BIKE JAM THIS SUNDAY! Orange County,CA

I spy...

Pics fresh off Water Color's blog - git some!!

Getting to know...

I must admit, managing riders can be difficult at times.  But when it comes to this kid it's never a dull moment.  For a 7yr old, Noah is rather soft spoken when around adults, yet all smiles when he's on that board!

So, I wanted some of our loyal readers to get to know this up-and-comer like I do.  While an interview as such can't match some shred time talk with this kid, hopefully, it will give you an idea of how positive, fun and focused this lil shred is - "If I were King" question being a prime example!  Let's put it this way, Nike has asked him to be in several SB commercials as of late.  I'm hoping they don't swoop on this kid!

A little Q&A with Keith Noah Kuwabara...

Name: Keith Noah Kuwabara (Half Brazilian/Half Japanese)
Age: 7
Resides: Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa (Japan)
Occupation: First Grader & Skateboarder

How long have you been doin' your thang?

A little over 2 years now (since I was about 4 1/2 yrs old)

What motivates you to get up in the morning?

School & Skating!

Best burrito spot? Or favorite food joint?

Tomoroshi Steak  (search：とうもろこし　ステーキ）

What's your setup?

Blind skateboard, Thunder trucks, Index wheels (50s,) and Bones bearings

Favorite type of music? Artist/group?

Michael Jackson/Jackson 5... stuff like that... just pop music in general, I guess.

Coke or Pepsi?

uuuuummmm.... Coke!  I gots ta have the Coke!

If you were in a highspeed chase...

I'd be flyin!

When I grow up...

I wanna be a pro skater and surfer!

Favorite trick?

Kick flip, Varial kick flip, Indy air and Double kick flip
 

Local session spot?

X-dome (Ebina City, Kanagawa)

Favorite ride?

...

What's your biggest accomplishment(s) so far?

Age 5: 5th place/79 competitors, Kugenuma Skatepark: Mini-Ramp Comp (Under 9);  1st Place Murasaki Sports/X-Dome Mini-ramp Comp (Under 12);  1st Place X-Dome Mini-ramp Contest (Kindergarten Class); 1st place 'High Air" Contest (Under 15)

Age 6: Making legit 12ft vertical drops and sick twistin kick flips; GATE Street Contest/Novice Class - 8th place (No age limit); 15th out of 40 at Hanakawa Skatepark's Open Amateur Class (no age limit)

And, lastly, having people always telling me I can't do something because I am "too small," but proving them wrong in the end by being able to stick it!

Give us an interesting little known fact about yourself...

On my 7th Birthday I shoved cake all in my face - what's up!?

Other interest or hobbies?

Surfing, snowboarding and traveling!

Are you competitive by nature?

Yeah, I think so.  I always want to be number one - to get that trophy!

Money's no object and you were leaving tonight, where would you go?

I would wanna go to Kelley's (Index Ink Japan rep) house!!

Morning or night ?

Night, and you know this man!

How do you continue to push yourself?

With my heart.  I just tell myself, 'you can do this!'

Where do you wanna be 5 years from now?

I wanna be on top of some mega-ramp in the States, participating in the X-games and slaying it with some gnarly backflip-based tricks!!

If I were king?

I would make the entire country a giant skateboard park and then rip it up with my friends or just anyone and everyone!!

Any shout outs to other sponsors, friends, family?

To everyone, thank you for all the support!  I love you all!!

Some interview action

We've been pretty busy these last few weeks here in Tokyo, but I recently had time to sit down with our newest rider, Dice-K Nakaura, to see what's the happs!

How long have you been doin’ your thang?

-I started skateboarding when I was 10 or somethin like that.

What motivates you to get up in the morning?

-It's cold in my room in the morning so I wake up to turn on the heater.

Best burrito spot? Or favorite food joint?

-Taco Bell fer sure man!

What’s your setup?

-Index 7.8, Thunder Lights Wides (real loose,) Index 52's, and bunch of mixed up rusty bearings.

Favorite type of music? Artist/group?

-I mostly listen to Hip-hop like Fort Minor, Biggie Smalls, Notorious BIG, Nas, and some Kanye West - just whoever I feel like listening to that day.

Coke or Pepsi?

-Coke fer sure man.

If you were in a high speed chase…

-Tokyo Drift Homies!

When I grow up…

-Moving back to the US is the first thing on my list!

Favorite trick?

-Backside Heels

Local session spot?

-I'm not really a 'local', so, I pretty much just go wherever.

Favorite ride?

-All I can ride is a bike or skateboard... so skateboard fer sure!

What’s your biggest accomplishment so far?

-Not dropping out of school and doing what I love.

Give us an interesting little known fact about yourself…

-It takes me 2hrs to just get to school from my house.

Other interest or hobbies?

-Don't even have to think about this, GIRLS!

Are you competitive by nature?

-Idk man... am I...?

Money’s no object and you were leaving tonight, where go to?

-Head to Cali!!

Morning or night?

-Nighttime is usually when I start moving about, so, night!

How do you continue to push yourself?

-"The Sky is the limit" mentality.

Where do you wanna be 5 years from now?

-Having fun with life...if I'm still skateboarding then its all good.

If I were king…

-Build the Dice-K-Mahal, foolios!

Any shout outs to other sponsors, friends, family? 

-Shout outs to Watercolor for all the support they've given me. Password for the clothing, and Shout outs to my homies GEREN, Unagin, Higuchi, Kelley, and Maruchan - Thanks guys!

Lil man, Big tricks!

I just recently got a message full of photos and the answers to the rider questionnaire from our big man in Japan, Noah!  For now check out some of these pics and after I get the questionnaire translated I'll put that beast up!

何なんだ！（笑）What in the...

What in the world is Dice-K doing tucked in that little space...?  I have yet to ask him, but I'm assuming he was hiding from someone.  Perhaps Dice-K was in the middle of saying, "I think he went that a-way!"

Rider Get-together! ライダー集まり！

Getting back into "work mode" has been rough after our consecutive 11 day Golden Week vacation.  Needless to say, good times were had (from what I can remember!)

During this time our current skate team members were able to get together for this year's AJSA National Amateur Circuit kickoff at the Nakatsukawa Skate Park!  Unfortunately, none of our riders made their way onto the podium, but they did move up in the rankings! 

And, as a little side note, the last photo is largely irrelevant to non-Japanese speakers, however, one can easily see "WATERCOLOR" all over.  In short, that column represents the rider's supporting shop.  It is easy to see that Water Color really does a superb job of supporting the growing skate community here in Japan - big ups to them!! 

**NEWS**  
Stay tuned for more info regarding a new shop (pics coming soon!!)

Hirai (left), Noah (center), Dice-K (right)

Water Color Riders + Park Party

Nagoya's Water Color is a skate shop that truly supports their local shred community.  If you ever have time to check out their website you can't help but notice that they upload pics and videos from their shop almost everyday.

I think Higuchi-san takes pride in his shop.  He can be a bit shy at first but you get talking about shredding or the likes and he's a different guy - he's passionate.  Glad to have him stoked on the Index Ink goods!

And, earlier this month at Kamome Skate Park the boys held a little get together - "Park Party!" - where a lot of the local community just got together to... well... shred!  It appears one of the reasons for this was the park just had a new section added to it, so... yeah... there ya go!

Anywho, have a look see and enjoy some local Japanese shreds having a blast.  I'm not gonna lie, seeing these guys so amped up makes me wanna get out there and shred! (Index Riders "UP" 0-0:22, and, "Dice-K 1:03-1:17)  宜しく〜！

New Rider + Hot Rods = マジ最高〜！w

"Behind every challenge lies an opportunity."

I firmly believe this to be true.  Amidst all of the negative press concerning Japan with the earthquake, tsunami, constant aftershocks and most recently the meltdown of the Daiichi Fukushima Nuclear Plant there are some positives to be seen.

Prologue....if you will

I see a lot of skaters not only in the Tokyo area, but also on my business trips around Japan.  Even though skating is a small part of our industry as a whole, I feel that skateboarding can be seen as the "gateway" sport (drug) to the action sports industry.

In the past, Japan has had small, what I will dub, 'interest bubbles' driven purely by mass appeal and hype and superficial understanding, but I think the small core of Japanese riders who rode it out planted the seed well.

I am fairly confident that skateboarding is not only "here to stay", but to grow and foster a positive image and interest *not only* for itself but for our industry as a whole.  I am totally stoked on this!!
 

☆ NEW RIDER ☆

Index Ink Japan is stoked on bringing Dice-K (Daisuke) Nakaura to the forefront and throwing him on our flow team.  Judging by some of his recent activities this 15yr old is going to turn heads in a few years!

I recently talked with him on the phone only to find out that he *just* came back from America.  Not only that, but he lived there for about 10yrs.  He got into skateboarding while in the states and having come back to Japan recently has been tearing it up his hometown of Nagoya!

This past weekend he and our other rider "UP" were at the "JOINTS CUSTOM BIKE SHOW 2011" where they did some shredding and put on a demo or two for the folks taking in some classic American iron!

For now, check out the pics and stay tuned for an updated bio on Dice-K and some new shop info!!

Japan - Post Earthquake Happenings

Well, truth be told, since the big earthquake and subsequent Tsunami on March 11th we've had little time to rest.  Earthquakes and aftershocks are more or less daily occurrences.  In fact, according to the Japanese media, they recently stated that there were something along the lines of 100+ aftershocks *and* earthquakes within the ensuing week.  And,  as of today I am assuming that number has more or less doubled.

Some friends of mine who are affiliated/have their own congregation (Church) here in Tokyo were able to get special permission from the Japanese government to travel on the highways despite heavy heavy restrictions on travel - your average Japanese person had no such privilege.

Even though I am not a religious person the people at Kamizoku Church in Tokyo were incredibly kind to me and allowed me to tag along and help out.  They were receiving semi-truck loads of goods from the US bases near Tokyo and doing their best to bring it up in smaller car loads so as to target the relief centers most in need.

  
So, a week after the Earthquake, on the 18th, I headed up to the disaster areas with the aforementioned people to help out with the relief effort.  I spent a few days in Natori (Sendai) and went to 6 or 7 Relief/Refugee Centers throughout the Ishinomaki and Shichigahama areas.  I brought with me about 70% of my clothes (which I gave away) and about $120 worth of candy for the kids and elderly, and of course I brought foodstuffs with as well.


In the end, it was the single most humbling experience of my life.  I cannot tell you how many times my group members and I were without words only to just sigh at what was in front of us.  We hear this often - it's cliche, I know.  But when no words suffice it really makes you stop and think about everything.  I feel blessed and lucky to be alive!

So, hear we are, a little over a month has passed and aside from the ongoing, ever-worsening nuclear disaster the Japanese people and those living here in Japan are doing their very best to press on.  Tokyo is pretty much back to normal.  Most of the conversations I hear are not about the recent earthquake but about daily life.  I think, if anything, the Japanese people, including myself, would prefer to just move on. 

For now, please check out a few of my photos.  I will be uploading some of my videos at a later date.

Also, good news for Index Ink Japan - new riders and new shops!  More on that very very soon!