News Yamashita Tomohisa filmed in Tokyo

Yamashita Tomohisa has been busy performing as a member of NEWS, and also as an actor for an upcoming drama. At one film location he encountered snowfall. It was his first time in quite a while to see snow. Yamashita reminisced about old times. "When I was in elementary school, I placed snowflakes on my palm and tried to see the little crystal shapes just by watching intently with my bare eyes. I was dead serious (laugh)."

Yamashita also said that as he grew up there were fewer and fewer occasions where he could be genuinely amazed at something. Yamashita "As I grew older the things I like became clearer; they were 'music', 'dance' and 'acting'. But in turn I stopped taking notice about things that I wasn't interested in. For those things, once you experience them once or twice you eventually stop being amazed.

Today, we filmed in the suburbs of Tokyo, and one of the local kids was wearing a T-shirt that had been sold as merchandise at the concert venue [of his solo concert]. She was beaming at me, as if to tell me about the Yama-P [Yamashita's nickname] T-shirt she was wearing. That really made me happy! I became very excited to find someone who had come to my concert. Every time I see someone who's a fan of mine in a place I've never been to, it feels like a novel experience. It also made me wonder what sort of person I am from her perspective. I can't be sure, but from the way the little fan was waving at me, I think it's safe to say that she was very happy to see me too (laugh). As long as there are people that even for an instant enjoy watching me, I should continue to present to them new and impressive experiences, good music and any other stuff that I think will be great for them to see and hear."

Even though he's grown up, matters that he feels he should be serious about and must hold dear even now provides him with vital strength. Is Yamashita a precious person for you too?