Fujii Kaze Otaku Ronaldoo’s Pilgrimage to Sacred Places

I went to Thailand for Fujii Kaze's Asian tour!!

▶日本語版はこちら
 

　Have you ever gone to see your favorite band’s concert?

　I see, you have.? Well then, have you ever traveled overseas to see your favorite band’s concert?

　I have!

　From the beginning of the first article, I showed this photo of Kaze, but as for where this place is...

　Bangkok, Thailand!

　I went to the Bangkok performance of "Fujii Kaze and the piano Asia Tour" in July this year!

　Actually... it was really really far away. However, since it didn't seem like I would be able to see Fujii Kaze's concert again for a long time, I did my best to go.

　That’s because it seems that Kaze will continue to have more opportunities to perform concerts overseas. Since the beginning of this year, it seems that he’s been performing overseas often, and he’s been posting about it on his Instagram and official app, so I wonder if he will perform live in Europe and America next. That’s what it feels like,anyway.

　Today, I would like to tell everyone that attending a concert overseas is not that difficult, it's actually easy! I hope that by reading this article, the mental hurdles for those of you who want to go abroad will be lowered even just a little bit.

　I hope this will be of some help when your favorite band performs overseas, too (please understand that these are just my experiences and my personal opinions)!

　First, I would like to tell you the secret to going to an overseas concert. That would be……,

　Securing your tickets! If you don't get your tickets, you won't be able to go to the concert. The secret to getting tickets for overseas concerts is to carefully gather information.

　Kaze's concert tickets are basically a complete lottery in Japan, so if you apply, you have the same chance as anyone of winning, but this Bangkok live ticket was handled by a local promoter. It wasn’t a lottery at all. It was a first-come, first-served system.

　Since it was a hall venue and the capacity was small, the time from ticketsales going on sale to being sold out was only 10 minutes!

　To be precise, it was only 10 minutes after the sale started that the "Sold Out" message was displayed, but in reality, if you couldn't get to the purchase screen within 2-3 minutes of the sale start, it would have been difficult to make the purchase.

　Buying tickets on a first-come, first-served basis when fans are waiting on the ticket website and hitting F5 repeatedly is relying too much on luck. You may be thinking, “Even if I research, it’s still too difficult.''

　However, if you carefully research information, there may be a way to get a ticket without relying on luck. That method is...
 

Purchase directly at the counter!
 

　Concert tickets in Thailand can be purchased not only online, but also at the counters of several local sales companies. It's like Japan's "Midori no Madoguchi". There, you can buy tickets online or on-site.

　The biggest bottleneck when purchasing online is that the site is so flooded with traffic that it becomes impossible to proceed to the purchase screen. No matter how early you wait, it's all down to luck.

　On the other hand, if you purchase at the counter, you are guaranteed to be able to buy as long as you are the first in line. It's the same method that was used to buy new iPhone models. Actually, I don't think it was necessary to stand in line that long all night.

　I've seen some comments on social media from Japanese fans who said they asked their acquaintances who live locally to get their tickets for them, so I think that might be pretty reliable.

　Even if you don't have any acquaintances there, all you have to do is go to Bangkok and line up, so I think it’s much easier to attend his concerts there than compared to the luck-based lottery system in Japan.

　I hope that you understand the importance of carefully researching information.

　So, how did I get the ticket? As you may have guessed...

　How the heck was I able to get one?

　Okay, now that you have your tickets, the next thing to do is to plan your itinerary.

　Do you know what the most appealing thing about overseas concerts is? It’s being able to enjoy traveling abroad at the same time!

　So this is the itinerary I made.

　I put together an 5-day, 2-night itinerary for Bangkok! Butplanning your itinerary is not the final step.

　In order to fully enjoy your overseas trip, it is very important to thoroughly research the differences between the destination and Japan before going.

・Language
・Manners
・Weather
・Tipping
・Restrooms
etc.

　There are many things to consider, but what I focused on the most was...

Food!!

　When it comes to food in Thailand, the ethnic dishes that use a lot of spices and herbs are exquisite. Thai food is also popular among Japanese people, as it’s from the same Asian region. It’s all fascinating, and just looking it up makes me excited!

　That being said, what must be noted here is that

　Many travelers are susceptible to a sickness known as “Traveler’s Diarrhea”..

　It is said that more than half of people who travel abroad suffer from diarrhea due to different food and water exposure. No matter which country you go to, the food culture and sanitary conditions will be different from your home country, so it's easy to get sick.

　The most important thing to remember is Kaze's concert. It would be a shame if you couldn't enjoy the event because of stomach pain.

　So what should you do? What should you eat to avoid stomach pain? Let me tell you the answer.

　Here are the dishes I ate in Thailand! !

Eat Japanese food!!

　This is the safest on your stomach! I am consistent! What? Bring my own cup noodles?

　No way, I didn't want to add to my baggage, so I bought it locally.

　I went there because Kaze’s favorite Don Quijote is also in Thailand. They also sold a lot of Japanese side dishes, so it was a very relaxing space.

　Other than the fact that the Don Quixote theme song in Thai was looping so loudly that I almost lost my head, there were no complaints from me.

　This Don Quixote is located in the Siam area in the center of Bangkok, and there are several large shopping malls nearby, so I had fun shopping while looking for souvenirs.

　My hobby is reading, so

　I bought manga at Kinokuniya. I love looking at miscellaneous goods,

　So I took a look at the lineup at Loft.

　Thanks to the large number of Japanese shops opening in Bangkok, I was able to live exactly the same as I usually do, which was very comforting for me. It felt like I was in Japan and it was really a stress-free experience.

　……。

　…………。

　……………………。

　Thanks to my perfect strategy, I arrived at the day of the concert with stomach and intestines intact. Normally, the concert alone would be enough for the day, but I wanted to see for myself what the “Kazetarians” were like. Their enthusiasm is nothing short of amazing.

かぜたりあん【Kazetarians】
Refers to Fujii Kaze's fans and fandom. Mainly refers to overseas fans.
A coined word combining the words "Fujii Kaze" and "vegetarian."
 

　Kaze is extremely popular overseas, and that's because last year, his song “Shinunoga E-wa” became an explosive hit on TikTok. The “Shinunoga E-wa” boom first occurred in Thailand.

　I believe that Thailand is probably the country with the largest proportion of Kazetarians. The Kazetarians in Thailand must be very excited that he came to their country.

　When I went to the venue early to observe the Thai Kazetarians, a crowd had already formed.

　I thought maybe... they’re Kazetarians? Let's find out!

　Huh? Maybe some kind of bootlegging?

　Feeling anxious, I tried to listen carefully, but since it was in Thai, I couldn't make out what they were saying. All I could hear were the words “Kaze!” and “Fujii Kaze!” What a relief! It seemed like it was just Thai Kazetarians gathering together.

　The relief, however, was short-lived.

　They caught me staring at them.

	คุณมาจากที่ไหน！
	“What? Wait, I'm JA-PA-NESE... Even if you speak Thai to me, I don't understand what you’re saying.
	คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม
	The voices are getting louder. Are you angry at me?
	Where are you from?
	English...!?
	Where are you from?
	Ja...Japan.
	Japan……？
	Oh no, I'm dead...
	Hmm, Are you Kazetarians?
	Kazetarians...　Y...Yes...
	Wow!! Welcome！ Japanese Kazetarians!!
	Woohoooo!!

　WORLD PEACE

　Ah... Fujii Kaze is truly the bridge that connects the world with Japan. When I told her that I was a Japanese Kazetarian, she seemed happy to talk to me.

　Her name is Mitchie. She loves Japanese artists, and the one she is most obsessed with is Kaze. She loves him so much that she went all the way to Japan's Tower Records Shibuya store to buy his CD.

　Apparentlyan event where Fujii Kaze fans gather before the concert was going on, and they bond together by doing a “giveaway”’ where they hand out original, handmade Kaze goods. Everyone seemed to be having fun exchanging items while blissfully chit-chatting away.

　You can get original Fujii Kaze goods one after the next just by standing there.. I also got this very cute illustration of d Kaze wearing Muay Thai clothes.

　After handing out all the goods, the Kazetarians suddenly started moving one by one.

　It looks as if all the Kazetarians will be taking a commemorative photo..

　While I appreciate you taking the picture,the road is dangerous! No photo is more important than your life!

　I also had the opportunity to speak with other Kazetarians.

　

　When I asked what they liked about Kaze, they said,
"He's so cute!! His mannerisms are so charming!!"
“‘Kaerou’ is my favorite song!”
“Today's piano concert is of course great, but next time I want him to bring a band too!”
They all told me how they felt about Kaze.

　Hearing that Kaze was held in high regard, I was extremely happy, and I wanted to tell the girls how amazing the Kaze concerts I had seen in Japan were. When I got one of the few available tickets, I realized that it was my mission to come to Thailand from Japan...

"Kaze's concert with the band is seriously cool!! The band members are also super cool! The keyboard is arranged by Yaffleso the concert arrangement is just the best. It's also great that at key moments, Kaze can step away from the keyboard and concentrate on singing."

“The guy on guitar called TAIKING plays the outro of ‘Seishun Sick’ in a very pleasant way, and I want you to listen to it live!”

“But, Kaze’s live piano performance like this one is really rare, and there are not many Japanese people who have been able to hear it, so I want you to enjoy it to the fullest!”

　I tried to say it in English, but my pronunciation was so bad that I couldn't get it across at all. The only thing that was communicated was

　What the hell did I come here for?

　I would like to talk to all you more, but it's too hot outside here in Thailand. Today is July 2nd, and the high in Bangkok is 35 degrees. This is not the time to be doing things outside. And I can’t seem to communicate in English, anyway!

　So, let's head inside the air-conditioned venue.

　The venue is on the 8th floor of a commercial facility called Siam Square One. As I go up the escalator,

　At the entrance, I found a large LCD display with Kaze reflected on it. It looks like there will definitely be a concert here. Going up one more nearby escalator...

　There were so many people!! Even though it was 4 hours before the concert!

　There were two queues at thevenue, and it looked like one was for the merchandise and the other was for a photo spot.

　I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kaze's concert visuals displayed in such a big way, even in Japan!

　Many people came from far away to take pictures of these concert visuals, and the line continued until just before the concert started. As expected, he is extremely popular in Thailand.

　By the way, the person who took my photo was Mitchie, who I just became good friends with. It was way too hot so we said goodbye to each other outside, but once inside the venue she called out to me..

　I listened to her talk for the next few hours, and I could feel her getting more and more nervous as the concert got closer.

　This is because she seems to have a super ticket, which means her seat was in the third row from the front.
"Kaze will definitely look at me! What should I do!?"
“Oh my god, I love Kaze.”
“I love Kaze too much.”
"I am going to cry!"
　She had fallen into a completely nerdy state. Meanwhile, it was time for the concert.

　Live start

　The concert lineup was amazing, so I would normally be writing a detailed review and sharing it with you all, but the official account has already posted a video of the highlights at, so please take a look!

・Fujii Kaze and the piano Asia Tour 2023

　Everyone is so excited!

　Particularly the chorus of "Kirari" at around 4 minutes and 35 seconds, is ’amazing, isn’t it!? The official video shows the live version in Jakarta, but the chorus in Bangkok was as big as the one in Jakarta. I was really moved! I just cried. After all, everyone is singing in Japanese! Isn't that amazing?

　You can hear a little bit of “Shinunoga E-wa” in this highlight. When I heard it there at the concert, it was definitely the loudest cheer of the day. I think I was moved by the feeling of “finally being able to hear a song by the Kazetarians live in Thailand.”

　What's more, this concert featured a special arrangement that can only be heard there, as if it was a combination of the melody of the collaboration song with JVKE released this year, “Golden Hour (Fujii Kaze Remix)” and the prelude to “Shinunoga E-wa”.

　As a result, although the song is originally only three minutes long, their served as the entirety of the prelude, making it difficult to tell which was the main part of the song.

　This type of difficult song to perform is exactly Fujii Kaze’s style. Photography and social media posting was allowed, so if you search for "Fujii Kaze Asia Tour" on various websites, you may be able to hear performances that aren’t included in the highlights, so be sure to look for them.

　End of the concert

　Wow...it was such a good concert.

　His recent concerts in Japan were held during the pandemic, so there were always restrictions audiences singing. These kinds of concerts, where the audience’s voice and Kaze’s singing voice come together, are the best. I think it must have been captivating to the local fans.

　Huh? Local fans...!?

　Ah! Come to think of it, is Mitchie okay? If she was watching such a great performance from such a great seat, I wonder if she made it out okay...

　As I hurriedly ran to Mitchie, over there...

　Listen!

　Kaze！

　made a heart pose to me.

　I can't stop crying!
 

　I’m so glad! I'm sure Mitchie was just as happy as Kaze was to perform at the concert! I also came from Japan and was happy to see the best concert and the best fans right in front of my eyes! I can't stop crying! He will definitely come to Thaialdn again, so please look forward to it!

　I thought that’s what I said, but it didn't get across at all, and in the end, the only thing I could say was...

【Ronaldoo】Lives in Osaka. A YouTuber who loves Kaze. He has released many videos such as impersonations of Kaze and pilgrimages to sacred places. Recently, he has been traveling overseas and interacting with local fans. Viewers of his YouTube channel affectionately call him "Rona-san" or "Do-san."

YouTube：https://www.youtube.com/@Ronaldooooo_
X （旧Twitter）：https://twitter.com/Ronaldoo_o_o

【Ronaldoo past articles】Japanese version
・藤井風さんファンの聖地、岡山県里庄町を巡ってきました!!

■Related Sites
・Fujii Kaze “Shinunoga E-wa” Live at Nippon Budokan (2020)

▼Click here for Ronaldoo 「Collection of reactions from Thai fans when Fujii Kaze came」