Atsushi Tamura

is a famous Japanese comedian from the Hikoshima area of Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. He and his partner, , form the known as . Though the two share the same surname, there is no family relation. The pair started their career by performing comedy on the streets of Tokyo. Early life Before he was famous, Atsushi attended an Industrial high school in his hometown of Shimonoseki. He was suspended twice during that time, once for smoking and once for cheating on a test. Atsushi was also a member of a band before becoming interested in comedy. For his first comic act, Atsushi teamed up with a classmate from school. They called themselves Umaseki Fugutarō and Fugunosuke, a name they derived from Shimonoseki, and fugu or pufferfish, a dish famous in the region. Atsushi eventually teamed up with Ryo Tamura after relocating to Tokyo. They chose to go by the name of “London Boots” initially because it was the name of a fictional comedy team. While “London Boots” does not have any particular meaning in English, in Japanese it refers to the knee length platform shoes worn by some Japanese girls. London Boots The London Boots act is typical of Japanese comedy duos in the sense that one person in the duo criticizes and abuses his partner who in turn plays the part of a stooge. While Atsushi was once on the receiving end of the duo's jokes, he has since taken the dominant role and does not hesitate to subject Ryo to severe acts of embarrassment.