Feature 006
The Shishikui Boys
Go Surfing
Text by Three O Three
Photography by Keisuke Fukamizu
Wan Wan / Kunihiko Inuo (303 Advertising)
Videography by Jet Akira
Photography by Keisuke Fukamizu
Wan Wan / Kunihiko Inuo (303 Advertising)
Videography by Jet Akira
Feature 006 | The Shishikui Boys |
Text by Three O Three
Photography by Keisuke Fukamizu
Wan Wan / Kunihiko Inuo (303 Advertising)
Videography by Jet Akira
Photography by Keisuke Fukamizu
Wan Wan / Kunihiko Inuo (303 Advertising)
Videography by Jet Akira
Go Surfing
「海、連れていってもらえますか」
今からちょうど四半世紀前の1996年。11歳の辻裕次郎はサーフィンを始めました。130センチにも満たない小さな身体で、当時流行りだったローラブレードを巧みに操りビーチウォークを演技するように走り回る姿に、その才能の片鱗をうかがわせていました。裕次郎の後を追うように「サーフィン教えてもらえますか」とシェイプルームの扉をノックした中学生の百々晃弘と永原レキ。3人のサーファーとしての道はそこから始まりました。
「レキ、サーフィンしないのか」と放課後、町の小さな書店のゲーム機に友達と集う彼に、挨拶のように語りかけていた公平さん。なかなかレキが腰を上げなかったのは幼い頃、父に連れていかれた波のある海でとても怖い思いをしていたからでした。
“Can you give me a ride to the beach? Please ?“
Yujiro asked, politely. He was only 11 years old, year 1996. It is over quarter century ago… He was a super mini grom, about 4 feet short, but we knew his athletic ability by watching him on ( then popular ! ) Roller Blade as he was a regular on the beach walk where we surf. Right around that time, bit older boys, Junior High freshman, also knocked on Kohei’s shape room, asking to see if he can take them to the beach for surfing. Akihiro Dodo and Reki Nagahara. Those 3boys’ long road to become a “ Surfer “ begun that day. (Reki’s dad, Leo Nagahara was a well known early days surfer, but he had vanished from the scene long ago. Since Kohei know Leki has it in his DNA, he was always asking to see if he would like to surf, but it took a bit of a time until Reki shows interest. ) Kohei often spot Reki at the TV game machine in the small book store after school hours, and always asked him if he is ready to start surfing. There is a reason that he was hesitant. His dad took him to the beach when he was really young, and he almost drawned. But by the time he started theJunior High School, he overcome that memory.
徳島県最南端に位置する宍喰（読みはシシクイ。現在は3町合併により海陽町）は、大きな透き通った空と海の町。すぐそこのトンネルを抜ければ高知県という土地。そこから車で10分ほどのサーフィン専用ビーチ、生見海岸が彼らの放課後の練習場でした。お父さん、お母さんが送り迎えをし、一日が終わるという毎日。お父さんもお母さんも忙しい時には、公平さんに「海、連れていってもらえますか」と電話がかかります。一番送り迎えをしたのは裕次郎でしょうか。公平さんはシェイプの途中でも「いいよ」と即答。公平さんやファクトリーのメンバーが車を走らせました。シェイプルームの３軒隣に暮らしていたアックン（百々晃弘）、少し離れた丘の上に暮らすレキが便乗することもしばし。波の良い日も悪い日も、雨の日も快晴の日も、その限られた時間の中でサーフィンすることが彼らにとっては楽しすぎる遊びでした。毎日サーフィンを続けることで、知らないうちにできないことができるようになり、サーフボードは大きなサーフボードから少しずつシェイプアップされていき、彼らそれぞれが自分に合ったサーフボードを手にするまでにそれほど時間はかかりませんでした。
「海からの帰り道、大きなカーブのところにアイスクリームの自販機がありました。暑い夏、公平さんは必ずそこに車を停め“アイスクリームを食べるとサーフィンが上手くなるよ”と言って僕らにアイスクリームを買ってくれました。笑」と、レキは当時の思い出を語ります。アイスクリームを食べながら弾む会話。時には誰かが歌い始める歌に合唱が始まっていました。今日の波はどうだった、誰がこんなサーフィンをしていた、僕はこんなサーフィンをした、こんなことができるようになった。もっとこうすれば良かった。明日はこうしよう。みんなが同じ気持ちで海へ向かっていた、懐かしい、コンビニエンスストアーなどまだ町には無かった時代の甘い、たおやかな思い出です。
Shishikui Beach ( current name is Kaiyo-cho due to the restructure of the smaller cities around here) , located at the south tip of Tokushima prefecture. This beach town is surrounded by the largest, clearest sky and have the beast beach in the area. Next surf town Kochi is right around the corner, pass the short tunnel. Those 3 boys started to surf every day together at the beach ever since. Their parents drove them as soon as the school is over, then pick up right at the dusk. When their parent can’t shuttle them, Kohei always chipped in his time. May be he did it for Yujiro the most, but he never minded to do so, even while he was in the middle of shaping. If he is unable, other factory guys helped. Akkun ( Akihiro Dodo ) lived just 3 doors down from the factory, so he often dropped by asking for a ride to the beach, often with Reki. He lived little further down the hill. Rain or shine, every day, small or big, even the flat day…They didn’t have all day because of the school, but they enjoyed the limited time that was allowed for them to surf. It is the best thing to do, too much fun for them. Without them knowing it, their surfing was getting better pretty quick, also the surfboard are getting shorter and customized to match their style. It didn’t take too long for Kohei to shape something special for each of them. Reki remembers…. “ Kohei san always bought us ice cream from the bending machine, at the corner of that big curve, and always told us that ice cream will make us surf better ! “. I can imagine their conversation in the wagon while they lick the ice cream. Sometime, they sang along, or comment each other’s surfing, or just talked about the best wave they caught during the session, thinking about what to do in the next session. No cellphone to stare down at that time, or Seven Eleven to buy more than ice cream, but it was a simpler time with sweet memories.
「プロサーファーになりたい」
もしもサーフィンをしていなければ、おそらく18歳になるまではこの町からどこへも出て行かなかっただろう彼らはやがてコンテストがひとつの目標になり、選手として日本各地のサーフィンのメッカへ向かうことになります。たくさんのサーフィン友達ができたのもその頃です。そして、冬休みには公平さんに連れられてハワイ・ノースショアへ。ビッグウエイブの扉を叩くことになりました。初めてのノースショアは、裕次郎12歳、レキ、アックンが高校１年生。日本人のティーンエイジャーがノースショアへ行くなどまだ稀な時代。今から思えばビッグチャレンジに後退りしても良いはずなのに、いつの間にか彼らは３０３チームの行く道の後ろに並んで歩いていました。ハワイに暮らす友人や日本から修行に来たプロサーファーたちからも可愛がられ、見守られ、タイミング良くパイプラインマスターズを波のブレイクするすぐそこで観戦し、世界のトップサーファーのサーフィンを目の当たりにしました。
余談ですが、初めてのハワイ。美しすぎるハワイの風景にたいていの人は歓喜はずなのに、彼らが暮らす宍喰町と自然環境では同じバイブレーションなのか、彼らは瞬時に馴染んでいきました。代わりにハンバーガーやプレートランチを「むつこい（味がしつこい）」と嫌がり、夜は公平さんとお茶漬けを食べている姿が懐かしく思い出されます。
そして、プロサーファーになりたいという気持ちが芽生えたノースショアでもありました。みんなが同じ目標を胸に抱き、それからはさらなる切磋琢磨の日々が始まっていました。
“ I want to be a Pro Surfer ! “
If they didn’t surf, they were likely to stay here until they are done with High School, but as soon as they started to compete, they began to visit surf towns all over Japan. Major contest is usually held at the “ Mecca of Surfing “ in the area, and they made a lots of friends there during that course of time. On the winter break, Kohei took them along to North Shore, their introduction to the Big Wave surfing. Yujiro was 12 & other boys were 16. There were not too many Japanese boys that young surfing North Shore that time, and they could have been easily discouraged, but they never complained or backed off. They tagged along and surfed any point Kohei took them to. Many of Kohei’s friends on the Northshore looked after them, teach them lessons and wisdom. They are really lucky to have that support system. They were at final’s day of Pipeline Masters, on the sand, and saw the performance of world level surfing during the visit. It is interesting that all the boys never were home sick during the trip to North Shore. May be because Shishikui Beach, is in the country side of Japan and not too much difference from there. Only the wave is little bigger…I believe the vibe is too similar and boys were able to just step right in there. Only the draw back was the food. Japan’s country food are tend to be simple, with enhanced material flavor, not with the strong spice and sauce. They grew up on that flavor, and French fries & Hamburger, or Hawaiian Plate Lunch can be bit too much for them. I remember they often come back to the house and enjoyed simple meals like Ochazuke, ( Rice with Green Tea ) with Kohei often. This experience at the North Shore, gave them a dream to become a professional surfer. They all have the same dream and started to compete against each other.
それぞれの道、それぞれのスタイルで
やがて少年たちはそれぞれがぞれぞれの現実と向き合い、それぞれの夢に向かって歩く道をかえていくことになりました。
大学へ進学し、東日本へ向かったレキは学生生活とサーフィンを両立させてNSSA(日本学生サーフィン連盟)のチャンピオンになり、卒業後は故郷へ戻らずカリフォルニアへ。帰国後は湘南・茅ヶ崎、東京。再び海を渡ってオーストラリアへ、サーフボードとギターを抱えて長い放浪の旅に出かけました。そして滞在したメルボルン市が掲げる“Think Globally , Act Locally”というスローガンに出会うべくして出会い、故郷で生き抜く覚悟を決め、“藍”を軸にしたライフワークを続けています。
アックンは、高校卒業後、千葉に暮らしプロサーファーを目指しましたが「２年経ってもプロサーファーになれなかったら、家業を継ぐ」という両親との固い約束どおり、空と海の町へ戻り、家族を持って今では地元で大きな自動車関連会社の社長です。
裕次郎だけは“プロサーファーへの夢”を16歳、千葉・鴨川で行われていたプロアマコンテスト13位入賞で実現しました。「公平さん、プロサーファーになりました」という裕次郎からの短い電話を受ける後ろ姿は喜びにあふれ、もしかしたら空を仰ぎ涙していたのかも知れません。裕次郎がそれからもたくさんの喜びを３０３チーム、この町に暮らす人たちに与えてきたかは言うまでもありません。頑張れ、裕次郎。走れ、裕次郎。大きなプレッシャーであったかも知れないけれど、これでもかと日本はもとより世界を転戦してゆきました。そして2014年、日本のプロサーフィンチャンピオンに輝いたことは、彼と私たちの大きな財産となりました。その後も裕次郎は最前線のプロサーフィンの中に身を置き、サーフィンを磨き、現在も日本のトップランカーであり、サーフィンスキルでは誰もが認める本格派サーファーであり続けています。
裕次郎がプロサーファーになった年のTVインタビュー。「辻くんにはどんなサーファーになって欲しいですか？」のインタビュアーの問いに、期待された“チャンピオンになって欲しい”という言葉ではなく「いいサーファーになって欲しいですね」と答えた公平さん。いいサーファーとは？―――前進すること、一生懸命にサーフィンに向かうこと、どんな波にも乗れること、どこへ行っても静かに大きなサーフィンをすること。サーフィンの素晴らしさを伝え続けること―――千葉公平というサーファーが歩いた道のあとに根付いた３本の樹“The Shishikui Boys”。彼らそれぞれの木の幹にまた新しい枝が育つことを願ってやみません。
Separate ways, with Different styles
After a while, boys faced the facts and decided to walk the different path, but still with their dreams in mind. Reki decided to study at collage , and enrolled to the school near Tokyo. He still surfed as much as he could, and became NSSA ( Nippon Student Surfing Assn. ) Champion. After graduation, he moved to California for a while, then back to Japan and settled the big surf town, Chigasaki, Shonan. Then, decided to explore Australia, with Surfboard and Guitar in his hand. During his stay in Melbourn , he noticed the slogan saying “ Think Globally, Act Locally “ . He left his home for quite some time ago, and this gave him a reason to go home. Now he is back here, and established his life work around the traditional local Indigo dye, Aizome. Akkun, moved to Chiba, “ The Mecca” of Professional Surfing after High School but he have promised his parents that he will be back home if he couldn’t qualify within 2 years. His parent runs Car dealership and now he is a successor of that business. Married and happy. Yujiro was the only one who realized to become a Pro Surfer, and does it quite well. When he was 16, he was qualified as a professional , placed 13th at Pro Am contest held at Kamogawa Beach, Chiba. Kohei received a short phone message from him that time, and he was overjoyed. May be Yujiro was tearful at the other end of the phone line,too. After that, he was running very successful carrier as one of the best surfers of Japan. Not only for the team 303 but all the towners of Shishikui, enjoyed countless joy of hearing his successful run in the surf league. He kept running and challenged the world level. Despite the pressure. He never held back and kept challenging. He became Japanese Champion in 2014, and we are all very proud of him. He still surfs every day, still trying to sharpen up the skills, and still ranks high in the JPSA rankings. He is recognized as “ genuine “ as it gets, in terms of Japanese Professional Surfer. Back when Yujiro qualified as a pro, Kohei had a TV interview, as one of his strong supporter. He was asked “ What do you wish for Yujiro to become ? “ He could have answered “ I expect him to become a champion “ but instead, he said “ I want him to be a good surfer . “ For Kohei, the good surfer means : The surfer who keep progress, always face straight to surfing, who can ride any type of waves, wherever he goes, surf big and quiet, and most importantly keep advocating the greatness of Surfing. Kohei paved the road in Shishikui Town, and 3 boys became 3 different trees on the road. I wish each tree will branch out and show some way to the next generation.
2020年夏。思いもしない現実と向き合うことになったCOVID-19によるパンデミック。それでも海も波は変わることなく、そこにあり続けてくれました。四国に点在するビーチ、リーフ、河口。豊かな地形がもたらす波が変わらないでいてくれことは、パンデミックの中の救いでした。サーフィンに助けられた日々でした。７月初めのアーリーシーズンの四国。ラインナップにはチーム３０３の姿がありました。それぞれがお気に入りのサーフボードで、それぞれのスタイルで。サーフィンだけに一生懸命向かっていました。
https://vimeo.com/540506288
https://vimeo.com/81307044
