[Translation] 2004 Myojo : Arashi's birthday Stories

Because someone will turn 31^st this month, I will repost this story from tsutaetaikoto blog. I just found it today, so I think I must share this Arashi’s birthday story to all of Arashi’s fans. Douzo~

 (photo) Arashi fanclub pamphlet 2012 summer issue (c) tumblr

(2004) Myojo: Arashi's birthday Stories

Aiba Masaki’s Birthday Story

The birthday greetings onstage were really touching

"When I was little, we’d have a party at home. After my parents bought the cake from the cake shop nearby, I would shout out in school, “Today’s my birthday, won’t you come over to play?”, and we would play together.” Inviting people over on the very day itself? “Children don’t have any particular schedule. Even if they said, “I have something planned already”, I’d say, “Then take a break~” (laughs). As for presents from friends, I’ve received a lot of stationery like desk pads and erasers.” Aiba-chan’s birthday is on Christmas Eve. When he receives only one present which doubles as both his birthday and Christmas present, doesn’t he think it’s cunning!!? “Yes. I never thought about anything like that. My younger brother’s birthday is in November, and as both he and I buy and receive presents only on our birthdays, I’ve always felt, “December is my turn”, because in my home “Christmas=My birthday”. Most of my presents are games, but even if I didn’t have [the game] myself, my friends and I borrow and lend each other games, so as long as one of us has the game it’s all right.” The happiest birthday he has had so far is when his birthday was celebrated onstage in concert. “All of a sudden, the flow of the concert changed, and a song that was different from [the one that played during] the rehearsal played. I was panicking by myself, “Oh no! Trouble!! Have to do something!!” There wasn’t any time to see how the other members were or anything. But when I listened to the song carefully it was “Happy Birthday”, and a cake had been prepared on the stage. I was really touched!”

Ninomiya Kazunari’s Birthday Story

I like celebrating others’ birthdays more than my own

“When it comes to birthdays, I don’t have that good an image of them. I don’t like people throwing a party for me or anything like that. Although my family once bought a cake and celebrated my birthday for me at home when I was small, I generally hate cakes, so I wasn’t delighted. Though I’d eat it if it were an ice-cream cake. The guys around me too, there aren’t many of them who would do something ‘high colour’ during their birthday parties,” says Nino who speaks coolly about his birthday memories. He welcomed his milestone 20th birthday on the set of the drama :“I received all kinds of presents from my co-stars. I got greetings from people such as Danta (Yasunori)-san, although was just the second day since we first met, and I felt pretty bad.” Although he has a weakness when it comes to receiving celebrations and greetings, he likes giving greetings. It seems that the presents he gives the other members are quite original. From Ohno, we learn, “I’ve ever received a swim cap and goggles from Nino.” “That’s because Leader usually doesn’t wear a hat or sunglasses. It’d be bad if he got recognized while walking in the streets wouldn’t it? Thinking it fit Leader, I gave him [the swim cap and goggles] to disguise himself.” Although on the contrary it would be rather attention-grabbing instead… “Is that so? That’s about the same as the whole-body tights I gave Aiba-chan—a present that I quite like myself (laughs). Actually, I’ve already decided on my present to Sho-kun (25th January)~~~Although not yet for Aiba-chan’s present”. What kind of surprise is he planning to give next!?

Matsumoto Jun’s Birthday Story

My sister and I saw our mother baking a cake

“It so happens that there are people around me like my cousin and my friend who share the same birthday, and that’s somehow unbelievable isn’t it?” MatsuJun’s birthday, 30 August, happens to also be that of Cameron Diaz and Jun’s senior in Johnny’s Jimusho, Satoh Atsuhiro. “On my birthday in 2003, I made a phone call to Atsuhiro-kun, and the two of us said “Happy birthday!” to each other.” When he was little he would gather his friends and they would have a birthday party. “I got along well with my parents, so my friends were often invited to my house for the birthday celebrations. At home, my mother would bake a cake for me. It would be handmade from sponge (okay, the edible kind of sponge cake…), and iced with real cream…as much as I could I would stand beside her with my sister and watch her bake. I remember blowing out the candle flames with a “fu—” at the party. For presents, I probably got games mostly. Thinking of it now, I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but I don’t feel uncomfortable about getting toys [for presents]. When people buy me what I wanted, I’m delighted.” Thanks to that, even now he makes sure he doesn’t forget his presents to his family members. “In 2003 I got my sister wine and my father a western suit. Whenever I see my father at home, and he’s wearing the suit I gave him, I’ll feel really shy. My father knows about this too, so he hardly wears it when I’m at home (laughs). On my 20th birthday, when I was in the resting room of “NamaArashi”, I received a “Happy birthday” mail from my mum and was really happy. It seems that my mother felt how special that day was more than I did.”

Sakurai Sho’s Birthday Story

“Kanpai!” with friends at a family restaurant is a basic isn’t it!?

“If you ask about birthdays, my most memorable was when I was in the 4th grade. As a combined birthday celebration with some friends in my class, we borrowed the baseball diamond at the outer gardens of the Meiji Shrine, and everyone played baseball. I think nearly all the boys in the class came. At that time, in the diamond next to us, Takeshi Gundan’s team was playing baseball too! [Takeshi Gundan: In short, Beat Takeshi (Takeshi Kitano)’s team of followers etc]. So, we all went to watch them—. What I remember even now is, I got the signatures of Ide Rakkyo-san and Dankan-san on the Star Wars handkerchief I had with me. As we seldom got to meet people in the entertainment circle, everyone was really thrilled—.” For Sakurai’s own birthday, eating cake with his family while the video camera rolled was a staple when he was small. “The other day when I was looking for photos to use for the Film Concert I noticed that I’ve loved chocolate cake since I was a little kid [actually he uses the word “Gakincho” which translates to ‘childish’], on my 1st birthday as well as my 2nd, it was chocolate cake(laughs).” But spending his birthday with his friends in a family restaurant become the norm in the recent years….!? “During senior high school and university, my birthday was right in the exam period, so it wasn’t the time for that. Mostly, I would be studying with my friends, and then past 12am they’d go, “Ah, tanjoubi omedetou! [happy birthday]!!”, and we would just clink glasses with our drinks at the drink bar!? In just a flash, filled with the birthday mood, we’d start studying for our exams again.” He’s a 4th year student in university now. In March 2004 he will graduate. Welcoming his birthday while studying will soon be a thing of the past.

Ohno Satoshi’s Birthday Story

The first birthday after entering Jr. was a big impact!

“Even though it was my birthday, I just ate cakes at home,” says Ohno about his childhood. He realized that birthdays were events after he entered Jr. “One day, there was someone who received quite a few times more presents than usual from fans, and while I wondered, “Why’s this so--?”, it turned out to be that person’s birthday. Although I was worrying, “Awesome! I wonder if I’ll receive them too when it’s my turn?”,when it was my birthday, I received such a large amount of presents from fans too, to the extent that I went, “What’s this?”. I noticed that I received all sorts of presents that I could possibly receive. Suits, shoes, bags…mostly wearable stuff. Really, it was an impact, my 15th birthday! At that time, I didn’t take taxis or anything like that, so while holding presents that I could barely carry with just 2 hands, I took the train home. That was probably what attracted so much attention. Like, who’s this guy? (laughs). Thinking about it now it was embarrassing. But I was so happy then that I didn’t notice that. Those presents from my fans, I’ve never thrown them away and still have them even now.” It seems that in Ohno’s family, whenever someone’s birthday draws close, they’ll discuss through e-mail what presents to give… “Of course my family exchanges presents too. Isn’t it normal to do so!?” It’s proof of how close knit they are. “ I’ve received from them things like bicycles and art supplies that I wanted. They’d have bought me just exactly what I’d wished for, even though I don’t remember requesting, “I’d like this! ~”

How about the stories? They will apreciated the gifts that they received. As arashians, I’m glad at that time they still remember their birthday time when they kid. So, Happy early birthday Sho-chan ! Enjoy your weekend, Admin deshita~ (^0^)/