When told the theme of the day's shoot was "stillness," Tetsuya Kumakawa simply replied, "Understood," and stepped before the camera. In the next moment, the entire crew held their breath. His mere presence seemed to bring time to a standstill, enveloping the space around him in profound quiet. After the shoot, I asked him how he achieved such an expression of stillness.

"For example, if I wave my hand like this, the air moves away, doesn't it? I believe stillness can be expressed by performing with an awareness of the flow of air."

He admitted that reaching this level took time. "In my younger days, my focus tended to be on intense movement. But as my career progressed, I learned to balance stillness and motion."

Kumakawa is also known for his passion for cars. He seemed particularly intrigued by the latest REGNO GR-XT model.

"One might think all tires are the same, but changing to a good set of tires truly transforms a car. I've been surprised by it many times."

Kumakawa's expectations were high for this tire, which balances superior quietness with exceptional handling performance.

"Balance between stillness and motion is crucial in ballet too. When they are in balance, contrast emerges, and each element, stillness and motion, shines. Pushing further, it becomes possible to suggest motion within stillness, or to evoke a sense of stillness within motion."

While Kumakawa enjoys the "motion" of classic sports cars on his days off, he typically commutes in a comfortable, relaxing car.

"I want to clear my mind while listening to classical or jazz music, so a quiet tire with a comfortable ride is truly a joy."

For 30 years since its inception, REGNO has consistently strived to achieve a high level of balance between stillness and motion. Kumakawa, too, shared that it was only around the age of 35, after rigorous training, that he achieved this balance. What connects them, what is visible in this connection, is likely a realm that others cannot replicate.

TETSUYA KUMAKAWA
Ballet Dancer / Artistic Director, K-Ballet Company
Born in Hokkaido in 1972. At 15, he entered the Royal Ballet School in the UK. In 1989, he became the first Japanese recipient of the Gold Medal at the Prix de Lausanne. In the same year, he joined the Royal Ballet as the first East Asian dancer. He was promoted to Soloist, the youngest in the company's history, and later became a Principal. In 1999, he founded K-Ballet Company and serves as its Artistic Director. Known as a car enthusiast, he has owned supercars. Recently, he finds great pleasure in classic cars.
http://www.k-ballet.co.jp
Jacket ¥40,950, T-shirt ¥18,900, Stole ¥16,800, Denim pants ¥27,300, Sneakers ¥25,200 (All by ROBERT GELLER / M inc Tel. 03-3498-6633)

“Stillness” and “movement” to an unexplored domain
The balance of “stillness” and “motion” reaches a new domain.

Bridgestone REGNO GR-XT
REGNO is Bridgestone's premium brand for passenger car tires. The latest model in the REGNO line is the GR-XT. Its most distinctive feature is its exceptional quietness. It further evolves the great balance of "stillness" and "motion" performance. While ensuring fundamental performance such as "turning" and "stopping," the technology to suppress noise has been refined. Furthermore, research into what sounds humans find unpleasant has led to the pursuit of a tone that resonates pleasingly to the ear.


Bridgestone
0120-392936
http://www.regno.jp