Nakamura Shizuka stars in the film "Jitcha!" (directed by Chimura Toshimitsu), which is set in Tsugaru City, Aomori Prefecture. Nakamura, who plays the protagonist Mikami Yuki, a woman in her late twenties who moves from Tokyo to Tsugaru City, commented on the film's nationwide release from October 31st, "The filming spanned summer and winter, and perhaps it also gives the impression that it was made over a long period of time, so I'm very happy." Nakamura herself turned 37 in September. We spoke to Nakamura, who also revealed, "I think the desire to be a filial son to my parents is growing within me."
◇The film is a human comedy that depicts the bond between a granddaughter and her grandfather
The film was produced to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Tsugaru City's incorporation. Set against the changing seasonal scenery of Aomori and Tsugaru City, it is a human comedy that depicts the bond between a granddaughter who moved from Tokyo to the city and her grandfather, who runs a melon farm in the city. It was released in Aomori Prefecture on October 17th.
Yuki Mikami (Nakamura) moves from Tokyo to Tsugaru City under the Regional Revitalization Cooperation Squad program for the safe reason that her grandfather, Taisuke (Ono Takehiko), lives there. She is assigned to the Tourism and Brand Strategy Division at the city hall where she works, and although she struggles with unfamiliar tasks in order to promote the city's appeal nationwide, she finds comfort in her daily interactions with her grandfather and overcomes them.
One day, after a whirlwind year has passed, Yuki hears from Taisuke, who has never spoken much until now, a truth that he has kept secret for the past 40 years. It reveals the story of the unknown bonds that have formed between Taisuke and his family over the years as they have lived in Aomori...
Nakamura says, "Yuki moves from Tokyo to Tsugaru and starts living there, and over the course of a year she gradually becomes accustomed to interacting with people and feeling the local atmosphere, becoming one with the locals. I was hoping to experience this while actually staying in Tsugaru and filming."
◇Everything about Tohoku is fresh, and the Tsugaru dialect is "one of the new experiences"
As part of his role preparation, Nakamura said he "observed a lot" of Ono, who played "Jiccha" or Taisuke.
"During my stay in Tsugaru, I spoke frequently between filming to see if there was anything I could learn from him so that he would feel like a real grandfather. I also spoke with local people. As Yuki becomes accustomed to Tsugaru, she begins to speak in the local dialect, so I also worked on practicing the Tsugaru dialect."
For Nakamura, who is from Kyoto Prefecture, Tsugaru dialect is quite unknown.
"I'm from the Kansai region, so everything about Tohoku was new to me. They say the Tsugaru dialect sounds like French, but it was so unfamiliar to me and so unique. I started by listening carefully to the audio data I was given before filming began, but it was difficult to grasp the meaning of the words and convey the feeling of the dialect."
The character she played, Yuki, was originally from Tokyo. Director Chimura took this into consideration and created an escape route for Nakamura, telling her, "It's okay if you're a little unsure."
"In that sense, I think it was good that I gradually got used to the role as filming progressed, and it was a new experience for me."
◇Looking ahead: "Not just for myself, but for my parents"
On the other hand, I also had some regrets when I saw the finished film at a preview screening.
"I was actually nervous on set, but when I saw the preview, I thought it was still stiff. I think Yuki's struggle in unfamiliar territory suited her, but the scenery in Tsugaru is vast and expansive, so maybe I could have relaxed a little more. Despite these regrets, I was happy that the director was able to create a wonderful film that puts you at peace."
While reflecting on what he should have done better, he looks forward, saying, "I will just work hard so that I can use this experience to my advantage next time." Looking at himself, he turned 37 in September. "Even I feel that there are things that change as I get older, even if it's just a little at a time," he says, but what are those specific changes?
"Compared to when I was 20, my tastes and hobbies have changed, of course, but I also feel that my desire to be a good son to my parents has grown stronger with each passing year. Looking ahead, not just for myself, but for my parents as well. I know that I get older every year, and that time flows equally for everyone, but I find this change quite strange."
I've become more careful about my health than before.
"I've started taking vitamins (laughs). Vitamin C is the best. It helps prevent colds and also helps prevent dark spots before and after exposure to UV rays. I love coffee and drink it in the morning, but after hearing that coffee drinkers and heavy alcohol drinkers consume a lot of vitamin C, I try to take it in the morning and evening. Of course I take vitamins A and E, but I especially make sure to take vitamin C. I believe that if your body is not healthy, your mind will not be healthy, and I think it's important for continuing to do good work in the future."
