Takehara Pistol: “It’s Always Been Fun, So I Never Felt Like I Had to Pay My Dues”

The days of traveling across the country and performing over 250 live shows a year are my foundation—an independent singer.

“The protagonists in my lyrics rarely overlap with myself. I often write about a phrase someone said or a scene that made me feel happy,” says singer-songwriter Takehara Pistol (48). 

In 1999, he formed the folk duo Yakōzen with his college classmate Hirochika Hamano (47) and began performing. Despite gaining a core fan base of music lovers, the band disbanded due to internal conflicts. Afterward, Takehara continued his creative journey solo, which he called “dosa mawari” (touring extensively), and in 2017, he made his first appearance at NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen with the song “Yo, Sokono Wakaino.”

“However, my 2019 release Oi! Oi!! is rare in that it’s actually based on my personal experiences. It’s about the time before I started making music, when I was living a messy life. So every time I perform it live, I remember the layout and smell of the apartment from that time and feel the urge to tell my younger self, ‘Get it together!’ (laughs).”

Takehara’s lyrics are both delicate and bold, soothing the dry hearts of modern people, while his powerful voice shakes the souls of his fans. Reflecting on his musical roots, he attributes them to his childhood.

“Everyone in my family, except my mom, was involved in music. My dad still plays in a Hawaiian band, my sister learned the piano, and I attended Electone classes. There was always some kind of sound filling our house.

When I was in elementary school, I sang the theme song of the anime Attack No. 1 in front of everyone during a school trip, which sparked my love for performing in front of people. From there, I gradually got more into it, and by high school, I seriously wanted to become a professional musician. I started writing original songs and sending demo tapes to record companies, but none of them worked out (laughs).”

The toughest days

After entering university, Takehara joined the boxing club and devoted himself to it, but after retiring, he was struck by a deep sense of loss.

“I think it was about 10 months between retiring from the club and forming Yakōzen. That period was the hardest. I kind of remembered, ‘Oh yeah, I had a dream of becoming a professional musician,’ but it was just lingering there in my heart. I didn’t know what to do specifically, and time just kept passing as I was drifting. That’s when Hamano-kun called me out of the blue and invited me. The song Oi! Oi!! that I mentioned earlier is about that time in my life.”

Surprisingly, he revealed that “Yakōzen was originally planned as a temporary unit.”

“We decided we’d give it our all for just one year, and if we didn’t make our debut, we’d quit. We did around 100 live shows in a year, entered auditions and contests, and thanks to the connections we made along the way, we somehow managed to debut. There were times when I was balancing part-time jobs with band activities, but it was always fun. That’s why I don’t feel like I ever had to pay my dues.”

After about 10 years of activity, the two classmates decided to bring Yakōzen to an end and go their separate ways. Takehara then traveled around the country as a solo “singer,” performing more than 250 live shows a year at small venues.

“After Hamano-kun was no longer by my side, I realized how much his piano had been supporting me musically. But I was the one who suggested the breakup, so I felt a fire inside, thinking, ‘I’ll definitely show him,’ ‘I’ll prove that breaking up wasn’t a mistake.’ It was my pride talking (laughs). I managed everything myself, from booking shows to scheduling. I was performing about six days a week, but the fact that my voice wasn’t affected by how I was feeling physically was a blessing.”

Why me?

Takehara is also well-known as an actor. He gained recognition after appearing in the 2011 film Saya Zamurai, directed by Hitoshi Matsumoto (61), and later won the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 40th Japan Academy Awards for his role in the 2016 film The Long Excuse. He expressed his desire to continue taking on acting roles as long as offers keep coming in.

“Creating a character is a really advanced skill. Professionals constantly think about their character’s backstory, and they even change their body shape and personality to match the role. I can’t do that. I just follow the director’s instructions, so I’ve never felt like I gave a good performance through my own ability. It’s a bit of a cliché, but I think most of the awards I’ve received were thanks to the directors.”

While he may have a modest view of his acting abilities, his public attention remains high. This year alone, he has already been cast in three films.

“Every time I get an offer, I honestly think, ‘Why me?’ But on a personal level, I find it fun. With music, I can confidently say, ‘Leave it to me!’ but with acting, it’s like there’s something about me that others find appealing, something I’m not even aware of. I enjoy thinking about that while I work on a role. Although, to be honest, the characters I play usually have the same hairstyle and the same acting style, so it’s basically the same role (laughs).”

As for his family’s reaction, he had something to say.

“My son used to watch me with some interest, but now he doesn’t seem to watch at all. And my wife doesn’t comment on my acting—she only talks about how bad my posture is. When I stood next to Masahiro Motoki (59) in The Long Excuse, she said, ‘Your belly’s sticking out!’ and ‘Your big skull is so noticeable!’ I’m like, ‘Watch my acting!’ (laughs).”

Admiring Tsukitei Hōsei

Takehara, who leads a busy life balancing singing and acting, finds comfort in a hobby he has been passionate about for the past two years.

“I love performing live, and acting is fun too. But it can be physically exhausting, and when I need to relax, I go to see rakugo (traditional Japanese storytelling) performances by myself. I’ve even gone to see Tsukitei Hōsei (57) in the Kinki region and Shōfukutei Tsurube (73) in Kōriyama, Fukushima Prefecture. I’m particularly a huge fan of Tsukitei Hōsei, but it’s so hard to get tickets!

In one of Hōsei’s books that I read, he wrote something like, ‘There have been many jobs I didn’t really want to do or couldn’t fully accept.’ But when I see the expression on his face during his rakugo performances, there are moments where you can glimpse the career he’s built as a comedian, Yamazaki Hōsei. It’s the same face he makes when Masahiro Chōno (61) slaps him on those variety shows. You can see the precious journey he’s been through, and while I’m laughing, it makes me a little emotional. I often go alone because I feel embarrassed if someone sees me like that (laughs).”

Reflecting on his admiration for Tsukitei Hōsei, Takehara recalls, “I thought, ‘I’d like to try rakugo just once.'”

“When I was in Yakōzen, I just rushed forward without thinking, like, ‘If you want to be a professional musician, just do live shows.’ I should have approached rakugo the same way, but I ended up listening to all these master performers and got intimidated, thinking, ‘I can’t do this.’ So I never gave it a try.”

Despite this, when asked what he wants to focus on most, Takehara smiled and said, “It’s still being a ‘utautai’ (a singer). On February 19, I released my first new album in three and a half years, Suwo~mu!!.”

“I have ambitions like wanting to top the music charts or perform in a dome, but even if I achieved that, I don’t think I’d ever be satisfied with myself. I think I’ll keep pushing myself, saying, ‘You can do better!’ all the way to the end.”

The ambitious musician was enjoying a life without a final destination.

“I’ll never be satisfied with me.”

From the March 7, 2025, issue of “FRIDAY”