Potato - August 1999 Aiba Masaki x Yokoyama Yu Interview [TRANSLATIONS]
Here's a magazine article from Aiba-chan's Jr. days! This is only months before he makes his debut as a member of Arashi, but you can tell he has always been the cheerful cuticle he is now.
Summer Has Arrived
The sun is setting on the first days of summer. Good friends Aiba and Yokoyama arrive, chicly wearing a traditional yukata. But when these two are together, they don’t stay calm. They play together, joke around, and make a ruckus as they answer this interview. What are their ambitions for the summer?
This year, let’s head over to the beach in your car, Yokoyama-kun
Yokoyama (“Y” hereafter): This is the first time I’ve worn a yukata this summer. It’s pretty nice.
Aiba (“A” hereafter): It puts you in the right mindset. What are some of your summertime memories, Yokoyama-kun?
Y: My family didn’t take vacations when I was a kid, but I always went to my town’s summer festival. I used to carry those portable Shinto shrines. (*note: these portable shrines are usually large and require quite a number of people to carry; this is a tradition for most summer festivals)
A: When I was little, I used to go to summer festivals, too. I remember eating those apricot preserves.
Y: Oh, I liked those “Tokyo Croquettes”! I can’t describe the flavor but it’s tasty.
A: It’s great to have those treats in the company of friends.
Y: Yeah, yeah.
A: I also liked calamari! There was also this crepe-like okonomiyaki (*note: a kind of Japanese “pizza” made with flour and cabbage), and I liked those, too.
Y: Wow, there are such things? But I haven’t gone to those festivals these past 2-3 years.
A: I haven’t gone since I became a Junior, either. When I think of summertime memories, I think about concerts. They’re super fun, of course, but if I find some time, I’d like to go to a summer festival this year. Also, as a personal goal, I’d like to ride a personal watercraft.
Y: The beach is great! You just have to hit the beach in the summer.
A: Right? Hey, did you know? If you have a Level 4 Boat Operating Permit, you can operate a personal watercraft. Maybe I should get one.
Y: [with certainty] That’s impossible.
A: How come~?
Y: Instead of doing that, you should just hang out at the beach.
A: Yeah, that’s a good idea, too. [laugh] I’ll play beach volleyball, or play in the sand… but if you get too sunburned, it’ll be a painful night. Your skin will be sensitive and you won’t be able to sleep.
Y: I don’t really worry about getting too much sun; if I tan, I tan! Man~ I want to go to the beach! Remember when we went to Hawaii last year? We had a blast then.
A: Yeah! We went on business, but I remember still having fun.
Y: I want to go to Hawaii again and just relax!
A: You know, it’s more fun going to the beach with a ton of friends than with a girl. Instead of being all flirty with each other, I want to cause a ruckus as a group [laugh].
Y: Yeah, though I would like to flirt with girls, too. That’s not because it’s summer; in my case, it’s a year-round thing [laugh].
A: Really?
Y: Of course! I’m always on fire!
A: Oh, really? [laugh] Well, good luck [laugh]. You were thinking about getting a driver’s license in the near future, right, Yokoyama-kun?
Y: Yeah, I want one!
A: Then why don’t you drive me to the beach this year?
Y: Whaaa~t, I don’t wanna~.
A: Why not?!
Y: Well, I’ll think about it once I get my license. But enough of that. If you don’t finish your shaved ice soon, it’ll melt!
A: [jokingly] Do you want me to feed you? [laugh]
Y: Ugh, please don’t~!
This is their first time wearing a yukata this summer. The look definitely fits the atmosphere.
scans: kawaisatoshi
Summer Has Arrived
The sun is setting on the first days of summer. Good friends Aiba and Yokoyama arrive, chicly wearing a traditional yukata. But when these two are together, they don’t stay calm. They play together, joke around, and make a ruckus as they answer this interview. What are their ambitions for the summer?
This year, let’s head over to the beach in your car, Yokoyama-kun
Yokoyama (“Y” hereafter): This is the first time I’ve worn a yukata this summer. It’s pretty nice.
Aiba (“A” hereafter): It puts you in the right mindset. What are some of your summertime memories, Yokoyama-kun?
Y: My family didn’t take vacations when I was a kid, but I always went to my town’s summer festival. I used to carry those portable Shinto shrines. (*note: these portable shrines are usually large and require quite a number of people to carry; this is a tradition for most summer festivals)
A: When I was little, I used to go to summer festivals, too. I remember eating those apricot preserves.
Y: Oh, I liked those “Tokyo Croquettes”! I can’t describe the flavor but it’s tasty.
A: It’s great to have those treats in the company of friends.
Y: Yeah, yeah.
A: I also liked calamari! There was also this crepe-like okonomiyaki (*note: a kind of Japanese “pizza” made with flour and cabbage), and I liked those, too.
Y: Wow, there are such things? But I haven’t gone to those festivals these past 2-3 years.
A: I haven’t gone since I became a Junior, either. When I think of summertime memories, I think about concerts. They’re super fun, of course, but if I find some time, I’d like to go to a summer festival this year. Also, as a personal goal, I’d like to ride a personal watercraft.
Y: The beach is great! You just have to hit the beach in the summer.
A: Right? Hey, did you know? If you have a Level 4 Boat Operating Permit, you can operate a personal watercraft. Maybe I should get one.
Y: [with certainty] That’s impossible.
A: How come~?
Y: Instead of doing that, you should just hang out at the beach.
A: Yeah, that’s a good idea, too. [laugh] I’ll play beach volleyball, or play in the sand… but if you get too sunburned, it’ll be a painful night. Your skin will be sensitive and you won’t be able to sleep.
Y: I don’t really worry about getting too much sun; if I tan, I tan! Man~ I want to go to the beach! Remember when we went to Hawaii last year? We had a blast then.
A: Yeah! We went on business, but I remember still having fun.
Y: I want to go to Hawaii again and just relax!
A: You know, it’s more fun going to the beach with a ton of friends than with a girl. Instead of being all flirty with each other, I want to cause a ruckus as a group [laugh].
Y: Yeah, though I would like to flirt with girls, too. That’s not because it’s summer; in my case, it’s a year-round thing [laugh].
A: Really?
Y: Of course! I’m always on fire!
A: Oh, really? [laugh] Well, good luck [laugh]. You were thinking about getting a driver’s license in the near future, right, Yokoyama-kun?
Y: Yeah, I want one!
A: Then why don’t you drive me to the beach this year?
Y: Whaaa~t, I don’t wanna~.
A: Why not?!
Y: Well, I’ll think about it once I get my license. But enough of that. If you don’t finish your shaved ice soon, it’ll melt!
A: [jokingly] Do you want me to feed you? [laugh]
Y: Ugh, please don’t~!
This is their first time wearing a yukata this summer. The look definitely fits the atmosphere.
scans: kawaisatoshi