Yoshihiro Shinde Interview!!

Intro: Effraim

Interview: Effraim

Translation: Takuji Kasahara
Photos: Supplied by Shinde.


Shinde's edits this last year especially have catapulted him to flatland fame worldwide, of course besides being a great video producer, he is a great rider, giving a lot back to the scene in japan. Flatland could learn a lot from him. Sometimes I do interviews for this blog, and after I feel like I didn;t really learn anything, I have to to say, I got a lot out of this doing this interview, and i'm sure you will to! So without further a due, lets get started with this interview.

Whereabouts in Japan are you from?

I'm originally from Wajima,Ishikawa,Japan.It's like in the countryside, but it's very good place to be.
How did you get into flatland? When I was at junior high school I was so much into computer games and spent a lot of money on it. All of sudden I noticed that even if I master computer games getting nothing.I sold my computer games, and bought a skate board because, I wanted to do something opposite to computer games.I got good at it as soon as I started skateboarding. I'd been too elated that I was a good skateboarder. One day my brother introduced to me some BMX riders and I got impressed by them. They were York and Masashi who is Ares's designer.My brother was a college teacher and York and Masashi were students of the college.

Who are sponsored by?

ARESBYKES、FFC、A-branch、mingle.

How long have you been riding, I know it’s been a while, whats kept you motivated?

I've been riding for 16 years. As for a pro rider, my motivation is from Aresbykes. As for a rider, it's simply fun. Creating tricks is fun and I like riding with other riders without any thinkings.

Who have been your biggest influences growing up in flatland?

I used to watch flatland videos everyday back in the days, hard to pick one rider. So I say every riders who was active in the scene back then.   

If you could pinpoint a reason why flatland is so popular in japan what would that be?

Because top riders built the BMX scene as sharing joy with everyone, and we are taking over the soul. 

It seems you have many events in japan, not only the big ones such as kog, but small jams?

I think small jams are really important for the scene. Everyone can get spot light even beginners.Everyone can play the leading role at the jams and everyone rides, learns and influences.

I like what you said about jams, and the importance of them? Looking from an outsider into japan, it appears you have a very structured scene, which helps the riders? Would that be correct?

I think big contests here like KOG has huge influence for the flatland scene in Japan and a lot of riders take aim at the KOG and that is kind of indicator for riders.I don't know if it's right or not.One thing I can say is the riders who should lead the scene have to speak more loud for the scene, or their dreams.You can't change anything if you are making conventional remarks.

What do you do for a job? And how often do you get to ride these days?

I work for an affiliated company of Toyota as precesion development designer. I do with cars and lives, energies and everything. I ride one or three times two hours session during a weekdays and I ride at weekend too.

Tell me about mingle? I love the mingle edits...

Mingle is an apparel brand found by a flatland rider Osamu from Nagoya.The concept of the brand is mixing many things and cultures up so I tried to follow the concept when I edited the movies. There used to be the head shop of Mingle in Nagoya but that's gone now. So less actions from Mingle now.Everyone is expecting me new movies, but it's little hard to do that in this situation.

Thats a real shame about Mingle, so whats next in the pipeline for you?

I want to make videos regularly and improve photographs quality. 

Now you have been riding many years, what are your influences now and how have they changed form when you started?

The biggest motivation for me comes from Aresbykes. That fills my creative side with creating tricks and BMX parts and movies taking pictures, organizing and participating events. I always love creative things since I started riding and that doesn't change.Japanese riders are very friendly and funny to hang out with! I'd love to share my time and ride with as many riders as possible, while I'm a rider.

Interesting what you say about picking up skateboarding very quickly, do you see any similarities with the movements of flatland? Did you pick up flatland quickly?

I see similarity in skatebording and flatlanding. It's about balance points, importance of timing etc...Flatland was harder to get balance point at the first, but I guess I learnt everything quicker than others.My first trick was decade and I first landed decade in a week even, before I learnt bar spins.I got 1st place in open class at my first contest, when I was at high school. I don't think the level was so high though.

Do you have much input into the designs of Ares products?

Basically, Aresbykes designer Masashi is tracing plans for most of Ares products.We give him our ideas and feedback and we discuss about the detail and specs.I think if one person do everything on the parts by ones own it's not ending up as good parts for everyone.There have to be more than one experts objectively conclude them to be right, otherwise we can't develop right parts for everyone continually.Aresbykes has structured very good systems for developing parts.  

How much longer do yourself competing for Shinde?

As long as I can move and as long as I can enjoy contests. 

What are your best memories of riding through your last 16 years?

I have so many good memories of BMX life, it's tough to choose "the best one" .I got injured in foreign country and went to hospital, I used to admire some riders the riders became my friends and now some riders admire me.My bike has hooked me up with chicks, someone made a fool of me riding such small bike and I fought against them...Everything is good memories and everything is good experience.There are nothing without BMX.

Any final shoutouts/thanks?

I'd like to thank to everyone especially Effraim for giving me this opportunity and Taku for translation.Even a little thing is need for making up something.And to young riders, study and learn more things that expand your views. Looking back on my past, I don't think I studied well though..We need everyone's support to make this scene better.Think something from one step ahead.