Playback ’14] Shimura Ken, “Nightly Dates with Beautiful Women in Azabu-Juban” photographed by this magazine.

What did “FRIDAY” report 10, 20, or 30 years ago? In “Playback Friday,” we take a look back at the topics that were hot at the time. This time, we bring you the article “Shimura Ken, who is “fine” even though he is 64 years old, goes out with beautiful women three times a week on a daily basis,” which appeared in the June 20, 2002 issue 10 years ago.

Despite his age, Ken Shimura (70 years old) never hid the fact that he was playing around and acted in a natural way. For this reason, this magazine has captured him with beautiful women on camera many times in the past. However, after having taken pictures of him with beautiful women three times in a week, it seems that we could not resist the temptation to write about him.

I’m here every day. I really like you. ……

Shimura Ken is a well-known comedian at the age of 64 (at the time). No other celebrity has been photographed by this magazine from behind and in front so often. Three times in one week. And we are not talking about his regular TV show. This is the number of times this magazine encountered him with a woman in Azabu-juban, Tokyo. See …… for the details.

First time, May 23.

8:30 pm. Shimura was sipping a glass at the counter of “J,” a girls’ bar located in the center of the Azabu Juban shopping district. His gaze fell on Ms. A, a brown-haired, wide-eyed, chachakawa beauty standing behind the counter.

J is visible from the street through the glass, so couples passing by would peek in and murmur, “Is that her? “Isn’t that Shimura Ken over there?” Yes, Shimura frequents this place. Of course, it is Mr. A that he is looking for.

It was 1:30 a.m. and he was waiting at a nearby gas station. A Rolls-Royce with Shimura’s driver, waiting at a nearby gas station, pulls up in front of the restaurant and stops. Shimura and Mr. A, who had come out of the store at the same time, got into the Rolls-Royce and drove off into the night.

Second time, May 26.

8:00 pm. He was seated in a box on the second floor of the building at “F,” a yakiton restaurant that was also completely visible from the outside due to its glass walls. Next to him was the chubby, cute A-san again. After finishing their meal, the three of them went into a nearby restaurant called “J,” where Mr. A. and his colleague were accompanied to work together, which was a very generous gesture on Bakadono’s part.

3rd May 30.

《8:00 pm. Once again, a Rolls-Royce stops at the Azabu Juban shopping street. The driver is in trouble. Shimura emerged from the door, which had been opened with a flourish, wearing a flashy jacket and a pink cap. It was his favorite hat, which he had worn a week before. The woman who came down together with him was a beautiful woman in jeans with a great style, different from Mr. A. Shimura, who changes the women he goes with but never changes his fashion, entered the eel restaurant “S” with dignity.

Shimura, who took a beautiful woman with him on different days, was admired for his vitality. We could not help but admire his vitality.

However, it seems that his nightly drinking did not affect his health. In 2004, Shimura was hospitalized with pneumonia and subsequently quit smoking. In 2006, it was reported that he had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver, and he himself reported on his blog that , “Although it was not a detailed examination, I was told that my liver values were still poor and that I needed to take a day off from drinking. Finally, on March 29, 2008, he passed away due to pneumonia caused by a new type of coronavirus infection. His sudden death, coupled with the fact that it was caused by a new type of corona, an unknown virus, sent shockwaves throughout the world.

At the time, when this magazine was covering the Azabu Juban area, we saw Mr. Shimura’s car almost every time we visited the area. It is also noteworthy that the photographers who took the pictures were all different. In fact, he probably went there every day.

Mr. Shimura’s connection to Azabu Juban began in 1982 when he bought a condominium here and began living there. He later revealed that at the time, he wanted to get along with the locals, so he helped pick up cigarette butts and trash, and attended drinking parties. Later, Mr. Shimura moved to the suburbs, but he continued to go to this town as usual. Even after this article was published in 2002, until four months before his death, this magazine reported many times on Shimura walking around the town with a woman.

There are a number of restaurants in Azabu Juban where Mr. Shimura is said to have frequented. The great comedian who loved alcohol and women is still alive among the people of Azabu Juban.