#yuji kunimoto

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Caption: "how are you guys so close to each other?" Masataka Bandoh, their team principal: "I think they're dating." x

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Tadasuke Makino photographed by Yuji Kunimoto

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nyck + yuji at the motegi autograph sesh (aug 24 2024) !! X , X

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also subjecting you to tgr volleyball

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Tadasuke Makino as photographed by Yuji Kunimoto

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autosport 20th anniversary event: 20 questions with yuji kunimoto masterpost // super duper longpost under the cut!!!

All notes will have a “note:” before them. All other parenthesis are originally in the text. Enjoy! --

(The interview took place in the driver's room inside TGR TEAM WedsSport BANDOH's transporter.) 

– Thank you for joining us today!

Yuji Kunimoto: Welcome, welcome. Would you like some coffee?

— Oh, thank you. Then please answer my questions while you make it!

Kunimoto: Sure!

(From here on, Kunimoto answers questions while making coffee.)

Q1: First question. What are your hobbies?

Kunimoto: I have many hobbies (laughs).

— You really do have a lot. Could you give us a rough list?

Kunimoto: Golf and photography are my main hobbies. Then there’s coffee, which I’ve been into lately. Guitar, piano. And shoes and clothes.

— I think it’s my first time hearing about guitar and piano!

Kunimoto: And cooking, too. Lately, I’ve been into olive oil, and sesame oil, too. I’m into oils (?).  

──Speaking of olive oil, ajillo is delicious, isn’t it?  

Kunimoto: It is delicious. I like figuring out which olive oil goes well with what, like this one for salad, this one for bread… There are so many kinds, and I enjoy searching for the right one. Well, I like everything. I like sports, too.

Q2: Let's stop talking about hobbies before we get too carried away (laughs). Second question. Are there any celebrities or famous people you're interested in lately?

Kunimoto: Hmm. Who could it be? Well, lately I've been into brewing coffee, so... what was it called again? There's a YouTube channel...

──I'll look it up (< link here).

Q3: Third question. What are your favorite books, movies, and music?

Kunimoto: I don't read manga at all, so I don't know anything about anime either. As for music, I like everything. I listen to classical music, J-POP, and Western music. Ah, but, I just remembered Sena-kun (Sakaguchi) said “the genre of music you listened to in middle school is what you’ll like for the rest of your life”. And at that time, I really liked reggae. I’m from Yokohama, so maybe that’s why I like reggae. J-reggae is great, right? (laughs) Of course, I listen to Bob Marley too, but I really like J-reggae.  

(Coffee is served)  

Kunimoto: Please have some.  

Q4: Sip. Oh, this is delicious! (It has a rich aroma and a clear flavor. It was really delicious.) Then, question 4. Where would you like to go?

Kunimoto: I’d like to go to South Africa. I want to take photos of animals.  

—We should ask the vice president of JRPA (Japan Race Photographers Association).  

*JRPA Vice President Yasushi Onisi: He does animal photography in East Africa as his lifelong mission as well as motorsports photography. 

Kunimoto: I always go to listen to his stories (laughs). I think I’ll probably go this year too.  

—Wow, that’s amazing! That’s something to look forward to.

Q5: Next question. If you could learn one new skill, what would you like to learn?

Kunimoto: Music. I want to be able to play it casually. Music requires a lot of practice. That's fun in itself, but it's nice to be able to play casually. Like being good at singing. I think people like that are great.

──You're good friends with Ren Nagabuchi (singer-songwriter ReN, who was a racing driver until 2015), right?　Do you ever jam together?  

Kunimoto: We’re close friends. We went to the studio together once, but I didn’t understand what he was saying (laughs). But I thought it was nice. Music enriches your life.  

Q6: How do you usually spend your free time on weekends?  

Kunimoto: I'm busy with my hobbies. Once, after playing golf during cherry blossom season, I went to take photos of the cherry blossoms in my golf attire with a camera, and then went to buy coffee beans afterward. My hobbies are piling up (laughs).

Q7: Next, what is the most important thing in your life?  

Kunimoto: I wonder~. I guess it’s enjoying life.  

Q8: When do you feel happy?  

Kunimoto: When I’m laughing with friends over trivial things, I feel happy~.  

Q9: Who do you admire?  

Kunimoto: My parents. They’re like the ideal family, with mutual care and trust. I admire that about them. Also, they raised us, and even though I’m over 30 now (laughs), they still keep a close eye on us, which I respect.  

(Click. Sena Sakaguchi and Kazuto Kotaka entered the room.)  

Q10: The tenth question. What has been the biggest challenge in your life so far?  

Kunimoto: I wonder. I guess it was when I participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2017. It was a huge challenge for me. I’d like to participate again if I get the chance.

—Do you have any memories from that time?

Kunimoto: It was my first 24-hour race, and Kazuki Nakajima told me, “You’ll lose weight during the race, so you should eat when you can.” I followed his advice and made sure to also eat the catering and the sandwiches meant for the mechanics.

—I see.

Kunimoto: During the race week, there was a day when we measured blood lactate levels and hydration levels to decide what drinks to consume during the drive. Everyone else chose high-quality sports drinks, but I ended up with plain water (laughs). I managed to gain weight properly. Instead of sports drinks, I was told, “You have enough energy, so just drink water” (laughs). That's one of my memories.  

──That's a bit amusing (laughs).

Q11: Next, question 11. How do you handle difficult situations?

Kunimoto: I think about it a lot.

──Doesn't that suggest you’re the type of person that tends to get stuck?

Kunimoto: Yeah, that's true (laughs). But usually, I already have the answer in my mind, but since I'm indecisive, I first think it over a lot, and once I reach my limit, I consult with someone I trust and think, “Yeah, that's right,” before taking action.

Q12: What do you think are your strengths and weaknesses?  

Kunimoto: I wonder.   

──Anyone else?  

Kazuto Kotaka: He’s always cheerful! (Immediately after saying this, his phone rings, and he leaves without finishing his sentence.)  

──What about you, Sena?  

Sena Sakaguchi: He’ll let you know if he doesn’t like something.

Kunimoto: Oh, but that might also be a strength. In a bad way, it means I'm stubborn, but I have my own beliefs and don't get swayed easily. I can work hard toward what I believe in. But on the flip side, that can also be a weakness (laughs).

Q13: What kind of child were you?  

Kunimoto: I think I was always a goofy kid. I'm the youngest with an older brother and sister, so I always acted silly to get my parents' attention.

Q14: What do other people often say about you?  

Kunimoto: Hmm... Let's ask someone else. Sena-kun, what kind of person am I?  

Sakaguchi: What kind of person you are? (note: formal speech)  

Kunimoto: ... I know you always say I’m “somewhat of a god”. 

Sakaguchi: I have never said that in my life(laughs). Well, you’re someone who has clear likes and dislikes. You’re easy to understand. You’re not someone I find difficult to read. You are very evidently very transparent.

──Are you mocking him a bit?  

Sakaguchi: A bit... well more than just a bit (laughs).  

Kunimoto: Quite a lot~ (laughs).  

(Everyone bursts into laughter)  

Q15: Now for question 15. If you were compared to an animal, what animal would you be?  

Kunimoto: I've never been compared to an animal. A dog, maybe? Hmm... A lion because they’re the king of beasts? 

──That's so random (laughs).  

Kunimoto: A rabbit because I get easily lonely? I don't really know.  

──From here on, the questions are related to the number “20.” Please tell us about a store or restaurant you've visited over 20 times.  

Kunimoto: There are plenty of those (laughs). Hmm... Well, let's go with this one. There's a Japanese cuisine and eel restaurant called Edo Toku in Yokohama's Bashamichi area, and I've been there about 20,000 times (laughs). I have friends there too.

Q17: This is something most people would answer “no” to, but is there anything you've been using for over 20 years?  

Kunimoto: Hmm... I don't think so. Maybe if I go back to my parents' house... What age was I 20 years ago? 15? ... My luggage case! This one! A Rimowa carry-on case! (note: in the original article, there is a photo of it!) I've been using it for over 20 years. I've been using it since I was a kid, and it's been with me to Europe and all sorts of places.

—Indeed, there are sponsor stickers from when you were younger still on it. That’s amazing.  

Q18: What were you doing 20 years ago?  

Kunimoto: I was doing karting. Oh, maybe around the time I was moving up to single-seaters.  

Q19: What would you like to tell yourself from 20 years ago?  

Kunimoto: Nothing really… But I guess I’d say that I want him to do what he loves and live fully. 

Q20: This is the last question. Where do you see yourself in 20 years?  

Kunimoto: Well, I guess I want a happy family.  

──We’re hoping you’ll join JRPA someday (laughs).  

Kunimoto: Maybe in 20 years, I’ll be a pretty high-ranking member of JRPA (laughs).  

＊　＊　＊  

And so, the questions were filled with Kunimoto’s unique hobbies. Stay tuned for next time!

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Note: I have the little ~ endings until a certain extent, but he has a lazy, catlike drawl to his words. I was using the ~ but I realized he sounds so .. fictional? LMAO so I stopped, but imagine he’s dragging his words, especially when having a thought. Think: “I wonderrr???” 

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yuji kunimoto’s instagram story

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tadasukemakino_official on instagram: "lost our jobs, so it's time to study" with kazuto kotaka, riki okusa, and yuji kunimoto in the stands kakunoshin_ohta on instagram: "day1 :check: tomorrow's gonna be a day of searching for more grip" to which tadasuke responds "i'm starting with becoming a tire emotionally" since it's a photo of him within all the tires