"My Oshi-katsu" by Noko

I am currently FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and traveling the world. Sometimes I travel with the goal of seeing my favorite artist's performance, and other times I suddenly decide to go on an expedition while I'm already there. When I arrive in a foreign country, the first thing I do is check the "Bands in Town" app to see if there are any performances nearby.
This time, let me talk about "Oshi-katsu" (supporting my favorite artists), which enriches my life.

1. Iron Maiden: Over 40 years of support

IRON MAIDEN, the legendary British heavy metal band. Even now, 50 years into their career, they are a legendary group that sells out 40,000-seat arenas overseas on the same day tickets go on sale. I first saw them at a Tokyo performance in 1985.
This year, I plan to attend two days in Chile in October and two days in Yokohama in November. "Overseas is far, so it's a waste to go just once; Japan is close, so I want to see every day." Once you FIRE and have time to spare, your Oshi-katsu accelerates.

2. Seiji Ozawa and Opera: Experiencing the real thing

The late Seiji Ozawa brought the Vienna State Opera to Ueno during his time as music director (2002-2010), so I was able to see local opera at an exceptional price. This was a project realized with the goal of "giving not just opera connoisseurs, but the general public an opportunity to see authentic opera." I still vividly remember the emotion of Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin," which was particularly wonderful.

I was also able to see the Saito Kinen Festival in Matsumoto in the last year he was alive.
I think his dedication to popularizing opera in Japan until the very end was truly wonderful.

By the way, for those seeing opera for the first time, I absolutely recommend seeing it with a good conductor and production. That determines whether or not you will like opera.
Ozawa-san must have wanted to provide that kind of experience.

Overseas, I recommend the MET (Metropolitan Opera) in New York because it is the most consistent. I suppose the eyes of the local annual seat members are strict.
In Europe, La Scala in Milan is personally the best. London, Berlin, Paris, and Florence are also options depending on the season and production.

3. Gekidan☆Shinkansen: Over 20 years, watching every performance

I have been following lead actor Arata Furuta and director Hidenori Inoue for over 20 years. Both of them have many activities outside of Shinkansen, so it is difficult to keep up. Last year, triggered by the "Kabuki NEXT" performance hosted by Koshiro Matsumoto, which was directed by Inoue-san, I started going to Kabuki as well.
Since tickets for Shinkansen's Tokyo performances are often hard to get, I try to see them on regional tours as much as possible. Since the theaters are fixed, it's usually Osaka or Hakata-za, and last year it was Matsumoto for the first time.

4. The fierce ticket battle

The biggest hurdle in Oshi-katsu is purchasing tickets.
I naturally join fan clubs for BTS, XG, etc., because the probability of winning increases. Even though I don't have a CD player, I also buy CDs for priority applications for CD purchasers. Also, for popular performances like Bruno Mars or Rekishi, I join the FC only for that time if I want to see them even if they aren't my main favorite.

It is a fierce competition with winning probabilities ranging from several times to several dozen times, and there is no guarantee of winning even if you pay.

5. FIRE and Oshi-katsu

Although there are difficulties such as obtaining tickets, the happiness of having someone you support enriches your life. Oshi-katsu is especially recommended for increasing the happiness of retired life.
Don't decide that you're not interested; try experiencing it first, and your world will expand.

(Text by Noko)

You can find Noko's note, who lives in two locations, here.

There are also passionate articles about Oshi-katsu, so please take a look.

How was it? As a new project, this magazine will continue to introduce the "Oshi-katsu" (fan activities) of FIRE Research Institute members.
If you'd like, please subscribe to this magazine as well.

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