Sensor is a Kageki feature with commentary themed around the 5 senses and a Q&A section. Houzuki’s was published in the February issue.
Chinatsu Sensor (Houzuki An, Moon Troupe)
Switching on the Chinatsu Sensor!
We observe the Top Star from an assortment of angles.
Catch up! The current Chinatsu
The days passed so quickly that before I knew it, there was only a week left in the Takarazuka Grand Theatre run of Golden Liberty/PHOENIX RISING. I’m sad to think of it ending.
Now that I’ve reached this position, it really makes me fully aware of how a performance isn’t something you make alone; it needs everyone in the troupe to encourage each other, support each other, raise each other up in order to create something. I had the chance to do a national tour as my pre-debut, but the Grand Theatre is of course such a huge space, and since this is a performance with everyone in Moon Troupe, I feel like I can really see the troupe’s full power, so it feels very different to the pre-debut performance. I’m so thankful for the audience watching us so warmly every day, and waving their pompoms and dancing together with us1, and for each and every bit of applause.
In this production, both the play and the revue are original works, so I’m really happy that this group existing right now can create something original. Now more than ever I think that one of the great things about Takarazuka is that there are these original shows where people can freely express their own appeal. Also, since the creators are writing for each person, it feels different to take on the characters, and I was reminded of how thankful I feel for that part of original shows. Both halves of the production are cheerful and bright, energetic feeling shows, so I’m getting a lot of energy from the works themselves.
I feel some of it is from the material we have, but everyone in Moon Troupe seems to be enjoying themselves freely, and they all look like they find giving their best very fulfilling. I get the feeling from their performances that they are really trying to make each and every performance something great, and I think it’s a really nice atmosphere.
Both the play and the show aren’t too tied up in having to do it exactly a certain way, so I feel like the best way to do it is to perform in a fresh way and take advantage of the little things that happen. I think (Amashi) Juri is also sensing that on stage, which means every day feels fresh and fun.
There are only a few performances left now, so I want to treasure the time I have left with the girls retiring, and put on each and every performance with care so that the beauty of each un-repeatable moment is conveyed to the audience.
Five Senses
We use the 5 senses to research Chinatsu from a different perspective!
Chinatsu’s sense of sight…second-floor seats
The first Takarazuka show I saw was Flower Troupe in A Flute Named Wind/A Revue is Born, and my seats were in the Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre’s second floor, towards the left. When I was in my fan era, it made me so happy when the stars would look up towards the second floor, so those moments stand out in my memory. Therefore, ever since I joined Takarazuka myself, I’ve made sure to look up towards the audience members on the second floor.
Chinatsu’s sense of smell…incense
I love incense, so I always have some burning in my house (laughs). I burn it when I get up, and when I get home, and when I’m going to sleep… I like traditional Japanese scents like white sandalwood and such. I went to Buddhist schools that always smelled of incense during elementary and middle school, so maybe it makes me feel nostalgic.
Chinatsu’s sense of taste…cucumber sandwiches
When it comes to eating on stage, of course we have to talk about Algernon eating the cucumber sandwiches in Ernest in Love, that was a struggle (laughs). The instructions for the scene are that he eats everything on the plate so I have to finish them off. And I have lines on top of that, and after I eat there’s a musical number, and before that I need to get some water, so the plan is really elaborate. It was a struggle but fun too. Sometimes they’d change up the flavor a bit and use different green stuff like avocado instead of cucumber. I don’t have a lot of opportunities to eat cucumber sandwiches normally, but once in a while when I do I remember that so it’s a flavor sensation that’s really stuck with me (laughs).
Chinatsu’s sense of hearing…the sound of vibrating strings
In middle school, I joined the mandolin club for just one year. What I love about string instruments is that sound that’s like the strings themselves vibrating. I really like ukelele and Hawaiian music, and the sound of a koto, and the noise electric guitars make that’s like ‘GYUEEEEEEN’.
Chinatsu’s sense of sight…sparkling eyes
One of my favorite things on stage is when a light hits someone and makes their eyes sparkle. I feel like the spotlights of Takarazuka make things so dreamy. When I’m watching from the audience, the glitter when the lights hit someone’s eyes feel so unreal, and even when I’m performing together with people, I love watching from the side as the lights hit the Top Star and make her eyes sparkle. Recently, in the ‘My Best Friend’ scene of Reiko-chan’s (Tsukishiro Kanato) retirement revue, when we were all welcoming Reiko as she came down the stairs, I could see from the side as the light hit her eyes. It was a wonderful sight.
Chinatsu’s sense of touch…hands
In terms of touch on stage, it would be holding or squeezing a partner’s hand; of course this happens in duet dances as well. It feels like through touching hands my partner’s feelings are conveyed to me through energy, so I think those moments are really important.
Chinatsu’s sense of sight…horseback riding
This is what I’ve been reading and watching lately…our current play is a western, so I’ve been watching western movies this whole time. Oh, and also, a little bit ago I went horseback writing with everyone in Moon Troupe. While I was riding through the forest on the horse, I could sense every single piece of the scenery, and it was really soothing. I was able to relax and experience lots of different things, and I feel like that let me use all five senses. It was a really good recharge.
Chinatsu’s sense of smell…sense of self
I never change what perfume I use. I used to try changing it for different roles, but after a few tries at it I stopped. Whether I’m on or off stage I use the same perfume, and it’s actually been the same one for years now. Maybe my thinking is that I want to always have something with a sense of ‘myself’ when I go on stage.
Chinatsu’s sense of hearing…imagination
I love the music from the Egypt scene of our current revue. Inside Composer Kai (Masato)’s music you can hear the sound of swirling sand and stars shining in the silence of night. Even just hearing the music before we were given the choreography, it stirred my imagination so much. I love that huge scale and grand atmosphere.
Chinatsu’s sense of taste…spice
What I most want to eat lately is stuff like sashimi and sushi. I could eat that every day. I love wasabi, ginger, myoga ginger, onions, all those spicy flavors. And sushi and sashimi and such are great vehicles for spice… (laughs). I really use wasabi on just about anything, meat or ochazuke or whatever.
Chinatsu’s sense of touch…dog
My favorite things to touch are my dog Moana’s muzzle and her belly and…well, everywhere I guess. Her back legs are like chicken drumsticks (laughs). I like her belly because she doesn’t have hair there, and her muzzle because of how it’s stretchy.
Chinatsu’s sense of hearing…my grasp on the music
One scene where I could really lose myself in the music was the finale tuxedo number in Golden Desert. The music had this all-out drive of ‘dadadadadan’, and it was so fun to get into the music doing the fierce choreography. The choreographer said that they weren’t lining it up with the main melody, but with the ‘takatakatan’ beat breaking it up. I think it was just so stylish, and it was a great lesson in how to listen to music, since if you really listen to the song you can hear so many different sounds.
Tell all! 25 questions for 2025
Q: In honor of the 111th anniversary of the Takarazuka Revue, what is your #1 recent recommendation?
A: A big TV!
It didn’t look all that big in the store, but then when it got to my house it was pretty darn big (laughs).
Q: What would you like to do on your next day off?
A: I want to go to a head spa!
Q: What is a vehicle you would like to ride?
A: I dream of going on a cruise trip.
Q: If you could use a time machine, what era would you go to?
A: The Edo era!
When I did The Kawagiri Bridge I loved the vibe of everyone living all crammed together in the tenement rows, and the festivals and everything,
Q: What’s your favorite weather?
A: Not exactly my favorite weather, but I’m a ‘sunny girl’ so the sun always comes out.
Even when the forecast says rain, a lot of the time it will be sunny anyway, so I feel confident in defying the forecasts (laughs).
Q: What TV or videos did you watch last night?
A: I watched Youtube videos by Matayoshi Naoki from Peace.
Matayoshi tells such funny stories and also says things that really stick in my heart… His voice is really comfortable too, so I watch him a lot.
Q: What non-human character would you like to play?
A: I think I kind of want to play a spinechilling scary role.
Like a Grim Reaper or someone’s ‘shadow’, something that isn’t really quite person shaped…am I getting this across (laughs).
Q: What have you been wearing for rehearsals in this production?
A: A lot of leather, since it was a western show.
Q: What’s made you smile lately?2
A: I’m basically smiling all the time
I’m always smiling when I’m chatting with everyone in Moon Troupe. They’re all so funny (laughs).
Q: For the Year of the Snake…is there something that you’ve been doing for a long time or that you’d like to do for a long time?
A: I guess that’d be Takarazuka.
I’ve been here for 19 years so it just feels like breathing to me now (laughs).
Q: What was the first animal you kept as a pet?
A: A parakeet and a crayfish.
The parakeet was named Poppy and the crayfish was named Jackie.
Q: Tell us a line from a Takarazuka show that gives you Feels!
A: ‘How wonderful I think it would be, if I was the only man you missed, the only man who could make you happy…’
It’s a line Kiriya (Hiromu) as Faviel says in Masatsuka (Haruhiko)’s La Esperanza. I watched it while I was just a fan and I thought it was so cool!
Q: What’s your smartphone case?
A: I have a clear case with a sticker of Moltres from Pokemon inside it.
Director Noguchi gave me the sticker for our latest revue3.
Q: What clubs or extracurriculars were you in during elementary and middle school?
A: The Japanese drum and folk dance club
During elementary school I was in a club where we danced the Soran Bushi, and at the end we’d all play Japanese drums together.
Q: What is your ‘charm point’?
A: My hairline (laughs)
Q: When you put your shoes on do you start with your right or left shoe?
A: Left
I wasn’t really conscious of this myself, but when a costume staffer asked me which shoe I wanted to start with I realized.
Q: What’s your everyday lip color?
A: Maybe this beige gloss that’s just barely tinted.
Q: What’s your favorite rice ball filling?
A: Wakame!
Q: Right now, what thoughts are occupying 25% of your mind?
A: Hmmm, I was thinking about how I was hungry (laughs).
I’m always thinking about food, so we might be talking more than 25% (laughs).
Q: What was your favorite class at the Music School?
A: Tap dance.
Q: What is your favorite animal?
A: Basically I love all of them, but especially whales and orcas and dolphins and such.
It gives me goosebumps when I see them swimming.
Q: What’s important to you in comfy indoor clothes?
A: Lightweight pieces.
I usually wear comfy clothes when I’m going to sleep, and I don’t like wearing things that are too fluffy, so even if I feel cold I wear the lightweight ones.
Q: What do you refuse to compromise on?
A: I won’t disrupt my own pace (laughs).
Q: What’s an accessory you really like lately?
A: The ring I wear on my left middle finger during our latest revue show.
I switched it out to this one in the middle of the run. Its main feature is a phoenix, and it has dragons engraved in the metal part. It just makes me feel like I’m luckier somehow (laughs). I wanted to wear some kind of PHOENIX accessory through the whole show.
Q: A message for all the readers who have just finished up at school, or work, or doing housework!
A: It might feel like every day goes by at dizzying speed, but let’s all ‘ENJOY THE NOW’!
Notes:
1 – PHOENIX RISING had some audience-participation sections (see official tutorial video here) and sold show themed pompom props.
2 – Japanese number pun on ’25’ that was not replicable.
3 – Moltres/Fire (in Japanese) fits the Phoenix theme of the PHOENIX RISING revue.