gray skies

April More #4 - Nino - City
originals from ArashiNino

通い慣れた東京・六本木の撮影スタジオ。その裏手には、また新しいビルが建とうとしていた。
「六本木はどんどん変わっていくよね。１３歳の頃からテレビ朝日のレッスン場に通っていたけど、あの頃は六本木ヒルズも何もなくて、夜になると真っ暗！夜道をひとりで歩くのすら怖かったのに（笑）。しばらくして、久々にあの道を通りかかったら、タイムスリップしたみたいにきらびやかになってたんだよね」
The familiar studio in Roppongi, Tokyo. And behind it, another new building is in the works.
"Roppongi is really changing, isn't it. I've been coming to TV Asahi's Lesson studio since I was 13, but back then it wasn't Roppongi Hills, or anything; at night it was pitch black! It used to be scary just to walk around by yourself at night. (laughs) When I took my old route here after not having gone that way for awhile, it was like I'd slipped through time, it's become so vibrant now."

街は瞬く間に変わっていく。
Cities begin to change in the blink of an eye.

「この間、神楽坂に行った時もそう。ドラマ撮影の時によく眺めていた路地裏のお店がなくなったり、新しい建物ができていたりして驚いたなぁ。街が変わるのが寂しいって言う人がよくいるけど、じゃあ、どれだけその街のことを覚えているんだろう？って思う。道も、建物も、風景も、ちゃんと覚えてもいないのに変化を寂しがるなんて、そんなの…」
"It was the same way when I went to Kagurazaka just recently. All the shops I used to see in the side streets when I was filming then, have all disappeared, and new buildings are in their places, I was surprised. There are often people who talk about the lonliness of a city changing, but well, I wonder how much of that city they actually remember. Saying they're lonely even though they don't really remember the streets and buildings and scenery... "

ニノ自身が見つめてきた風景は、今も心の中に残っている。
The things you've seen yourself, remain in your heart, even now.

「生まれ育ったのは、東京の下町。工業地帯で工場しかないから、あたりに光化学スモッグ充満していて”今日は家から出ないでください”って注意報が出る日も多かったの。アジア系の人も多くて、チマチョゴリで歩いている人たちを日常的に見てた。「パッチギ！」みたいな光景だけど、あんなふうにお互いいがみあうこともなくってさ。学校にも街にも、いろんな国の人がいて、ごく自然に一緒に生活してた。今、思えばかなり不思議な下町だよねぇ（笑）。あの街だって、どんどん変わってるよ。KAT-TUNの亀梨も同じ地元なんだけど、この間、音楽番組で会ったら「地元に陸橋ができてましたよね」って言うからさ、もう何年前の話だよ！ってツッコんじゃった（笑）。オレにとっては好きも嫌いもない街だけど、唯一、自分の意志で帰る場所ではある」
"I was born and raised in a lower area of Tokyo. It's nothing but factories in the industrial district, so there were many days where the area was full of smog from the photochemicals and we were warned not to leave our houses. There were a lot of asians, and seeing someone walking around in Chima Jeogori was a daily occurance. It's a kind of shocking scene, but even so, no one quarreled with one another. There were people with different ethnicities at school and out and about, all living together without a fuss. Now that I think about it, it was a rather strange little area. (laughs) But even that town is changing too. Kamenashi from Kat-Tun is from the same place as me, but just the other day we met on a music program and commented about how they finally got an overpass, laughing about how many years ago they started talk of it. (laughs) To me, it's not a town I love or hate, only a place where I return to of my own free will."

生まれ育った土地以外には、好きな街も、行きたい街もないという。
Meaning, outside the place you grew up, there are no places you likes, or places you'd like to go.

「でも、だからこそ、誰かに呼ばれればどこにでも行くし、それなりに楽しめる。最近は恵比寿とか銀座のマジックバーとか。去年は２５歳にして初めて麻布のクラブにも行った。撮影帰りにお店でひとりで台本を読んでいたら、たまたま知り合いの人たちが飲んでいて、「ニノ、クラブに行こうよ！」って。拒否する理由もないからついていったけど…。踊る気もないし、あまりにも音がうるさくてボンヤリしていたら、すぐにみんなとはぐれちゃって、ひとりで勝手に帰ってきちゃった（笑）」
"But because of that, I'll go wherever I'm asked to go, and enjoy that itself. Lately to magic bars in Ebisu and Ginza. Last year when I turned 25, it was the first time I'd been to a hemp club as well. Sometimes randomly, when I'm reading a script at a restaurant after work, a friend will be there drinking and ask me to go to a club with them. I don't really have any reason to say no, so I'll go with them... but I don't really feel like dancing, and since the music is just overly loud and I'm spacing out, I'll just stray away from everyone right away, and then leave on my own. (laughs)"

新しい自分に出会いたいと思った時点でもう出会ってる
When you're wanting to find a new you, you've already found it.

「知らない街に行きたいとか、新しい場所を知りたいっていう欲求が全然ない。子どもの頃から旅が嫌いで、家族旅行の写真もしかめっつらばかりだった。ジャニーズJr.時代に地方公演に行った時も、ホテルの部屋にこもってたし。「夜は外出禁止」ってマネージャーに言われても、みんなは抜け出して街を歩きたがるんだけどね。オレはゲームしたりして、一度も外に出たことがない（笑）。そういえば、相葉くんも全然でてなかったなぁ。だいたいオレたちふたりは同じ部屋だったからさ。嵐のほかの３人は、どうしてたんだろうね」
"I have no desire to get to know new places, or go to places I've never been before. I've hated trips since I was a kid, I'm frowning in almost all of our family vacation pictures. Even when we'd go to different places for shows as a Johnny's Jr, I'd just lock myself up in my hotel room. Our manager told us we weren't allowed out at night, but everyone wanted to go, and would sneak out. I'd just play my games, I never once went outside. (laughs) Now that I think about it, Aiba-kun didn't go out at all either. We pretty much always shared a room. I wonder what the other 3 (from Arashi) did back then.."

どこかへ行きたいと思わないのはどうしてなんだろう？
I wonder why you never want to go anywhere..?

「徹底的にインドア志向かっていうのもあるだろうけど（笑）。じゃあ、外の世界に出て何があるんだ？とも思う。自分はどこに行っても変わらないってわかっているからだろうね。新しい街へ行こうとも、広い世界に出ようとも、恋人ができようとも、影響を受けたりしない。RPGが好きだし、海は嫌いだし、自分のために旅はしないと思う。もしも、新しい自分に出会いたいと思ったら、別に旅なんてしなくても、出会いたいと思った時点で、すでに出会ってるんじゃないの？新しい自分っていうヤツにさ（笑）。それに、変わりたいなんて思わなくても、自然とどんどん変わっていくじゃん。周囲も、状況も、街の風景も…」
"Probably because I'm a complete indoor person. (laughs) I'll think, what's so great out there in the world? Probably because I know that no matter where I go, it's not like I'm going to change. Wanting to go see a new city, see the wide world, or look for love have no influence on me. I like RPG's and I hate the ocean, so I don't see me travelling just for myself. If I thought of wanting to find a new me, its not like I need to go on a journey to find it, the moment you think it, haven't you already found it? That new you. (laughs) And also, even if you dont think of wanting to change, you'll naturally change anyhow. Your circumstances, situation, the world around you..."

新しいドラマの撮影が始まり、役柄に合わせて久しぶりに短く髪を切り揃えた。その表情は心なしかすっきりとしているようにも思える。変わっていないと思っても、変わろうと思わなくても、いろんなことは少しずつ、少しずつ変わっていく。
With the start of a new drama, it's been a long time since you've cut your hair short for a role. Your expression could be seen as refreshing. Even in thinking it won't change, and not making an effort to change, things will change one by one on their own.

「ドラマとか仕事で髪を切ることなんて、オレにとっては全然、なんともないことなんだよ。髪型なんて別にこだわりないし。でも、スタッフに「ドラマのために切ってくれ」って言われた時は、けこう文句言った。なんかね、単純にブーブー言うのが好きなんだろうね。やっぱり、そういう自分は変わらない（笑）」
"I really, honestly think nothing of cutting my hair for a work role. I don't really have any preferences when it comes to the style. But when the drama staff told me to please cut my hair for the role, I complained quite a bit. For some reason, I just like to whine. I guess that part of me will never change. (laughs)"