Masayuki Watanabe (70), a member of the comedy trio "Cont Akashingo," appeared on Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's long-running talk show "Tetsuko's Room" (TV Asahi) on May 7th. He reported that he had taken the kendo promotion test in February of this year and had successfully passed.
Regarding her seventh dan in kendo, Watanabe proudly declared, "I know I shouldn't say this myself, but it's amazing!" She continued with a beaming smile, "Seventh dan is said to be the goal that most people who practice kendo aim for. I'm so incredibly happy about this!"
He took the 7th dan exam last year as well, but failed. "It was good that I failed (the first time). I was thinking, 'Why did I fail?' and I got scared, which was bad. I have to overcome that," he said, as he continued to practice.
Watanabe emphasized that kendo isn't just about being strong, but also about developing one's character. "Being a seventh dan means you're a decent person!" he said proudly, to which Tetsuko immediately retorted, "You're a decent person? That's hilarious," and began to share some memories of Watanabe.
"Once you came over to my house, and we were all playing Sevens (a card game), you were in my bedroom for about two hours straight, on the phone in the dark. It seemed like you were having an argument."
In response to Tetsuko's sudden revelation, Watanabe gave a wry smile and said, "There were a few issues back then. I was single at the time!"
