増田 俊樹

Why did you choose nerikiri this time? Masuda: I have always loved Japanese sweets. I also like to travel around the country, so there are many opportunities to come into contact with Japanese sweets as souvenirs. Under such circumstances, I was very interested in kneaded Japanese sweets, which also have an artistic point of view. The teacher made it look very easy, but when I actually tried it, it turned out to be difficult.

Which task was the most difficult? Masuda: Hmmm… It was difficult, but I feel like I was able to do all the tasks surprisingly well (laughs). Even though I thought, “I’m scared if I make a mistake,” the nerikiri stretches surprisingly well. It wasn’t a task that couldn’t be done at all, so I think I enjoyed doing it all.

On the other hand, which work did you enjoy the most? Masuda: It’s a process of continuous improvement, so one mistake can be fatal. But when you roll it into a ball, just roll it around without exerting any force. It’s okay, so I can do it even if I’m dazed. As I rolled up, I felt my stress disappear. If you do it regularly at home, it might be good for relieving stress (laughs).

How did you like the taste of the finished product? Masuda: It’s delicious! It’s original to the shop, and it’s mixed with Japanese yam. Above all, the wonderful thing about nerikiri is that you can enjoy it with all five sense. When it comes to cooking, people tend to focus only on the taste and smell, but I feel that there are discoveries in the process of eating nerikiri. I wonder if that kind of place is also a culture of wagashi and nerikiri.

How would you rate this experience? Masuda: 70 points. According to the teacher, the two types of challenges this time are the easiest for beginners. I think I did a pretty good job with the second one, but even so, when I compared it with the one the teacher made, I thought it was quite different. So humble scores! (laughs).

This issue of News Junction contains a report on the Tokyo International Film Festival last October. Please tell us about your impressions after walking the red carpet. Masuda: It was a good experience, but I was really nervous (bitter smile). It was an advertisement for Sekai-kei Variety Bokugoe, but Director Sumita Takashi-san wasn’t there, so I was alone! I signed autographs, shook hands, and took pictures with them, all of which were fun.

You also challenged the conte with video in “Bokusei.” Please tell us about an episode during filming. Masuda: In a sense, the voice actor creates a “lie” in front of the microphone, but the majority of the images are true facts. For example, if it’s a sitting motion, there’s a chair there, and the reaction is also live. After filming, I went to a yakiniku restaurant with Tasuku Hatanaka-san and Koutarou Nishiyama-san, who appeared in the program, and excitedly talked about things like, “This is what theatre is all about,” and “It’s amazing that there are no lies.” It was the first time for all of us to look at one another in a play, whether it was on video or on stage, so I thought, “This is the kind of expression on my face.” I still have a long way to go.

You had a really good expression! Masuda: To tell the truth, my goal with “Boku Koe” is to have Director Sumita-san call me again. When I was called, I think it was because I was able to leave something behind with “Bokukoe”, and I feel like that’s my ultimate goal.

Finally, what are your goals for 2018? Masuda: It’s something new. This year marks my 10^th year as an artist, and I’ve experienced a lot of things, both sweet and sour. In the last three years or so, I think I’ve decided what I want to do and have taken on the challenge. I was able to meet a lot of people and start new things. I chose this word because I want to go further and beyond what I have done up until now and want to challenge myself in all sorts of fun things without putting limits on myself. I think it will also lead to the goal I wrote last year of “consistent nakedness.”

Backstage report:

Toshiki Masuda-san’s “Relaxing Relaxation” 9^th time Challenge yourself to make Japanese sweets. This time, he made two types of nerikiri: “Koume” and “Matsu no Yuki.” At Koume, he seems to like the process of shaping the dough that wraps the medium bean paste into a round shape. “I want to do this forever!” “When I was a child, I was good at making mud dumplings, and I used to make shiny dumplings.”

While working, Masuda-san is curious about the dumplings sold at the store. We were saying, “Let’s all eat together after the shoot,” but it was lunch time, and seeing customers coming in one after another, he was nervous and said, “They’re going to sell out.” Therefore, the shooting was temporarily suspended, and Masuda-san kept the red bean dumplings, mitarashi dumplings, and ohagi. I was relieved to resume shooting (laughs).

As it was, “Matsu no Yuki” was completed with smooth handling, and the teacher praised it, saying, “I can’t believe it’s your first time!” At the end, Masuda-san finished the photo shoot with a smile while eating the dumplings he had left with the staff.