Nagase Tomoya, who left the entertainment industry in 2021, is now making waves for his passion for motorcycle racing and music. He posts about his daily life on Instagram, sporting a Frank Muller Vegas watch with a roulette function on his left wrist. His commitment to living life his own way, rather than as a celebrity, has attracted a new fanbase.
Photo: Tokyo Sports
Text by Yukaco Numamoto
Edited by Takashi Tsuchida
Edited by Takashi Tsuchida
[Article published on January 4, 2025]
An artist who conveys the joy of motorcycles
Motorcycle enthusiast Nagase Tomoya's Instagram account has recently been dominated by posts about racing. His many photos with fellow bikers show that he not only enjoys racing, but also enjoys motorcycles as a lifestyle, conveying his love for motorcycles.
The race that Nagase Tomoya will be participating in is called a "bagger race," which uses custom bikes based on touring models from Harley-Davidson and Indian. This race, which features touring models tuned with unique ideas to enjoy a comfortable ride while touring, and features intense racing, has become popular mainly on the West Coast of the United States.
Interest in bagger racing is also growing in Japan. A bagger-style road race event will be held in Japan in 2023. A more authentic bagger-type racing machine made its debut at the MCFAJ Clubman Road Race held at Fuji Speedway in June 2024.
The Japanese Chopper Racing team, which Nagase Tomoya founded with his fellow motorcyclists, will also be competing in the race with three bikes. Nagase hopes that his activities will help more people discover the appeal of motorbikes and road racing.
From idol to artist. A new journey from the entertainment world
Nagase Tomoya entered the entertainment industry after his older sister sent his resume to Johnny & Associates. He was the only successful candidate out of 1.5 million applicants and joined the agency in 1991. He then became the youngest member of TOKIO in 1994, taking on the role of vocalist.
In addition to vocals, he can play the guitar and blues harp, and also writes lyrics, composes music, and arranges. He has many original compositions, and in 2015, his song "Tokyo Drive" was praised by Keisuke Kuwata, who said, "Nagase-kun's singing is good and his performance skills are also high. It's amazing that he writes lyrics, composes music, and arranges music."
He is also highly regarded as an actor, having won the 15th Ishihara Yujiro Newcomer Award for his first film role in "Seoul," and the 2016 Confidence Award for Best Actor in a Drama for his role in the drama "Fragile."
Nagase Tomoya is a man of many talents, but he left Johnny & Associates on March 31, 2021. Since then, he has not joined any other agency and is creating a new style of work from scratch.
Currently, he continues to communicate as an "artist" mainly through his Instagram. There, he shows a consistent way of life that makes him seem "cool" to both men and women. He seems to enjoy a wide range of fields from music, motorcycles, fishing, and fashion, and has gained a different fan base from his days in showbiz.
Choosing a watch is a matter of philosophy. Nagase Tomoya owns many rare models and shares his recent favorites.
Nagase Tomoya wears a variety of models, including the Paul Newman model of the Rolex Daytona, the Explorer, the Submariner, and G-SHOCK. Behind his love of watches lies his love of vintage denim, used clothing, and street fashion. Each item complements the other's unique worldview, completing his style.
The watch worn in the above post appears to be a Franck Muller Tonneau Curvex Vegas. The comment section includes a line from a song that reads, "A worn-out bike and worn-out clothes. Just right for a worn-out life. Is your life sparkling clean?"
The world's first and only wristwatch with a roulette function
The "Vegas Collection" is the world's first wristwatch equipped with a roulette function, released by Franck Muller in 1999. Inspired by the casinos of Las Vegas, the design is not only unique, but also features a roulette hand in the center of the dial that rotates when the push button on the same axis as the crown is pressed. When the button is released, the hand stops on the number on the roulette.
As a reference model, we'll be introducing the "Tonneau Curvex Vegas Diamond," a current model of the "Vegas" with numerous diamonds set into the case and dial. This is not the model that Nagase Tomoya is wearing on Instagram. It features an automatic movement (Cal. 98), an 18KWG case (32mm wide x 45mm high, with diamonds), a roulette display with a rotating diamond disc, and is water resistant for everyday use. It's priced at 1056 million yen (tax included).
This watch was created with a free and unconventional approach, including its dynamic serpentine hands and Byzantine numerals. It is one of Franck Muller's signature pieces that fully expresses his playful spirit, and goes beyond the boundaries of a wristwatch to become an item that embodies a creative lifestyle.
This watch is unique among Nagase Tomoya's collection, but we can speculate that the tension and excitement he feels when betting on roulette at a casino overlaps with the feelings he has about life and motorcycle racing, which led him to purchase it. No one knows where the hands will stop. But perhaps that is Nagase Tomoya's philosophy of life.
His journey of free choice and challenge has only just begun.
