Mina Sakurai, the author of "The Hei no Naka no Biyoshitsu"

The WOWOW drama "Serial Drama W-30 ' Hei no Naka no Biyoshitsu'" (Fridays at 11pm), starring actress Nao, will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW Prime and WOWOW On Demand from August 22nd. It consists of seven episodes, with the first episode being broadcast free of charge (archived streaming available). The drama is based on a novel of the same name, which is modeled after a real beauty salon in a women's prison. We spoke to the original author, Sakurai Mina, about what inspired her to write the novel and her thoughts on the dramatization.

◇ Permission is required even to go to the toilet. "There are many restrictions in prison"

Following the start of the drama series W-30 "My murdered husband has returned" in July, the series will be adapted from popular author Sakurai's 2018 novel "Hei no Naka no Biyoshitsu " (Futaba Bunko). The original novel, which is based on the "behind bars" beauty salons that operate in several women's prisons across the country, was ranked number one on the Reading Meter ranking of books people want to read, and the comic book adaptation of the same name has also received high praise.

Set in the "Aozora Beauty Salon" inside a women's prison, where inmates cut the hair of regular customers, hairdresser Komatsubara Haru (Nao) cuts hair while listening to what her customers have to say, as if she is empathizing with their various circumstances. Through her encounters with these people, the film delicately depicts how Haru will come to terms with the crime she committed and her future life.

The original author, Sakurai, says that the inspiration for the story came from "my editor learned on a documentary TV program that there was a beauty salon inside a prison." "When I heard about it, I was really intrigued, and surprised that such a place existed. It's a subject that isn't often covered in novels, so I wanted to take on the challenge and decided to write it."

For research purposes, she actually visited Kasamatsu Prison (Kasamatsu Town, Gifu Prefecture). "I took the wrong road from the station to the prison and entered from a place other than the main entrance, but there were several entrances and the walls weren't as high as I thought they'd be, so it didn't feel oppressive," she said. However, once inside, "what I remember most is that there were a lot of restrictions. While working, you needed permission even to go to the toilet, and even when working with a sewing machine, I realized that it wasn't like a normal factory."

Regarding the film adaptation, he expressed his joy, saying, "There had been talk of adapting it into a film several times, but nothing had been decided, so my honest reaction was 'Finally!' and I was very happy."

Regarding the lead actress Nao, he said, "I thought she was the perfect fit for the image of the main character, Haru. Also, her acting in the dramas I've seen so far has been fantastic, so I had high expectations. Even though I knew the story, I cried at the end. I realized that the world of the story expands when the words spoken by a living person are combined with the scenery and music."

As for the other cast members, she said, "I was interested in Ayumu Nakajima (who played Haru's ex-boyfriend, Nanuma Hiroki), who appeared in the Asadora(NHK morning drama "Anpan "), but unlike the Asadora, he was exactly as I imagined the role he played in this drama, and I really felt how amazing actors are." She also said, "I was happy to see that Director Mitsuishi (Ken) is a kind but strong-willed director."

Sakurai's works, "The My murdered husband has returned" and "The Hei no Naka no Biyoshitsu," have been adapted into dramas by WOWOW. "I believe that there are many factors involved, such as luck and timing, so I think I was very lucky. By making it into a drama, people who had never read the original novel before can read it, so I'm grateful," she said happily.

Regarding the drama "Hei no Naka no Biyoshitsu," she sent a message saying, "I hope viewers will enjoy the expressions that can only be seen in a drama, while still retaining the atmosphere of the original. Of course, I too am looking forward to the broadcast as a viewer."

The drama was produced in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice's Corrections Bureau, using an actual prison setting. Nao, who takes on the challenging role of an inmate and hairdresser, visited Kasamatsu Prison in Gifu Prefecture, the model for the original novel, to observe the hairdressers working there. To prepare for the role, she practiced for a month under the guidance of a hairdresser, and even tried her hand at cutting and styling her own hair.

I'm looking forward to enjoying the drama along with the original work to see how Nao sensitively portrays this heartwarming story of "rebirth" in which the lives of a prisoner and women living in society intersect.