Inside Story -hWHERE IS YOUR COUNTRY?h by Michihiko Yanai

Born in Fukushima Prefecture 1964. Graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts in 1990 majoring in design.
After graduation started working for Hakuhodo Inc., until 2003. Establishes Kaze to Rock the same year. In February 2004, opens a shop/gallery/office space Kaze to Rock Revolutions. In May 2004, establishes Kaze to Ballad. In April 2005,
rolls off the first issue of gMonthly Kaze to Rockh (price: free)
Major works include Tower Record gNO MUSIC, NO LIFEhcampaign, Morinaga ghi-chewh,
Fuji Television gKikkake wa Fuji TVh, Shiseido gunoh, Fuji Photo Film gPHOTO ISh, Recruit gRikunabi NEXTh,
Nintendo gGAMEBOY microh, Suntory gMonitor Manh, Nagatanien + Morinaga + Kincho + Tsumura + Mister Donut gRoulette Commercialh, Tamio Okuda 10th anniversary gDramercialh (KOSE + FUJI Photo Film + Asahi Beer + MAZDA), Sambomaster, Suneohair, art work for Yosui Inoue, gKaze to Rock Yanai Michihiko and 21st Century Advertisementh (Shobunsha), gNO MUSIC, NO LIFE, AD COLLECTIVEh (Magazine House), and gKaze to Rock Special Issueh(Parco).
www.kazetorock.co.jp








What is your name?

Michihiko Yanai

Which country do you wish to represent?

Japan

What did you have in mind when creating your T-1 T-shirt design?

On the last day of Kaze to Rock Fes 2006, Yamaguchi, the vocal of Sambomaster started singing Kimigayo (Japanese national anthem) with the audience. He shouted gI'm not singing this song for Japan! I'm singing it for world peace and for love!h, and he yelled at me for not singing together with him.
It made me think about gJapan as a member of the worldh, not just gJapanh in itself.

What sort of places or situations will best fit your T-shirt design, do you think?

This t-shirt is a world atlas, Japan placed at the heart.
At a beer pub in Germany, people from all around the world are watching the World Cup games.
A Japanese will point at his/her heart and proudly say, "This is where I'm from!"
All the people around him/her will start pointing at their homeland, around the shoulder bone, ribs, stomach, right chest, waist, belly button, and so on, so forth!

Has your final T-shirt design turned out the same as you initially imagined it would?

Initially it was totally different. It had "JAPAN" in red in the front, "NIPPON" in the back, and the national flag on the sleeve. It was a t-shirt that you can wear to any international game.
But at the last moment, I switched it to what it is n now. Suddenly, I wanted to create a t-shirt that can empower communication.

When you were designing your T-1 T-shirt, how did the process compare with your normal work?

It forced me to think about Japan in a lot of ways.

Please give your T-shirt a name.

WHERE IS YOUR COUNTRY?

Please give us a message to all the people who visit the website, to spark their interest in your T-shirt.

WHERE IS YOUR COUNTRY?

If there is any music that would best fit your T-shirt design, please let us know.

Rock'n'roll music by Sambomaster.

Is there any strikingly memorable or impressive T-shirt that you remember?

The green t-shirt that always looks good on Mineta-kun of Ginnan BOYZ.

What is your favorite food?

Strawberries.

Are there any countries that you'd like to travel, if you had the chance and time?

An advertisement company in Amsterdam, Kessels Kramer.

Are there any people, things, happenings, that have especially influenced you?

Kiyoshiro Imawano

What do you want most? Anything?

Gibson L-CENTURY 30s SB

Is there anything that you recommend us to check out? Any items, events, etc?

Matsui's broken wrist.

Who would make you most pleased if they were to wear your T-shirt?

Kazushige Nagashima, Sadaharu Oh, Senichi Hoshino.

If you have any news or information about your recent or upcoming activities, please let us know.

The treasure issue of the red ink free paper gMonthly Kaze to Rockh (price: free), gKaze to Rock Special Editionh, is published from Parco Publishing.