Yuriko Yoshitaka, who plays the main character Mahiro (Murasaki Shikibu) in the historical drama "Dear Radiance (Hikaru Kimi e)" (NHK General TV, Sunday 8:00 pm and others). The drama has only the final episode (episode 48) "Monogatari no Saki ni (Beyond the Story)" to be broadcast, but she talked about her thoughts on calligraphy, saying that she was "really lonely" during the long filming period, facing it sincerely, and practicing.
"Dear Radiance (Hikaru Kimi e)" is the 63rd taiga drama. It is set in the aristocratic society of the mid-Heian period, and the protagonist is Murasaki Shikibu (Mahiro), who later wrote "The Komyo ga Tsuji" in 2006, and depicts the glittering world of the Heian aristocracy and the life of a woman who lived, wrote, and loved with all her heart.
Mahiro finished writing "The Tale of Genji" in the 45th episode "Habataki" (broadcast on November 24th). Throughout the role, she was often depicted holding a brush with her right hand, which is opposite to her dominant hand, and Yoshitaka said, "I thought that (the calligraphy) was what gave me this role," and revealed, "The last day I wrote on set was probably the day I cried more than the day we wrapped up filming."
"Practicing calligraphy was a very lonely experience. It wasn't about the emotions of the character, so it wasn't something I could discuss with anyone. Not everyone practices calligraphy, so there wasn't much empathy. Even the joy of doing something well was something only I could understand, so it was really lonely."
The reason for the tears was the sense of relief at having finished the calligraphy.
"But when I realized that I was improving, I felt happier than when I'd done a good performance. I just wanted to give the best I could, and I didn't care about my appearance, I just wanted my handwriting to be beautiful, so I felt overwhelmed when I finished."
This will be Yoshitaka's third time playing a "writing woman" on NHK, following the 2014 morning drama "Hanako to Anne" and the 2022 drama "Kaze yo Arashi yo." "NHK wants me to be a writer, and I've been writing all this time. Next time I'll say, 'I'm not writing anymore,' (laughs)," she joked.
When we asked Yoshitaka, "What does The Tale of Genji mean to you?"
"At each moment I was writing, I was able to confront myself. I think that by writing stories, Mahiro was able to remain Mahiro. So I think Mahiro is the type of person who can work harder for others. I felt that he is the type of person who can devote himself to others."
The final episode, "Monogatari no Saki ni (Beyond the Story)," will air on December 15th.
