In the movie "Nichi Nichi Kore Kojitsu" (Every Day a Good Day), which is currently showing, actress Haru Kuroki cleverly embodies a woman maturing from a young energetic 20-something into an older woman.
It was Kuroki's first and last appearance with Kirin Kiki, who passed away last month.
The movie, directed by Tatsushi Omori, is an adaptation of an essay written by Noriko Morishita -- who has written various books including "Noriyakko Dosue" -- based on her own experiences in the world of sado, or the tea ceremony, which depicts the typical life of a woman engaged in the rich and profound culture of tea.
Noriko, played by Kuroki, is a student who starts taking sado classes along with her cousin Michiko (Mikako Tabe) from an instructor called Ms. Takeda (Kiki). More than two decades follow, during which time Noriko chooses to be a freelance writer. But the world of the tea ceremony is always in her life.
Kuroki had never taken tea ceremony lessons before shooting the film, so she began going to a school to prepare for the role.
The movie repeatedly shows scenes of Noriko practicing the ceremony.
"By repeating the same actions, I managed to make my body move naturally without thinking. In those moments, the range of what I could see and hear broadened. It was good that I could act without ineptly trying to create a character in my head," Kuroki said.
The challenges for Kuroki lay not only in mastering the various manners of sado, but also in believably expressing the transition of a woman as she grows older. Make-up and costumes can easily change the appearance to project a difference in age, however this can only go so far. "I was told by Omori to express the character's inner emotions," Kuroki recalled.
Noriko's way of getting down on her knees in a skirt in the early part of the film is clumsy. Yet through her 30s and 40s, her posture while wearing kimono and her way of sitting on her heels gradually gains composure.
Kuroki said she tried to relate her 28-year-old self to the original writer's feelings when she was also in her 20s. The story depicts Noriko's worries about her job, a broken heart and separation from her parents.
"Noriko's life is the same as everybody else's. She depends [psychologically] on tea culture, and I think everyone has something to depend on like she does," she said.
This year, Kuroki is appearing in an ongoing NHK historical drama series called "Segodon," as well as the movies "Chiri Tsubaki" (Samurai's Promise) and "Biburia Koshodo no Jiken Techo" (Biblia Used Bookstore Casebook). She seems to smartly capture the characteristics of her roles and identify with them naturally. But Kuroki said: "That's not true at all. I still try to be coolheaded [about my acting], at least in part."
This kind of philosophy comes from her high school days when her drama club teacher used to tell her, "Don't be impressed with yourself," and "Don't cry in front of the audience."
"I'm always aware of not becoming complacent, but instead acting for the audience," Kuroki said.
This movie brought her an opportunity to perform with Kiki for the first time. The veteran actress also didn't have any experience with the tea ceremony, but her presence was nothing short of that of a sado teacher.
"Her lines truly sound like words from someone who has pursued the tea ceremony as a lifelong career. I learned that Kiki went through various kinds of experiences that flow out from her," Kuroki said.
This interview was done before Kiki died recently, and Kuroki's comments were filled with respect for her.
"I want to become an actor who ages admirably like Kiki. People's faces reflect their background. I want to look cool when I reach her age," Kuroki said.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
