# Shibrava? Exploring the charm of working, playing, and living in Shibuya

KEYPERSON

Ballet, nor the stage of the musical,
Shibuya is a city that gives an opportunity to my life.

actressKaho Shimada

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1974, child actor debut. 1982, debut in the musical "Cinderella." The limelight in 1987, "Les Miserables", starring the number was more than 1,000 times. Elected to the world the best cast of the same work, he appeared in sight concert of the British royal family sponsored. It won the Grammy best cast album, which participated in the United States. Such as the main performer works "hunger Strait," "Romeo and Juliet," "West Side Story," "Eri Chiemi Story," "Mokuami Opera," "The Beggar's Opera," "DOWNTOWN FOLLIES". Actress, as a singer, straight plays and concerts from musicals, live, such as widely active. Art Encouragement Minister of Education Rookie, Kinokuniya theater award individual award, numerous awards such as the Yomiuri Theater Award Outstanding Actress. Currently, Osaka University of Arts professor.
This year, celebrated its 40th anniversary of debut, All Time Best "MY GRATITUDE", NEW album "song heard someday," release the other CD.

40 anniversary of the child actor debut, also called marriage 20 anniversary is just overlap, actress Kaho Shimada, who reached the milestone of life. Such as this autumn contest and of the "Shibuya Music Festival" in Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra "40th Anniversary Concert" is determined, we continue to expressive activities to more and more energetic. In this key person, always welcomed Mr. Shimada that does not likes to promote itself as the place where sparkling smile, 80s aimed at idle from the ballet girl era spent in Shibuya, and up to the fateful encounter with the musical, told the feelings which I was asked. "Blessed with a chance, has been supported in the song" is the life of Kaho's 40 years of -.

Robin-chan era, had come to the practice of ballet to Shibuya.

Speaking _ Kaho's, remember the most of the "Ganbare !! Robocon". Does it referred to as the "Robin-chan" even now?

Yes. It is said even now. But who will roughly know generation started to know the Robocon (laughs). It since is that the other 40 years ago. From time to time, to meet in the field of your work, the people of the generation, I should say embarrassed to say, "I was watching Robocon" while being plagued good to or bad's going to either be likely to (laughs).

_ Robin-chan was a ballerina, at that time, whether Mr. Kaho is I was learning to ballet?

It had been learned from the age of four. "In a child to dance ballet, but I'm looking for a child actor" is from the program producer of who over the voice, was an opportunity of appearance. Home in Aoyama, it ballet rehearsal hall was in Shibuya. Three times a week, because I had been through from Aoyama by bus in Shibuya, is a town really Shibuya with a most familiar.

It's there is Shibuya and the edge from _ childhood.

Although I live now in Setagaya, probably because you are familiar with the land, still shopping is roughly Shibuya. This time, when subjected to an interview on Shibuya, has been well well try and again feeling Do not have edge thinking. It is memories from childhood, awareness of local is very strong.

Time _ of a child, please tell me the memories and memories spent in Shibuya.

I was always walk to the Shibuya station on the way home of ballet. Per just now of Hikarie, but it was at the time Tokyu Bunka Kaikan. There is just a bus stop it was down the viaduct, was back ride from there to the bus. Because it was night when the training is completed, but did not is indeed a side trip .... But, the Tokyu Bunka Kaikan and go to see a movie with my mother, had to go to a good play in the planetarium, which was on the top floor.

Or image you like from becoming _ adult?

In the past, there was the image that the city gather adult. It is at that time, but I might be because it was a child, when or from, you feel like has changed in the town to gather at once the young people. I wonder if what was there?

_ Maybe, I guess because "SHIBUYA 109" has become a holy place of the gal in the 1990s.

You see, it is 109. Kana because By that time, it was the other I also adults? Completely, I feel that I wonder became a town of young people. It is a center city can not walk a little bit scary (laughs). So, recently a pin point dealing with Tokyu Hands and ballet supplies Chacott, Toka or went to see a concert in the Bunkamura. Because after daily car movement is large, it is also possible to shop at enters easy to Tokyu Department Store headquarters in straight parking lot from the direction Yamate Street. Rather than walk the streets, it was increasingly utilized in the pin point.

_ Currently, Shibuya Station is we are willing to re-development of large-scale, how do you see the change in the Shibuya of the city?

The would change all of the location, a friendly since I was a child, lonely speaking the real intention seems his memories disappear. But, whether the Shibuya of the city will change in any wind, whereabouts of its development is very much looking forward. In particular, since city Shibuya hill is large, I think the whole city is Do's nice if become barrier-free.

Currently, the state of Shibuya Station redevelopment progresses

From idle to the musical, I woke up in the Shibuya Parco debut.

I would like to hear more information about _ Kaho's activities. After working as a child actor, what do you have been turned-musical in the opportunity?

"Do not do the idol singer?" In the difficult time of the changeover to adult from just teenage child actor I received a story that. In that time the 80s of idle boom, before the year Seiko Matsuda, age Toshi-chan has debuted. "If do idle, can only now!" And I think, I was idle debut. But not selling like frustrating, "After all, I kana do not lend themselves to idle" the time was suffering with, and we have been happened to the story of the audition of the musical microcomputer. Where the singing and dancing was a favorite since I will be Tsu small, our play was a chance and accepted as if all at once can be, I had suddenly passed in the Cinderella role of protagonist. Shibuya Parco Seibu theater (now, Parco theater), but there I was in my debut, full of anxiety anyway. But to make on the first day, wearing a costume, emergency at the moment of standing in front of customers, something their own mysterious energy something like that was sleeping deep inside, it feels like coming out with something Paa' to. "Oh, fun! - Here it may not be my most glorious place," I was hardened to me, on the stage of the first day, "I let go in this way!" Determination.

_ It is, it is a great experience.

Anyway, it was fun. It was at that time 18-year-old convinced that "another, this only!", The idol of the office quit and sputtering, to redo the lesson. Day-to-day of auditioning and lessons while part-time job is then went for a while then.

_ What did I have a part-time job?

At the time, my father is playing the piano in the shop that Akasaka, had been asked to sing in a live jazz in front of every day where our customers. So was able to study music while working, the stage is I was able to spend the time between, which was rich without really a waste of up to ride to orbit. Among them, so as to earn the role on stage little by little, not only musical, for example, such as the appearance of to your play of "Komatsu locus" of Hisashi Inoue's, to the actress training really happy in a variety of encounter I had to.

After __ these training era, I mean that encounters with the "Les Miserables" of fate. Do you remember the time of the audition?

It is, of course, is the audition that unforgettable life. It was I think that it is too big work, 10,000 more than 2,000 applicants flooded from all over the country in a massive audition. Eponinu role that I have received is, in the higher was the role of the more than 3,000 people and the most competitive rate me "This is is no reason to pass," "major role will become famous actors." However, than that the first class of the staff comes from abroad, it was received by the feeling that "this is meaningful to participate." Primary screening, secondary, tertiary ..., and I'm there until the fourth-order examination, the end is now narrowed down to two people. In, finally passed was for you, but not believe anyhow, reality was the state that can not be accepted. The day before the press conference, it is said of a sudden I "sing to me in tomorrow's production announcement", only raise the anxiety and "do not do why to be sung only me." On the day, from the moderator, "Now, let me sing to Mr. Kaho Shimada that has been passed in the Eponinu role!" And are introduced, "Oh, I, I was really I passed!" When you are singing at the venue for the first time that feeling has been infested, there is such memories.

Has become _ now, it's Eponinu is synonymous with Shimada's.

Really appreciate it. It is encounters with Les Miserables was really lucky, I say that my big change ask works to life. Encounter is 23-year-old, asked to be allowed to participate in the long run for a long time from there, appearances count more than 1,000 times. One role to I did not even I maintain get let me play so long, much is not enough also continue to appreciate life.

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