Zunbara Zuihitsu Chapter 8 “Autograph Session Findings”

 Hey everybody! I went to an autograph session!

-- Osaka, 80 people, including 4 women (5% on sales tax)

-- Kyoto, 71 people, including 5 women (amongst, 1 attended with a child - a male)

-- Nagoya, 30 people, including 3 women (10% as expected from a local)

-- Tokyo, 116 people, including 6 women (plus an anonymous maid in a yukata)

-- Hakata, 38 people, including 9 women (amongst, 1 attended with a child - another male)

Total: 335 attendees, including 27 women. Oh man! All I saw were guys!

I arrived at the new Osaka Station via a Shinkansen [bullet train] at midday, August 4th, where it was a scorching 38°C. I got interviews for a town magazine and Osaka Shimbun [now Sankei Shimbun] before taking the JR train to Kobe in the evening. After abandoning my luggage at the hotel, I had dinner at a Chinese restaurant catered at Chinatown; it was light and tasty. At 9:00PM, I entered Radio Kansai. Iwachan [Kazuo Iwasaki] and Kaorin [Kaori Minami] greeted me with a grin. Tomoko [Kawakami] suddenly joined at her own expense. After the program concluded, we went to Hard Rock Cafe for beer. Iwachan had a sweet pinkish sake, Tomoko mimicked him. I ordered a Carlsberg and Kaorin ate calamari.

I returned to Osaka on August 5th for a signing at the CD store. There's a tulip drawing on the door of the waiting room. I guess it meant "Open the Tulip!". It's got good taste.

I took the JR Kyoto route to Kyoto, passing by a shoe store where I bought Nike sneakers before, and stopped at the CD store. I found my poster! We converted a cooking class to an autograph session at an event hall. The talk show was hosted by Kawase, where I spotted a lady in a tank top. That night, we catered for okonomiyaki near Ark Hotel. We ate ikabuta [squid pork], but was eaten up by mosquitoes. But I should be fine with chemical S.

I arrived at Nagoya in the afternoon of August 6th. Alone with Kawase, nowhere to go, we spotted Chunichi Sports. We held an autograph session at Nadia Park. That evening, we took the Tokaido route for Anjo; Kawase accompanied me.

It was the Tanabata Festival. Kawase had miso katsu at my childhood friend Mitchan's restaurant named Rairaiken while I had the Tanabata ramen. I returned back home. After a bath, me and my BABAR ate nikujaga [meat-potato], simmered eggplants and chilled tomatoes, tie-dyed first in a kirin.

I took the Tokaido line to Nagoya on August 7th. I made a guest appearance on satellite for FM Aichi in Sakae, where I talked behind the real royalties of MoeDora from 1974. In an audience of three, two of them were Kawase's staff from Bella Beaux. Then, we had udon simmered in miso at Yamamoto-ya for lunch.

I had coffee from Oshibori at Akihabara on August 19th; Ito, Kawase and Kurihara gathered. We all received Sony Vaio vinyl pamphlet pouches, then we opened a signing event at Yamagiwa Soft. I deeply apologize for having our valuable customers sit on the floor. I signed for store clerks, for manic employees, break time, greetings, and the end of the session.

At that moment, in front of the elevator, the long brunette haired klutzy clerk piped up, "You're still here?"

Masayuki Yamamoto is pissed.

I later ate Sanuki udon at the udon store on the 1st floor of the Akihabara department. I was sweating out, frustrated.

I arrived in Fukuoka via ANA on September 1st; I had Hakata style ramen and gyoza in Nakasu. The Central League season had just ended.

At noon on September 2nd, I had Hakata style ramen in Nakasu again. After a radio appearance, I drew Miffy with four junior high ladies. Then, I had coffee and matcha at Orange Country Cafe near Animap; apologized to the master for spilling some milk. Around the two-hour interval was the ANA First Class lecture, then it's the autograph session. Fans in Hakata were very enthusiastic and very heated.

I spotted a beautiful mother. A bunch of people took a bunch of photos and recorded videos. OK, I gave permission, but I uttered a disappointing comment.

"Don't sell it on Yahoo." "I wouldn't do such a thing."

Sorry if I doubt it. There's nobody like her. Not just in Kyushu, but in Tokyo, in Nagoya, or Osaka, or Kobe -- you're just too pure. Maybe I'm kinda paranoid, but somebody was selling those amazing two-shot photos at the request show. Pardon me, I just remembered.

I promised a live show in Fukuoka within two years, with love. At 7:30PM, I flew to Tokyo via ANA. I shared some presents I received -- a retort-pouch curry and a beer coupon -- with Kawase-kun and a few others. When I arrived at the Hamatsu-cho station monorail, I came up with a title concept for the Warner Box, which would become Warner Albums 'THE Pokopokkon'.

At the Yamanote station, I said farewell to Kawase in Shinjuku. Rather than hosting an autograph session, I'd say, "Woah, that was a certainly delightful gourmet tour, wasn't it?". That may be true, but I wouldn't say such a thing.

Beyond the delicious meals lay the pleasant smiles of fans. Through the lively palms lie myself, a star.

Thank you. Mwah.

Original Japanese: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17MgeenJlzDsWYYcvGyovRTc_1mmEeyC92kVrrYNtva0/edit?usp=sharing