Q: How began your interest in magic? When did you start to study magic? [ Back to Top]

Before I began magic, my dream was to become a carpenter or an athlete, because I liked making things with my hands and I was a soccer player in school. But when I was 10 year old, I went to magic shop in a big department store in Tokyo. I saw the magic shop staff performing linking ring and sponge balls. I was amazed and bought one magic trick with all my saving (500 yen or $5 US). After perfecting the trick, I was eager to show for my family. Seeing the result of their enjoyment, I decided to perform for my friends in school. As my interest in magic was rising, I began to perform my magic act during intermission for my elementary school plays.

In my last year of elementary school, all the graduating students were asked take picture with a card board written with their favorite words to be posted on the year book. Many of my friends wrote "Brave", "Wish", "love" and other good words that mean a lot to them. My word was "Magician". I already had my focus in magic in early part of my elementary school. Everyday after school, I was at the magic shop in the department store practicing magic. During my second grade, I met my teacher Masahiro Yanagida and he began his teaching to me. 

Q: How or where did you study magic? [ Back to Top]

After meeting my teacher Masahiro Yanagida, I began magic under his intensive training. At the time, I was still very young and it was illegal for me to work. Finally, with my parents' permission, I began to work in my teacher's company. His teaching philosophy was very different from others. He believed that a good performer must know about humanism. Magic technique was not the only skills that I had acquired. I learned negotiation skills because I had to buy groceries in a farmer's market for the office; I learned how to care for people around me because I cooked for all my co-workers and help everyone who needed help around the office; I learned the value of time because within a 24-hour period of every day, I had to attend school, do my homework and past every class with a decent grade, work in my Teacher's office after school, and practice magic after hours. I also learned that that talent is not everything, efforts and discipline plays a greater part in success. This mentality of using discipline to obtain higher technical skills helped me stepped up to the next level. 

Q: Who is your teacher? I understand he is a very well know magician in Japan, but probably is unknown for the people from South America. Can you tell us a little bit about him? [ Back to Top]

My teacher Masahiro Yanagida begin his career as a professional magician at the age of 30 years old and became one of a most famous magician in Japan. He's the owner of my Japanese Company in Japan - Wizards' Inn. His business is very global and his dream is to make a new page in this history of magic. He's a very humble person. He doesn't think he can achieve this dream on his own and that's why he always give chances to many young magician in his company. With his philosophy and the help and creativities of other young magician, he hoped to bring magic to a newer and more respected level all over the world. He's actually very talented. He has many students/workers and he's involved in production of many different TV shows for his workers. He's also the organizer of many big events and producer and writer for a Japanese comic book series. He also thinks that the only way to achieve magic to higher level is to attain high technical skills. That's why he teaches all of us not to work with gimmicks so much. Most of our magic tricks are performed with high technical skills. But of course, performing magic with only high technical skills can be very boring to audience. He also taught us the importance of combining high technique with fun and entertaining topics.

Q: Why did you decided to become a professional magician? [ Back to Top]

As I was working for my teacher's company, I was always surrounded by my co-workers. They chatted on and on about the Hollywood Magic Castle and entertainment in America. Their description of America and the Magic Castle was the images that I held before I go to sleep at night. One day, my teacher Masahiro mentioned to me that I should go and visit America with them. Finally, right after I turned 14, I visited the Magic Castle in America for the very first time. I saw many different shows in the Magic Castle and Las Vegas. I was really impressed and the images of America were more than I expected. I thought American was the greatest place in the world. 

After coming back to Japan from my trip, there then existed a gap between the realities of being in Japan and my dream of being in America. With the pressure of trying to rise up to the next level in magic and longing for American, my mind became unbalanced and created many mental blocks. I couldn't focus on magic for a while and I was expelled from my Company. After this happened, my passion for magic grew deeper and I knew I couldn't run away from Magic. By then, I knew that I wanted magic as my profession. With good words from my co-workers, my teacher allowed to come back to work. And I did everything I can to over come all hurtles that were given to me. With help from my teachers and my coworkers, I was able to step up to the next level in magic.

Q: Which are your main influences in magic? [ Back to Top]

I must say I am very lucky person. I have two supportive parents, an awesome teacher, and many great friends including my co-workers. My main influences in magic are my teacher, my co-worker, and my own life experience. As I am growing up with magic, I realized that having around people who care about me and knowing how to care for them in return are the most important because they give me the motivation and support to grow in my personal life. When I am happy personally, I can concentrate on my professional life in full force. In addition, seeing the enjoyment and amazed expressions on my audience faces is what motivates me to create new magic. Without those who care about me and who helped me through my career, I will never have become the person I am today.

And of course, I wouldn't discount my other influences of movies, music, other entertainments, and books. I created many new ideas from reading books such as "Travail ???" Many might think that these books are the old and mostly likely outdated; however, I think they are the basic building blocks of many great magic tricks. 

Q: What would you say that is more important for a magician: technique or showmanship? [ Back to Top]

I would say both technique and showmanship are very important. However, in comparison, showmanship had to be the most important. A performer's main objective is to entertain his audience and make sure they are having a good time. If a performer only performs tricks that are highly technical but boring to the audience, he is only feeding his own ego. A great magician should be able to perform any tricks ranging from all levels technically and still have the heart of the audience. Showmanship is not the tool to make a performer look good on stage, but the skill of how to make audience comfortable and interested. 

Q: How did you develop your style? [ Back to Top]

I think I have many styles and I use different styles based on the different types of my audience that I am performing for. I develop my styles by trials and errors. Like life, I am ever changing. My styles are still changing as I am growing up with Magic. But one of the most important things that I learned about finding one's style is to be true to oneself. You should never be someone you are not comfortable of being. You have to be yourself on stage.

Q: Any suggestion for amateur magicians? [ Back to Top]

In terms of techniques, I think basic techniques and foundation are very important. In terms of showmanship, I suggest to perform as much as you can and perform whenever there's an opportunity to perform. The only way to improve showmanship is to perform in front of audience and get their feed backs. In terms of how to get to the next level, my suggestion is that you need to decide whether you are passionate about magic. When you are passionate of the things that you do, nothing is impossible. When there's a will, there's a way. In life, there are many situations that come up, and in every bad situation, don't forget that there's a positive side. For example, in every bad performance that you had, don't concentrate on your feeling of being humiliated, but concentrate on how you can make it better next time. And most importantly, don't forget that success don't come easy. It happens when preparation meets opportunity. So, practice, practice, and practice some more. 

Q: How can I get an autograph? [ Back to Top]

Q: What do you do when you're not practicing or performing magic? On your days off?
[ Back to Top]

I like to read books, watch movies, go to music concerts and comedy clubs. I like to do everything normal people do in their daily lives.

Q: Who's your favorite magician? [ Back to Top]

My favorite magician is Johnny Lon because he's the funnies man on earth.

Q: What's your favorite kind of food? [ Back to Top]

I love Chinese, Japanese, and American cruzines.