Articles

The Deep World of Sewing Machines & Fabrics that Comedy Duo Lotti's Kentaro Kokado Fell in Love With

2024.11.27

Kentaro Kokado of the comedy duo Lotti made headlines when he gifted a red checkered holder, which he sewed himself, to his partner Soichi Nakaoka as a wedding present. To outsiders, it may seem like a wonderful bond between the duo, but there is actually a backstory.

Kokado has become so passionate about sewing that he posts his creations like shirts and pants on his Instagram and even shares the production process through Instagram Live.

What kind of connection exists between comedy and sewing? This time, we asked Kokado about his encounter with sewing machines, the fun of choosing fabrics, and the details of his craft.

PROFILE

Kentaro Kokado

Born on August 8, 1978, from Osaka Prefecture

Comic Duo Lotti's "Tsukkomi" Role

After searching for a hobby he could be passionate about from the age of 40, he discovered sewing at 43.

He serves as the MC for NHK's "Saturday Studio Park" and NHK Radio's "Sakura Hinata Lotti no Senobishiro Radio."

He broadcasts "Lotti Night" live on YouTube every Monday at 22:00.

Searching for Hobbies & Origins

What was the trigger for you to start sewing?

I was in charge of an idol program in Niigata, and I had the chance to interact with idol fans every week. Watching them dive into supporting their idols without worrying about others' opinions made me think, "Wow, what a rich life they lead."

At that time, I was about 39. I wanted a hobby that I could get passionate about, so I tried golf, guitar, and cooking after turning 40, but none of them really excited me.

I think I had this distracting thought somewhere that it would be good if it connected to work or wondered how others viewed this hobby. When I contemplated without thinking about money or work and asked myself, "What do I really want to do, what do I love?" I thought it was vintage clothing.

That was at 43. Not knowing if I would get into it, I bought a second-hand sewing machine for about 50,000 to 60,000 yen and started struggling with it, which led me to become engrossed; and now it has been two and a half years.

Watanabe Entertainment's office is also in Harajuku; do you ever drop by vintage clothing stores along the way?

Since I've started making my own clothes, I rarely buy clothes anymore. I repair and adjust the vintage clothes I already own using the sewing machine.

So even when I visit clothing or vintage shops, I’m more like, “How do they stitch this?” rather than to buy something. I think they must find me an annoying customer (laughs).

The shirt and pants worn during the interview were handmade by Kokado.

What are the most enjoyable and least enjoyable aspects of sewing?

The most enjoyable part is definitely when I'm at the sewing machine. Especially the sewing just before completion is always thrilling.

The least enjoyable task is cutting the fabric. Making the pattern isn't too bad, but cutting the fabric can be a bit tough (laughs).

I have the image that it’s a necessary task before doing the fun sewing. I realize I can't enjoy what I love without getting through the less enjoyable tasks, so I approach it thinking, “This is life too.”

When you're nearing completion after going through such tasks, do you find yourself working through the night?

I value sleep above all, so I do end up sleeping. However, I’m sewing until just before bed, lying down while thinking, “Would this be better?” before I know it, I’ve fallen asleep.

So, as soon as I wake up, I find myself sitting in front of the sewing machine trying to bring that idea to life (laughs).

My beloved sewing machine has my favorite stickers affixed, making it an original piece.

I heard you don't create things with the aim of selling. Do your fellow comedians ask you to make something?

They sometimes ask me to make things, but if they see a bag I have and say, "That looks great," I often give it to them right then and there.

If you have a personal connection to it, don’t you hesitate to give it away?

If it’s something I can make again, then I can just make another one. If it’s something I can never get again, that would be a problem. So, if the other person is happy, I’m totally fine with giving it away.

Fabric is a Once-in-a-lifetime Encounter

Where do you source your fabrics?

Initially, when I told my friends I was starting to sew, they advised me that if I want to buy fabric, Nippori is the place to go. I also visit Okadaya in Shinjuku and TOA in Shibuya.

Recently, I've been finding them while walking around town or gathering information online, and it’s quite varied. Even on location shoots, if I have a little spare time, I look around.

Do you have any criteria when buying fabrics?

There are two patterns: one is when I think, "I want to make this," and go looking for the necessary fabric; the other is when I see a fabric and think, "If this fabric is available, I’ll make that."

For example, this floral bag was something I initially thought, "I want this kind of fabric," and went searching for it. Floral patterns tend to look a bit matronly, so it’s hard to find something that feels just right.

When I visited my go-to store in Shimokitazawa, they happened to have this floral fabric for sale. It had a certain calmness mixed with vibrancy, and I was really happy to find, "This is the floral pattern I’ve been looking for."

Finding the desired fabric led to the completion of the long-awaited floral bag.

The hardest fabric to find was the fabric for surf shorts. I had no idea how to select swimwear fabric, and when I checked what I had, it just said, "Nylon taffeta, washer," and I was clueless.

Still, I decided to visit fabric stores, handling nylon and polyester, and gradually gained knowledge as I moved forward.

Surf shorts made with polyester. The front pockets are mesh to allow water to drain, and the back pockets have three stitching openings, showcasing careful attention to detail.

Do you change materials depending on the items you make?

I often buy fabric first and then think about what to make later. Also, there are personal trends at different times that influence my choice of materials.

I used to love wool and made various things out of it, but now I'm interested in linen. I often think, "What would happen if I made that with this fabric?" I didn't study fabric in school, so I find myself wanting to experiment with different materials.

I like fabrics made in the USA and check them often, but there’s a sense of once-in-a-lifetime encounters. Even if I think, "That’s nice," it’s often only available at that moment.

Among the things you’ve made, is there anything you've found challenging in terms of dealing with materials?

The most challenging was making a case for my iPad. Since it’s a delicate device, I thought I needed some soft cushioning inside.

For some reason, I found an aluminum pouch that had tofu in it, and when I tried to sew it with cotton, it just slid around and ended up being a huge failure.

Since it was about a month after I started, my sewing skills were still quite rough, but I used it while reinforcing the areas that tore, and it has turned into its current form. However, I started to feel that as long as I could fit the iPad inside, a failure isn’t really a failure, and that made me feel more at ease.

The first iPad case I made has now become a cherished item through patches and repairs.

I Want to Challenge the Things I'm Interested In

You've probably handled various fabrics, but are there any fabrics you want to challenge yourself with in the future?

Actually, there’s a fabric I want to try. My partner, Nakaoka, told me, "The North Face has an incredibly thin fabric that is warm in winter and cool in summer," but the fabric itself isn't for sale.

It doesn't have to be from The North Face, but I would like to sew with functional fabrics like that.

Is there any item you want to create?

I've never made an outerwear piece, so I'm interested in making a souvenir jacket.

Vietnam jackets have poorly stitched embroidery of tigers or dragons on them, right? I love those and would like to make one with embroidery included.

Also, I'd love to try making a real leather riders jacket. However, I can’t even imagine how to go about making it (laughs).

Of course, the tote bag for the items you brought is handmade as well.

On November 27, your book, "コカドとミシン," will be published.

I've had the items I've made photographed stylishly. Additionally, I've had photos taken of me using those items. The book also introduces how to make these items and allows you to download patterns via QR codes.

If you like the pants and shirts I'm wearing, I hope you’ll take the challenge of sewing them yourself.

Also, I've included essays covering topics like what I talked about today.

My first book, "コカドとミシン," is published by Wani Books.

Please share a message for your fans.

I'm grateful that since I started sewing, I've had more opportunities to be recognized by people other than comedy fans. There are probably many who don't know I'm a comedian and think of me as a sewing guy. So, when I announce on Instagram, "I'm doing a live comedy show next time," I often receive comments like, "Who are you?" (laughs).

I've also received many requests like, "Please make something for my child." While I can't always respond to that, I’m thankful for these messages.

There's also a lot of interest in, "Please teach me the patterns" and "I want to know how to make it," so I’d like to tell those people to definitely, "Look at this book and my works and try making something yourself."