In this episode of "Fateful Encounters," we ask today's most popular actors and artists about the people who influenced them. Hayato Ichinose, who is currently appearing in the TV drama series "Little Women: Sisters in Love and Me Who Doesn't Love" (Nippon TV, Sundays at 10:30 p.m.), talks about his homeroom teacher from his sixth year of elementary school, who he describes as "a teacher who greatly changed my way of thinking and values."
◇I learned a lot about the importance of interpersonal relationships.
When I was in elementary school, adults still treated us like children, and I thought that was normal, but this teacher sometimes used difficult words and told me stories that were not suitable for children. I could tell that he treated me as an equal, and he was a really wonderful teacher.
I don't know how many other teachers there are like that, but even after I went to junior high and high school, I feel like I could count the number of teachers who treated me as an equal on one hand, and especially when I think about it when I was in elementary school, I think meeting this teacher was a huge impact.
Whenever something bad happened to us, he would listen to us sincerely, but I don't remember ever consulting him about it; rather, he was the one who was concerned about us. I was grateful that he would face us like that, and I think he was the teacher who changed my values in the sense that he taught me the importance of interpersonal relationships.
◇When interacting with children, try to be on the same level as others
If there's one thing I learned and was influenced by, it was how to interact with people. The honesty that comes with that. I think he gave a little more depth to the simple human relationships that are unique to that age, where you get along with friends, you get on badly with friends, sometimes you fight, and then make up.
Even when we had difficult conversations, he didn't treat us like kids, and he believed in our possibilities, and I think that the reason I try to be on the same level as children as much as possible when interacting with them is because of my encounter with him.
I myself am not good at the idea that "adults are great", and I think that even children who think are really thinking and thoughtful, and I think that the reason I can honestly say that they are thoughtful is because my teacher instilled that value in me without me even realizing it.
◇Profile
Hayate Ichinose Born April 8, 1997, 27 years old, from Tokyo. In March 2019, he made his acting debut as Ryusoul Red/Kou in the Super Sentai series "Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger". In 2020, he played Yoshihide Ashikaga in the NHK Taiga drama "Kirin ga Kuru". He will also appear in the drama series "Tepachi!" (Fuji TV, 2022), "Get Ready!" (TBS, 2023), "Ichiban Suki na Hana" (Fuji TV, 2023), and "Believe - A Bridge to You -" (TV Asahi, 2024). He will also appear in the film "Eleven Bandits," which will be released on November 1st.
