Profile

This is a detailed profile of Tetsuya Ashida, the operator of this blog.

Here I introduce my life so far, my work, and the things I hope to communicate through this blog.

Early Life

Born on January 10, 1978.
My blood type is A—genotype AO, since my father is type O and my mother is type A.

I believe I was named Tetsuya because my father liked Tetsuya Watari of the Ishihara Gundan, a group of handsome actors emblematic of the Showa era.

Although I was not blessed with Tetsuya Watari’s star quality or talent, I did manage to reach the same height of 181 cm (according to Wikipedia). Next comes name recognition.

Growing Up in Higashimurayama, “Barely Part of Tokyo”

On paper, I was born and raised in Tokyo, but it was a commuter town that thoroughly defies the usual image of Tokyo—a rural area from which you can commute to central Tokyo if you try hard enough. It is such an in-between place that it is hard to find anything to say about it; it really has no distinguishing features.

Perhaps it is best known for “Higashimurayama Ondo,” a routine by Ken Shimura of the Drifters, a comedy group emblematic of the Showa era.
(Here we are with the Heisei era about to end, and all my examples are from Showa...)

Every day was very boring, and I was always looking for stimulation.

A Second Son Whose Attention Deficits and Lack of Cooperation Stood Out

My family consisted of my father, mother, older brother, and me—nothing unusual.
My father worked in corporate sales for an electrical equipment manufacturer, a straightforward example of a Showa-era salaryman.
My mother was a full-time homemaker; it was an extraordinarily ordinary environment.

What distinguished our household was its insistence on “being conventionally serious and diligent.”
“Go to a good university,” “Study,” “Get into a good company”—they never let up.
From as far back as I can remember, I felt unbearably stifled.

My older brother followed that approach, doing well at school and becoming the model child my parents envisioned.
By contrast, I hated complying. I was a bullied kid who did terribly at school, was hopeless at sports, and had no ability to get along with others.

But my teachers and parents only scolded me, and there was nobody on my side. Even in elementary school, all I wanted was to stop living. Remembering that time still brings a few tears to my eyes.

Finding a Dream of Entertaining People and Resolving to Change

Already unable to find hope in elementary school, I became absorbed in TV shows (especially comedy), the Famicom, and music. They were something like an emotional refuge. I enjoyed them in secret despite resistance from my parents and teachers.

“Someday, I’d like to stand in front of people.”
“I’d like to entertain people.”
“I’d like to give courage to the children of the future.”

To do that, I thought studying and at least going to university might not be such a bad idea. From my first year of junior high school, I began studying as though I were a different person. The bullying then stopped, and my grades rose to the point where it was quicker to count my rank from the top.

I think this was when I first learned to look within myself and take action instead of relying on others.
It is what people call the “inside-out” approach.

A slight digression: at my elementary school, there were orders such as “No comedy programs” and “No Famicom except on rainy days.” These went beyond school rules and could fairly be called repression.
If they found out you had broken them (if someone told on you), you would be judged in front of all the students at the end-of-day class meeting.

It is truly unbelievable. It was effectively public bullying.
It is fair to say that what they did to us was serious enough for us to have sued them.

I cannot stop feeling disgusted by Japanese school education, which I honestly believe is completely deranged.
In the near future, I will offer programs that help children thrive.

(I will add more from time to time.)