Relaxing Breeze (Fuwari) was a musumeyaku feature published in GRAPH, where an interview would take place at a cafe. It was focused on offstage topics such as how they destress or what they do on days off.
Kisaki’s was published in the November 2016 issue.
Relaxing Breeze – Kisaki Airi
First, why don’t you order!
Let me see…I love chocolate so much I could die, and I can’t go a day without it so people will keep saying that my blood must be made of chocolate (laughs), but I like shortcake just as much…yes, I’ll have the seasonal shortcake!
And what will you have to drink?
Today is hot, so I’ll have something iced. Oh! It says they have ‘Choco Milk’! Is this heavier on the milk?
(Cafe manager) We’ll make it however you like!
Is that alright? Then, please make it with lots of chocolate… (laughs). Everything that I didn’t have from the chocolate cake (laughs).
What are the main points of your fashion for today?
Autumny! Also, since we’re at a cafe, I thought it would be nice to have something that felt like what I’d wear on a day off, so I picked out something with a relaxed feeling. I went with my hair down. Usually on a day off I’ll have it down. Although if I’m going to be doing something active, I’ll put it all in a ponytail.
That skirt has a really eye-catching design. Do you like those sorts of pieces?
I haven’t really noticed myself, but I suppose I might like them (laughs). I don’t think pastels suit me that well, so I end up selecting flashier colors, I guess. But since I’m a musumeyaku, after all, I think I’d like to find a pastel color that works for me (laughs).
Today we are doing a location shoot at a cafe…
The truth is, I’ve always wanted to visit this place. It’s near my parents’ house, so I’ve often talked to my mother about it. Therefore, I’m really happy about this today. The food looks good too, so I think I’ll come again sometime!
(The cake and Choco Milk arrive)
Ya~y! I’ll start with the drink! …Ah~ it’s so rich! He really put in a lot of chocolate for me. Hahaha (laughs). It’s so tasty. And then the cake, oh, it has figs in it! You know, I’m from Kawanishi, in Hyogo, and figs are kind of a local specialty, so we’ve had a fig tree in our garden for a long time. I really like them. Alright, I’ll try it~! Hm~! It’s so good! It’s sweet, but maybe because of the peaches, it seems really light. It’s delicious~!
What do you usually get at a cafe?
I try to hold myself back from cake. But if there is chocolate cake…ah, maybe I’m not really holding myself back (laughs). I don’t like coffee, but I love black tea, and I always drink it straight. Ordinarily! Today would be cake and black tea too! (laughs) But I have a real sweet tooth, so I’ll end up going for that (laughs).
You really love sweets (laughs). Do you ever go to cafes alone like this?
In Tokyo, I’ll do that sometimes. But when I’m in Takarazuka, I will relax at home…chilling out is my hobby and also my weakness (laughs).
Do you spend your days off at home too?
I’m the type to stay at home all day (laughs). Ah, but when I’m active it’s really active! I think the difference is really big.
On a day when you are relaxing, what is your usual pattern?
I’ll just watch dramas or movies I’ve recorded—the current show, Samurai THE FINAL, is a Japanese-setting play, so I’m watching a Taiga Drama1—and that’s how I’ll spend the whole time. Or, if it is before a show opens, I’ll gather together all the accessories I have in the house (laughs).
Do you mostly watch things that will help with your performances?
No, I love dramas, so I’ll tape so many different programs every week (laughs). Therefore, yeah, I’ll watch tons of things that have nothing to do with that (laughs). I tell myself it’s a good way to wind down from working (laughs).
What kinds of dramas do you like?
I like romances, but for some reason I’ve always really liked things about detectives, or about medical work (laughs). I like things that are exciting and suspenseful, maybe. I’ll still tape Detective Conan and things like that (laughs)
Do you get up early on your days off?
Hm~, it depends on the day. I love sleeping in until noon (laughs), but if I do get up early, it feels really nice. I’ll have a relaxed breakfast and then space out in front of the TV. I’ll watch ‘Yo~i DON!’. Ahaha (laughs). It’s a Kansai region local show, so when I’m performing in Tokyo I miss it so, so much! (laughs) It’s a news variety show, but I like the kind of gentle feeling it has (laughs).
And then, if it’s an active day?
I go shopping the most, I suppose. I’ll go to Osaka. Also, I’ll wander down to Awaji, or to Kobe; they’re close by, but it still feels like I’m travelling. I love Universal Studios Japan too, and watching baseball! I love Koushien2. Recently, [the game I was planning to go to] was cancelled because of rain. Even though I’d been really looking forward to it…
That’s too bad. Although it’s a bit surprising that that is one of your interests.
I hear that a lot (laughs). I was following the Rio Olympics, too (laughs).
Do you like going out with someone else?
Yes, I do. It’s nice to go out by myself once in a while, but when we’re all together it’s more upbeat and fun. I haven’t been doing that much at all lately, but since Hinami-san is going to be retiring with this show, my class and Hinami and the others from the class above us are talking about how we’d like to do a house party. A takoyaki party (laughs). It would be really nice if that could happen.
You had a bit of a vacation after the recent Bow Singing Workshop: Star Troupe, didn’t you.
I did. It was a little over 2 weeks, so everybody went off to different countries (laughs). It seemed like every single day people were posting pictures of various places to the Bow Workshop cast LINE group (laughs). Amazing photos of New York city streets, Las Vegas, Taiwan, Guam… it felt like I was on a world tour (laughs).
Did you go somewhere as well, Kisaki-san?
I went to the Southern hemisphere. Saipan. I sunburn really easily, so I was putting sunscreen on all over every 30 minutes (laughs). Since coming back I’ve been taking lots of Vitamin C and trying to get whiter somehow (laughs). I love southern countries. It was a really fun trip.
If you had another vacation, what would you do?
I think I’d go overseas. That trip was my first in a long time, so it piqued my appetite (laughs). I really enjoyed it. It was a good way to change my mood, and, in a good way, I was able to forget about everything…although I’m not sure that’s actually a good thing (laughs), I’d like to have fun and forget everything else. I would kind of like to go to India next time.
Your next show, Om Shanti Om, is set in India, isn’t it.
It is! That’s why I’m interested. Also, everyone keeps saying I ought to go to New York, so if I had time I’d like to go. I want to see all the musicals I please! Apparently you can also go in and get dance lessons and things, so I’ve been sort of longing to do that.
1 – Taiga dramas are a long-running series of year-long serialized historical dramas broadcast by NHK. It is unclear if Kisaki was watching the currently running drama, but the 2016 Taiga Drama was Sanada Maru.
2 – Koushien is the yearly highschool baseball tournament that is one of the biggest sporting events in Japan.