.

In that sense, “Coffee & Science” was just a good sense of discomfort, and when I actually drank coffee made by a former scientist and roaster, the taste of course was delicious, and the context was clear in everything, and I intuitively thought that something interesting would happen. Get into what you like. And then you introduced me to Mr.

――How was Mr. Tanaka responding to it?

Tanaka: You were simply happy. We are still young and hardcore brands, but when I told Ichiro-kun the length of my thoughts, they treated me very affectionately and were able to understand them at a high resolution. I'd like to thank you. Then, we released it as "YI au lait" using yamaichi Blend, which reproduces the recipe of iced coffee that Ichiro-kun drinks. The fans have come over to me.”

――At the time of opening on March 21, 2023, it was so busy that there was a line waiting for two hours. Please tell me the theme of Yamaichi Blend again.

Yamaguchi: "I wanted to experiment with what happens if I drink this coffee in the same way as usual. I want to spend my time drinking delicious food, and I want to share it with those who like the music of Sakanaction. I'm a musician, so I just love music. I can't do anything other than music, and of course I can't do fashion or art direction. But when I make music, I think about the concept, so if I think like that, I think that I can snuggle up with various things in various scenes. I express my lifestyle as "Yamaichi", but "Yamaichi Blend" is like having TORAHEBI coffee design that lifestyle."

――In the first installment, TORAHEBI coffee reproduced the recipe for iced coffee that Mr. Yamaguchi drinks, but this time, the second installment, Mr. Yamaguchi was blending himself.

Yamaguchi: I did it for the first time. It's not an experiment, but see it, touch it, and try it yourself here. I have visited this space several times before the opening, but it's a very favorite space. Ryo's commitment and various sensations create this air. Even though there are people, there are places where you can sit when you enter the store. It’s just a different space, it’s comfortable.”

――You have a strange feeling, right? It feels like a different space in Shibuya PARCO.

Tanaka "It's a bit extraterritorial, and there's a feeling that I can do anything here. My dream is that it would be cool if I made a DJ set here, had Ichiro-kun join me, and had an event like I was doing in Paris. Even so, you can't put people in the shop at all.……I wonder what they are doing for [laughs].”

Continuing to express in minorities in the majority

――Both the music that Mr. Yamaguchi makes and the TORAHEBI coffee share the same thing as “creative”. Do you have sympathy in that regard?

Yamaguchi: "When I meet with my intuition and feel like I'm in the same race, I think it would be nice if I thought it was interesting as a human being."

Tanaka: "I originally had a sacanaction CD, but since I met Ichiro-kun, I have discovered more deeply. I'm looking forward to playing YouTube games in the middle of the night."

Yamaguchi: It's funny. 5 years ago, I never thought I would live on YouTube. But technology is very close to digging music, and that has evolved music. So, when I think about what the music and culture of today's era, I think it would be better to do anything unexpectedly.

In the past, I didn't want to appear on TV (laughs) There were places where I was stuck, but when the purpose known to people became clear, I thought it would be round or softer. I guess it's getting tough. It was said that Ryo was round from a sharp point…？」

Tanaka: "I don't feel like it's too round, but if you look so, I think it's probably because I haven't succeeded in envisioning it. You say it's not up. Ichiro-kun is getting good results, but if I'm both, I'm bored, so I'll come in a different direction along the way. From the public's point of view, it may seem like you're successful, but there's still no satisfactory success within you. When I watch Ichiro-kun's YouTube, I think it's amazing, I feel tough, and I respect it. When did the sacnation begin?”

Yamaguchi: "It was formed in 2005."

Tanaka "What's your major debut?"

Yamaguchi: I debuted in 2007. I made it in Sapporo until the second ALBUM "NIGHT FISHING" and moved to Tokyo about 30 years old. It's been quite late blooming, and it's been around 12 years since I came out of Tokyo. I'm pretending to be a Tokyoman (laughs). In Tokyo, you can always pursue your dreams, or in a sense it is a cruel city. We all have the feeling of being able to live in the same group and in the same community forever.”

Tanaka: "I always wanted to get out of that, so I left home at the age of 15 and went abroad. When I'm a fashion brand, I feel like I'm outside the circle. Ichiro-kun's songs feel that way too. It doesn’t seem to belong anywhere.”

Yamaguchi: "Our theme is to be in the minority in the majority. If there’s always a line, and if this is a majority and this is a minority, I’m straddling it and moving my center of gravity to make music.”

Tanaka: "After all, I've always thought that I'd like to cut it out from a slightly different place. When I started TORAHEBI coffee, I didn't think about creating a so-called cafe or coffee shop at all, but I wanted to make it a place where clothes, utensils, music, and more, culture can be conveyed. So this time, I'm glad that I've collaborated with Ichiro-kun and I feel like the road is spreading very much."

Yamaguchi: We are fortunate to get to know something other than music from music. Culture is connected to fashion and music without any deviation. Since the latter half of 2000, it has become a design that does not design more and more. No design. I felt it was boring, so at least we wanted to bring something other than music to people who say they like their music. So I think it’s similar to your idea.”

Tanaka: "Weird story, Ichiro-kun's music is at zero point, and I think it's important how to assemble it. If you replace it with me, it’s natural that coffee is delicious, and it’s important to take a different step.”

Yamaguchi: I want to make everything music. Music inspired me to like aromas, fashion, and art.－－When I start with music, I feel like I can do everything with music. Our strength is that we have something we like, that I’m making songs and that people who like my music are told that I like tiger snake coffee. It can be delivered to minor children who live in the area far away. I think it’s stronger than any media. I think that being able to do that is one of the kind of music as a musician. I want to be able to deliver, and that’s why I want to deliver what I think I like and what I have influenced you.”

Tanaka: “I think music is great. I'm the same way of thinking, but vice versa, because I'm from fashion, I want to make everything fashion. Music, lifestyle, and thinking. Fashion is written as the destination of the flow, but I wonder if it is the path of my creative direction to find the destination of the flow quickly. You want to be faithful and faithful there. In that sense, there may be some selfish parts, and even if it is true, if it is true, it may be profitable for business, but if it is different from the destination of the flow, it will not proceed there.

I want to be cool in a deep sense, and I want to have something like a mind for that. What I make is strongly influenced by music, so I think Ichiro is jealous forever.”

Yamaguchi: I think it's wonderful to have TORAHEBI coffee with that feeling in Shibuya PARCO. The origin of culture, or the fact that it is in Shibuya PARCO, where various cultures are born, is emo? And from now on, there will be more new stories and connections, and I feel that both myself and Ryo himself will become bigger enough to understand.”

Tanaka "I hope I can continue to move around emotional things that excite and excite me. I want to not lose sight of the work of feeling and moving and shaking people's emotions. Are you happy to hear that and make people happy? I hope you continue to do that.”