Katsuhisa Namase, who plays Hanada Heita, the owner of Hanada Inn, in the NHK morning drama series "Bakebake" (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM and other times), spoke about his feelings when he was chosen to appear in the Asadora, his impressions of his co-stars, and more.
◇What is your impression of your co-stars?
"Bakebake" is based on the story of Koizumi Setsu, the daughter of a fallen samurai from Matsue, and her husband Yakumo (Lafcadio Hearn), and depicts the heroine, who loves ghost stories, going about her everyday life with her foreign husband. The script is written by Fujiki Mitsuhiko, who has worked on NHK's "Asagaya Sisters' Relaxed Life" and WOWOW's "Shooting Break Series."
This will be Namase's first appearance in a Asadora in two years, since the Asadora"Boogie Woogie" in the latter half of 2023. When asked how he felt when he was chosen to appear in "Bakebake," he revealed, "I was grateful to be asked to appear again."
"In my last role in 'Boogie Woogie,' I played a character (Tanaken/Tanahashi Kenji) who spoke standard Japanese. So I was hoping that this time I'd be speaking in Kansai dialect, but it was Izumo dialect (laughs). I'm from Hyogo Prefecture, so I'm familiar with the Kansai dialect, so it would be easier to adapt in many ways. But the Izumo dialect is really difficult and I'm having a really hard time. I have to memorize it like a foreign language."
Heita Hanada, played by Namase, is the owner of the Hanada Inn in Matsue, where Heaven (Tommy Bastow) is staying. He is also friendly with Toki (Akari Takaishi), who comes to sell clams, and watches over her warmly. He is a kind-hearted character, but sometimes causes trouble with an unnecessary remark.
Ikusei says about Heita, "Hanada Ryokan isn't a very big inn, so I think Heita is a life-sized character to the viewers."
"I feel reassured and enjoy working with Nobue Iketani, who plays Tsuru (the proprietress of Hanada Inn). We've worked together many times, so I have the confidence that she'll respond to whatever I do. She's a truly wonderful actor, and she really enriches the scenes between us as a couple."
He also revealed, "Because they're not used to foreigners, they must find Heaven Sensei really scary," explaining, "He's a typical example of what would happen to Japanese people at that time if a foreigner came to visit."
"In my mind, Japanese people smile politely to avoid irritating others with their facial expressions, and it's rare for them to express their emotions directly. But Heaven-sensei expresses her emotions directly, so I think she might think, 'What's the big deal? I'm just smiling at her!' I think it's because of misunderstandings like this that it's hard for them to understand each other."
Regarding Toki, he said, "I think he's probably thought of as a hardworking and cheerful child. However, his father (Tsukasanosuke, Takashi Okabe) is a little strange, and his mother (Fumi, played by Chizuru Ikewaki) also seems to have a few quirks... Perhaps Heita is kinder than his own father."
◇What impressed you on set and what are the highlights of the drama?
When asked what impressed him most about the set, Namase revealed, "At first I thought, 'Isn't it a little dark?'"
"The house on the set has a ceiling. I think it's a very bold move, but I'm interested to see how that attention to detail will appear when it's on air. I think it's more realistic than the old days when there was no electricity, which made it look strangely clear. Also, even though the screen is dark, the people on it are bright, so I think it's good."
Regarding the highlights of the drama, he said, "Even though it's only 15 minutes long, it's worth watching, but you still won't be satisfied and will want to watch it again tomorrow. Asadora is a unique work indeed. We're all working hard to make sure it doesn't become monotonous, so I hope everyone will watch it for the full six months." He also appealed, "You'll see results (laughs)! I hope Hanada Ryokan can be a refreshing break from ' Bakebake'."
"By the way, I know it must be tough to act alongside the heroines of so many Asadora, so I asked the staff, 'Aren't you getting tired of Takaishi-san?' But I was relieved to hear that she seems very energetic and positive. Of course, acting is very important, but a heroine also needs the stamina to keep running for nearly 10 months. It's a rare experience to be able to think about acting for such a long period of time, so I hope she takes it as a positive and continues to grow. That's what I think, even though I'm not a producer (laughs)."
