I Learned How to Live as a Professional in Europe

MatsudaMr. Okabe, you were active in Europe from the age of 15. Did you gain different things compared to staying in Japan?

OkabeIt was completely different. The depth of skiing talent in Europe is immense, so everyone's seriousness was on another level. As I mentioned last time, from a very young age, their goals were clear. At that time, for Japanese skiers, there were no opportunities to go abroad unless you joined the national team, and even then, you couldn't immediately compete at World Cup level. So, you had to compete in categories below the World Cup to gain experience and results. The coaches were also very different. Meeting good coaches was truly a great asset for me. Mine was Austrian, and I learned a great deal from him, not just his coaching methods but also other aspects of life. He taught me many things through activities like hunting and fishing. The service technicians who tuned my equipment and the masseurs were from various countries, and through them, I developed an international professional sensibility.

MatsudaAlpine skiing is like a national sport in Europe. As a Japanese competitor, did you feel any resistance?

OkabeI was called the "Sniper of the East" back then, and I think it was meant in a good way. There wasn't a feeling of "Why is a Japanese person here?" In fact, I had more fans in Europe than in Japan. I even had fan clubs in Austria and Italy. I enjoyed the performance aspect, so people in Italy particularly appreciated it. Even now, I might be more well-known in Europe than in Japan.

MatsudaWhat do you think were your strengths?

OkabeI wasn't particularly gifted, but perhaps that's why I was able to diligently work on acquiring the techniques.

MatsudaSo you worked hard in obscurity.

OkabeOh no, I dislike hard work (laughs). But the bar was incredibly high. What I focused on was being able to consistently perform at 80% of my ability, even when I wasn't feeling well or was in poor condition. I think I was able to strive for that.

Ultimately, I Was Able to Influence Them

MatsudaHow was your daily life in Europe?

OkabeIt seems I have a bit of Latin blood in my personality, so I actively reached out and communicated with people. I also enjoyed shopping, and when I got good results, I would give myself a reward. Eventually, I started buying things even before getting results, telling myself, "I bought this, so..." It became a way to motivate myself (laughs). Through this, I naturally learned the language and how to communicate and behave appropriately abroad. I was able to experience a world that would have been completely foreign if I had stayed in Hokkaido. I didn't feel intimidated by European culture. On the contrary, regarding apparel, I designed my own models and had them custom-made, so I was able to influence Europe.

When you get results, you appear on TV, so people started wanting them. In addition to my natural inclination to think up such ideas, I was quite style-conscious, so most of my gear, including goggles and poles, were custom models.

MatsudaI see. That spirit of challenge and your knack for ideas connect to your current work.

OkabeI didn't have that awareness at the time, but I suppose I've always enjoyed trying various things.

By Tetsuya Okabe
『Easy Exercises for a Slimmer Waist』 with DVD
On Sale Monday, June 9
1400 yen (Taibundo)
“Around the time I turned 40, perhaps due to lack of exercise or overeating… my waistline started to bulge… I enjoy jogging, but it becomes difficult in the cold winter… it was just hard to keep it up… So, I decided that core exercises, which can be done consistently for just 10 minutes a day anywhere, would be the answer. Starting gently while lying down, I found that I could continue even on the busiest days! To avoid becoming ‘metabolic’ as it’s now called, I hope you’ll find this book useful.” (Tetsuya Okabe)

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Official Website | http://www.snowdreamer.jp/