Actor Erika Karata will be making a guest appearance in the fifth episode (broadcast on February 1st) of the NHK BS period drama "Fuurai Cloud" (NHK BS/BS Premium 4K, Sunday 6:45 pm), starring Kuranosuke Sasaki. Karata, who is taking on a period drama for the first time, talked about her feelings about the project and the days of filming.
"Fuurai Cloud" is a period drama based on the manga of the same name by George Akiyama. The setting is Shinagawa-shuku at the end of the Edo period. "Fuurai Cloud" is an eccentric man who wears a woman's kimono and has his hair tied in front of his forehead. With a fluffy and elusive appearance, he lives his days freely, but before you know it, he gently changes the destinies of others. It is a hymn to humanity filled with laughter and tears.
Karata plays Okiku, the daughter of a teahouse owner who Master Aota (played by Gota Watanabe) falls in love with at first sight. Aota approaches Okiku, who cannot write, under the pretext of teaching her how to write.
Karata revealed, "It was my first time acting in a period drama, so I was really excited before it started. The kimono and wig were fresh to me, and just putting them on was so much fun, so I tried to keep those feelings in mind when acting."
"When I was acting, I tried to keep everything calm and approach the set, so I practiced my manners for a month and told myself that everything would be fine before filming. On set, I tried to cherish the feelings I had when I was facing the other actors, and to concentrate on acting without getting nervous."
Regarding the appeal of "Fuurai Gumo," he said, "I had never tried a period drama before, so I was in a completely unknown world, wondering if it would be a heavy story, or if it would be interesting to watch if you didn't know the history. But when I read the script, I thought it would be an easy drama to watch even for people who aren't used to period dramas."
"Also, the character of Furuya Kumo, played by Sasaki Kuranosuke, is very charming, and when you watch it, it makes you chuckle, and makes you think, it would be interesting if a person like that lived nearby. The appeal of this work is that it has a soothing worldview."
The film was shot in Kyoto last summer. Karata recalls, "Kyoto was surprisingly hot. When I went to Kyoto for a costume fitting, I was a bit scared about whether I would actually be able to film, and whether I would be okay as many of my scenes were shot outdoors, but I was determined not to let the heat show on my face during filming."
"I wasn't nervous when I was acting with (Gota) Watanabe, and I was able to concentrate on my acting. I had a great time on set, and I felt like the footage showed that, and I was happy."
When asked what kind of role she would like to play if she were to appear in a period drama in the future, Karata thought for a moment and then said, "I'd like to play something classic like a princess (laughs)."
◇ Summary of Episode 5 of "Fuurai Cloud"
Influenced by his teacher, Aota (Watanabe), the son of Fuurai Kumo (Sasaki), Shinnosuke (Kawahara Eito) worries about the future of his country and forms the Ipponmatsu Youth Corps. Unsure of what to do, however, he follows Fuurai Kumo's advice and devotes himself to cleaning up the town. Disappointed when Aota finds out about this, he lashes out at Fuurai Kumo. However, he falls in love at first sight with Okiku (Karata), a maid at the teahouse the two of them visit, and Aota approaches her under the pretext of teaching her how to read and write.
