Interview with Yuzo Kayama The Young Leader's Self-Analysis Marking His Fourth Coming-of-Age Ceremony

"Behind the Scenes of 'Effective Expression'" focuses on "successful promoters of expressive activities" across various fields. This time, we spoke with Yuzo Kayama, who turned 80 this year, about his aspirations for his future endeavors.

At the "Go! Go! Wakadaishō FESTIVAL in OSAKA" held on June 17 and 18

I can hardly believe it myself. I never imagined I'd still be active this long. My 80th birthday was in April, and this year has been packed with activities around that time – releasing a tribute album, holding a commemorative live show at Tokyo International Forum. I'm also performing at Fuji Rock at the end of July. My impression from performing there a few years ago was so vivid that I've always wanted to go back. This year, I got an offer to play the main stage, which holds 40,000 people. My schedule is packed full for the rest of this year and into next year.

You know, I love all music, regardless of genre. I think that's thanks to my parents. My father covered everything from classical to contemporary music. My mother loved pop songs, folk songs, and traditional Japanese tunes. She was also a certified dancer in the Hanayagi school. So, from childhood, I was surrounded by both Japanese and Western influences. Actually, I also compose enka songs. Artists like Kiyoshi Maekawa and Aki Yashiro have shown interest in performing my compositions. On the other hand, I was truly moved when Schadaraparr added rap to one of my songs. I thought, "Is this even possible?" Take "Oyome ni Oide" (Come Be My Bride) by the rapper Pampy – it got millions of views online. I even overheard an old man next to his son say, "Hey, isn't that a song by Kiyama?" – that kind of connection happening.

Exactly. I feel the evolution in young people's music—both their technique and their singing style. I've consciously made an effort to build relationships with artists from the younger generation. It's inspiring. It makes me think, "Ah, I can't let myself deteriorate." Also, my staff are all young, and they're all lively and energetic. It's the same thing. They constantly feed me new information. That stimulates me, so I gather information and feed it back to them. I'm significantly older, so I'm like a boss, but if hierarchical relationships formed here and we became uncomfortable speaking freely, it would definitely be bad. It's probably the same in company organizations. Whether it's artists or staff, when young people bring ideas, the most important thing is to keep an open ear.

People often ask me the secret to my energy. Honestly, most things the media touts as healthy, I've been doing naturally for years—it's just the result. I get a solid eight hours of sleep. First thing in the morning, I look at something blue or green—trees or the sea. I tear off two shiso leaves, smell them, and take a deep breath. For decades now, I've doused myself with water every morning and evening without fail. They say moving your fingers prevents aging, and that applies to piano, guitar, pottery, painting—all of it. I also started drinking activated hydrogen water after intense exercise quite a while ago.

Regarding mindset, I believe maintaining a strong sense of curiosity is key. I started using LINE for communication early on and am also hooked on games. My cruiser, the Koushinmaru, even has two virtual reality devices. The worst mental state is blaming others or feeling envy. I think this is the biggest negative factor for one's health. Living means you'll inevitably face trials and hardships. I see these as important themes to overcome as you walk through life. Making the effort to think positively about things is like developing your own mind, and I believe this mindset also has a huge impact on health.

I personally feel happiness when I can do things that make others happy. I feel it's my role. So, if I sing and many people feel happy, that's my happiness and I think it's an important role.

Looking ahead, before I turn 90, I want to sail my own boat to San Francisco and pass under the Golden Gate Bridge. When that time comes, I'd love to soak in a jet bath and sound the ship's horn. By my fifth coming-of-age ceremony? I'm sure I'll still be singing.

Released in March: The 80th Birthday Commemorative Remix Album "Yuzo Kayama's New World"