The Onitsuka Tiger Booth Heats Up with an Appearance by Tiger-kun

Late August saw relentless heat. While the sun beat down intensely at the lakeside, about 1,000 meters above sea level, a cool breeze blew across the lake, and dragonflies flitted about the live venue, hinting at the approaching autumn.

By 9 AM, the venue was abuzz with arrivals from bus tours and those who drove themselves. The Onitsuka Tiger booth, in particular, drew a crowd and a line formed shortly after opening.

The Onitsuka Tiger booth primarily showcased and sold summer festival-style outfits, and also featured a "gachapon" (capsule toy machine) for prizes. Attendees could win prizes, including artist-autographed shoes as the grand prize, or other novelty items. Additionally, a popular service offered instant photo sessions with a Tiger mascot cutout. The instant photos were presented in special card cases.





On the first day of "SWEET LOVE SHOWER 2010," August 28th, at 1:35 PM, YOUR SONG IS GOOD, led by Saito "JxJx" Jun – a guest on the inaugural episode of "BACK TO HOME supported by Onitsuka Tiger," which began airing in April on the music channel SPACE SHOWER TV – took the "Mt. FUJI STAGE."

“Just do your thing!” – YOUR SONG IS GOOD Ignites the Crowd

As it was the last Saturday of summer vacation, traffic was heavily congested heading towards Gotemba. Although the members of YOUR SONG IS GOOD arrived significantly late, they delivered a non-stop set of eight songs precisely on schedule at 1:35 PM.

The audience was already electrified from the sound check, which began with Saito "JxJx" Jun's (Organ, Vo) announcement, “This is a public rehearsal!” After the sound check, they launched straight into their first song, "Bugaloo Choutokkyuu." Following the second song, "THE LOVE SONG," "JxJx" delivered his first MC remark: “Just do your thing! (laughs).”

The stage, the audience, and the unified, swaying crowd became one as they played hot numbers like "ONIROKU," "CATCH-AS-CATCH-CAN," and "A MAN FROM THE NEW TOWN." They continued with "UNBREAKABLE" and "B.A.N.D.," showcasing the signature YOUR SONG IS GOOD sound, before concluding with "THE OUTRO." "JxJx" held his organ high, setting the entire venue ablaze with energy.

Direct Interview with Saito "JxJx" Jun After the Live Performance

—That was a scorching set, congratulations.

Today, we did a public rehearsal and jumped into it in a bit of a rush, but I think it's good for festivals to end early (laughs). That way, we can watch other bands too. Sometimes we headline festivals, but then we have to spend the time leading up to it in a very stoic manner...

—How was it today?

I performed at SWEET LOVE SHOWER in 2007 on the "LAKESIDE STAGE," and today it was the "Mt. FUJI STAGE." My first impression was that the stage floor was quite hard (laughs). While thinking that, I noticed the back of the stage was open, which really gave it an outdoor feel. It was hot, but I'm glad it was sunny. However, I stumbled over my words for about 90% of my MCing (laughs), and we ran about five minutes over, making the next band, Sakanaction, wait (laughs). But I felt at home and was able to perform relaxedly.

—What's planned for the latter half of 2010?

The first half of this year was very fulfilling with the release of our fourth album, the tour, and our solo show at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall. For the latter half, we're looking to figure out what we should do next. We often discover our next steps while performing live, but since we've been running at full speed since around 2006, I'd like to take a more grounded approach in the latter half.

We're also looking forward to the program "Spe-cial Area"!

<Epilogue>
Launched in April on the music channel SPACE SHOWER TV, "BACK TO HOME supported by Onitsuka Tiger" has featured five installments, starting with the inaugural episode where YOUR SONG IS GOOD's Saito "JxJx" Jun visited Kobe, Onitsuka Tiger's (ASICS') home city. Subsequent episodes covered Sapporo, Fukuoka, Nagoya, and Tokyo. Using "BACK TO HOME" as a keyword, the program has explored the personal lives of popular musicians through their fashion and music.

Furthermore, starting with the Autumn/Winter 2010 season, fashion designer Toshihisa Iwaya assumed the role of Design Director for "Onitsuka Tiger." The brand has embarked on a new chapter as the revitalized Onitsuka Tiger for both men's and women's lines.

Onitsuka Tiger's current presence has been conveyed through various channels – online, on CS television, and at events like "SWEET LOVE SHOWER 2010." The brand is expected to continue enriching our lifestyles with even newer, more exciting items and coordinated styles.