#8 今生の別れ
Matsumura (松村) recounts the behind-the-scenes story of a 300-seat comedy event she organised in her hometown of Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture—a show starring Carnation, Jungle Pocket, Nelsons, and Spike that sold out the moment tickets went on sale. Chaos from the guest comedians culminated in a single remark at a pilgrimage to Haguro-san that led Matsumura to declare the friendship over for good. The episode also covers her accessories collaboration with Omnes, which ended in a near-total sell-out at a Laforet Harajuku pop-up.
Listen to this episode Go to the show page
What this episode answers
What was the Tsuruoka comedy event about, and what role did Matsumura play?
Four acts—Carnation, Jungle Pocket, Nelsons, and Spike—performed for a sold-out 300-seat audience. A local volunteer committee led the logistics while Matsumura served as executive committee chair, arriving two days early to run a three-to-four-hour rehearsal with the sound engineer.
What did Matsumura realise through her experience as an organiser?
Reflecting on her old habit of over-simulating every step and getting frustrated when things went off-script, she concluded that a flat, 'let's work through it together' approach is best—while acknowledging that the high-pressure type who absorbs all complaints to keep the schedule intact has genuine skill.
How did guest comedians Takke, Otake, and Aoyama behave during the event?
Takke ignored every briefing from the airport onward and peppered the crew with questions about each piece of catering melon; Aoyama repeatedly demanded free time and asked to go for a run mid-event; Otake blurted out 'Isn't it far?' loud enough for the audience to hear, ruining a planned surprise and drawing a direct confrontation from Matsumura.
Why did the visit to Haguro-san lead to Matsumura cutting ties with Aoyama?
During the prayer ceremony at Haguro-san, where names and home addresses are read aloud, Aoyama remarked, 'If you're famous, wouldn't you use your agency's address?'—Matsumura called those her last words with him, and the two remain estranged to this day.
What was the Omnes collaboration event, and how did it go?
Matsumura personally designed all 23 products—bracelets and strap combinations—with accessories brand Omnes, running a pop-up at Laforet Harajuku's basement level from August 7 to 16; more than half sold out by day two to four, and the event ended in a near-total sell-out.
A 300-Seat Hometown Sell-Out—Matsumura as Executive Committee Chair
This summer Matsumura (松村) fulfilled a long-held dream: bringing comedian friends to her hometown of Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture. The 300-seat show, featuring Carnation (カーネーション), Jungle Pocket (ジャングルポケット), Nelsons (ネルソンズ), and Spike (スパイク), sold out the moment tickets went on sale. A committee of local volunteers handled the bulk of the preparation; Matsumura lent her name to the effort as executive committee chair. She arrived on-site two days before the show and spent three to four hours running through the program with the sound engineer—her first time holding any kind of official title since she was student council president in high school.
The Problem with Over-Simulation, and the Case for Flat Leadership
Matsumura admits she used to map out every step of a project in her head, from 1 to 100, and when reality deviated from that map she would get irritated. For this event she chose a different approach: working through each moment collaboratively with the sound engineer, taking things as they came. That flat style worked well. Her takeaway is that simulation itself is fine—getting angry when it doesn't go to plan is not.
She also acknowledged the opposite type: the high-pressure organiser who absorbs every complaint and holds the whole schedule together by sheer force of will. There is real skill in that, she says, even if it no longer fits the times. For Matsumura, a flat, confirm-the-basics-and-move-on approach is the right fit.
The Guest Comedians' Chaos
The guest acts kept Matsumura on her toes throughout. Jungle Pocket's Ota (太田), known as Takke (たっけ), spent the entire drive from the airport to the venue in a state of high energy, ignoring every logistical briefing. He then zeroed in on the catering spread, firing questions about each piece of melon one by one until Matsumura was worn out. Nelsons' Aoyama (青山) was equally indifferent to the schedule, repeatedly saying things like "Can I go for a run?" and "Can I have some free time?"—and even after Matsumura suggested an early-morning run the next day, he remained dissatisfied.
During the photo session, Matsumura had planned a surprise appearance from the back of the audience and had told every performer explicitly not to give it away. Jungle Pocket's Otake (おたけ) nevertheless turned and said, loud enough for the crowd to hear, "Isn't that far?"—killing the surprise on the spot. Matsumura wheeled around and, making sure only Otake could hear, let him know exactly how she felt.
A Pilgrimage to Haguro-san and a Final Farewell
At 9 a.m. the morning after the show, the group visited Haguro-san (羽黒山) in Yamagata—a sacred mountain entering its once-every-twelve-years en-year (御縁年). Thanks to the committee's arrangements, they had the shrine nearly to themselves and received a formal prayer ceremony. In that ceremony, participants' names and home addresses are traditionally read aloud. As it was happening, Aoyama remarked, "If you're famous, wouldn't you use your agency's address?" Matsumura says those were the last words she ever exchanged with him; she and Aoyama remain estranged to this day. The episode title, "A Final Farewell in This Life" (今生の別れ), comes directly from that moment.
The Omnes Collaboration Nearly Sells Out at Laforet Harajuku
Running alongside the Yamagata project was another major undertaking: a collaboration with accessories brand Omnes (オムネス). Matsumura personally selected and designed all 23 products—combinations of bracelets and strap cords—with a unisex theme, and ran a pop-up at Laforet Harajuku's basement level from August 7 to 16. By day two to four, more than half the stock was gone, and the event ended in a near-total sell-out. The unisex line proved popular with men as well as women. One memorable moment came when Shishigashira's (シシガシラ) Wada (和田) stopped by unannounced, paired a bracelet with his shaved head, and bought it on the spot.
Takeaways
- Matsumura's 300-seat hometown show in Tsuruoka, Yamagata sold out instantly, and the experience of chairing its organising committee led her to conclude that a flat, collaborative leadership style suits her best.
- A dismissive remark by Nelsons' Aoyama during a prayer ceremony at Haguro-san's once-in-twelve-years pilgrimage was the final straw, prompting Matsumura to cut ties with him entirely—the origin of the episode's title.
- Matsumura's 23-product collaboration with accessories brand Omnes ended in a near-total sell-out at Laforet Harajuku, with the unisex line drawing fans regardless of gender.
This article is edited from a machine transcript of the first 30 minutes of the episode. It is not an official summary — please listen to the episode itself.