In 2022, the Japan Expo project was inaugurated to draw on the essence of cultures and tales that lie dormant in various areas of Japan and condense them into short stories. Short stories set in Iwate, Shizuoka & Fukuoka Prefectures were submitted & selected. At the SSFF & ASIA 2022 Fall Festival held in October 2022, a panel discussion was held with the invited writers of the stories. In addition, the short story "The Two of Us, in a Town with a View of the Sea" by Kento Norikane which was inspired by the novel "Konjiki Yasha" by writer Ozaki Kōyō, a famed author whose statue is in Atami City, has been adapted into a short film written & directed by Karin Miyagi and will be distributed worldwide through online screenings.
Short Film "The way back home"
The way back home
24:52 / 2023
Writter / Director / Editor
Karin Miyagi
Cast
Rintaro Mizusawa, Takara Sakumoto, Teruhiro Tanaka, Sora Shiota, Kyanhitomi, Yoshi Sako and Masato Hagiwara
Childhood friends Hinata and Hayato are training hard in kendo for their final high school inter-high school competition. One day, Hinata is scouted by an entertainment agency. This causes a rift in their relationship. The film depicts these two young boys who grow up to be adults while still carrying the pain & doubts from their youth.
Cast
Rintaro Mizusawa
Born in 2003, Saitama Prefecture. Exclusive model for Men's Non-no. In 2017, he made his debut in the Nippon Television drama "Handle Your Wife Carefully." Followed by "My story is long", "Black school rules" (both Nippon Television), "17. 3 about a sex" (ABEMA), "Koi ni no wasteokuchi" (TV Asahi), "One Night Morning" (WOWOW), "Tepachi" (Fuji TV), "Masked D" (ABEMA), "Crescendo." Has also appeared in "Advance" (Nippon TV series), "Stand UP Start" (Fuji TV series), "Shoutou na Bokura no Romance Theory" (Nippon TV series).
Takara Sakumoto
Born July 22, 1998 in Okinawa Prefecture. As Tatsuya Chinen in the movie "Ikari," won the 40th Japan Academy New Actor Award. Appearances include the NHK serial TV novel "Ale, "Nagimachi," "Fuyubara," & "With Love from Largeri."
Teruhiro Tanaka
Born November 23, 2015 in Kanagawa Prefecture. Member of the Himawari Theater Company. Has appeared in the NHK drama "The 13 Lords OF THE Shogun," NHK Drama 10 "Honest Real Estate," TV Asahi Friday night drama "Liaison -Children's Heart Clinic," OGK Giken CM, Takara Tomy product models, etc.
Sora Shiota
Born June 11, 2015 in Tokyo. Member of the Himawari Theater Company. E-tele "Inai Inai Baa!," NHK Drama "Idaten ~Tokyo Olympic Banashi~," NHK Taiga Drama "The 13 Lords OF THE Shogun," UNIQLO CM, Milk Land Hokkaido Infomercial, etc.
Kyanhitomi
Born in 1960 in Okinawa Prefecture. Moved to Tokyo after working as an announcer for Ryukyu Broadcasting. In addition to being an actress, newscaster, and personality, she is also the vocalist of the group "Ryukyu Kajin Sansyousei." Has tried rakugo and chanson. The main stage appearances are Tamiya Kuriyama's "Onna Navi I live now," "Chiru," & "Kajimaya Kame Obaa no Seikatsu." "Okinawa world." Movies include "Hachigatsu no Kariyushi," "Ale from heaven." Also TV - NHK "Chimu Dondon." Radio regular at Bayfm "Tidakyan," Ryukyu Broadcasting "Ryukyu Flower Story." She has served as the host for Begin's "Uta no Hi Concert" for 13 years.
Yoshi Sako
Born 1958 in Gifu Prefecture. After working at On Theater Jiyu Gekijo, built a career as a stage actor. Has performed in many stage productions. In 2018, he appeared in "Prosecutor's Sinner." Since then - Squad! TV "Delicious lunch," "Group demotion," "Rikokatsu," "Beloved," "What to do Ieyasu." TV & Paravi- "Hold hands in the dusk," Disney Plus "Gannibal."
Masato Hagiwara
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture. Debuted as an actor in 1987. Appeared in the TV drama "High school graffiti 2" (1990), and in 1993, won the Japan Academy Award for Best New Actor and Topic Award for "School," "Guru Tanjou," & "Where is the Moon?." 1995, "Mark's Mountain," 1997, "CURE" won the same award for Best Supporting Actor Award and others. Recent movie appearances include "Fukushima 50," "All of us couldn't grow up," "Shimamori no Tou," "Tonight, from the world to this Even if love disappears," "Gaki laughs," "There, touched, future." In June 2023, "From Spice With Love," & "Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia" will be released.
Director
Karin Miyagi
Born in 1992, Okinawa Prefecture. Debuted as an actor in 2017 in the drama "Under the same sky far away," co-produced by Vietnam National Broadcasting and Ryukyu Asahi Broadcasting. In 2021, she directed, wrote, and starred in the short film "CHIMUGANASA", which is based on her hometown in Okinawa, and was selected in the SSFF & ASIA Japan Competition. She directed and starred in "Bami Tori," set in Iriomote Island. Currently based in LA and Tokyo, she continues her activities across genres & boundaries.
Making
Trailer
Project Participating Authors
Iwate Prefecture Masami Kakinuma
Masami Kakinuma
Born in Tokyo in 1985 and raised in Kanagawa Prefecture, Masami Kakinuma is a graduate of Seisen University’s Faculty of Arts, where she majored in Japanese Language and Literature. She worked for a university before becoming a lyricist. She has written lyrics for Juju, Snow Man, Johnny’s Jr., Musical: Touken Ranbu, The Prince of Tennis: RisingBeat, Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, Win Morisaki, Asaka, Sachika Misawa, and Serena Kozuki, among others.
Go for it
Years have passed since Yuto last visited his grandmother in Iwate Prefecture. The first evening at her house, he encounters a little girl; along with fond memories, a deep-seated worry comes rushing back to him. The worry haunts him until he takes his leave...
Author. Born in 1992. Lives in Hyogo Prefecture. In 2017, from the public offering, "Eating is slow vol. 3 (bookstore)" published "Woman with a decayed tooth." In 2019, the short story "Man on the opposite bank" (Planet and Whistle Books). In 2020, "Ken-chan" was published in "kaze no tanbun Children of the mobile library (Kashiwa Shobo)." 2021, 7th Book Shorts Award Grand Prize.
The Two of Us, in a Town with a View of the Sea
Close friends since childhood, Kanna and Miya grow up running through Atami. One day they decide to post on social media a photo of themselves posing in front of the statue of OMiya and Kan'ichi. Hard feelings ensue.
Poet In 2011, released a collection of poems, "Naked on a Veranda, the Rabbit and his Minx" from the American publisher PRE/POST. Since then, he has expressed poetry in a wide range of ways, such as readings on radio, providing lyrics, and performing around the world in Europe, the United States, and Russia, with a focus on writing activities. His recent publications include "Kanohito"(The Tokyo Newspaper), a collection of poetry that smells like lemon when burned, "Throw fresh fruits into the sky to make lots of stars" (Mitosaya), "Taking off our Seasons, the Two of Us Dive"(Raichosha). Part-time Lecturer, Tokyo University of the Arts.
Jars of Amber
When the protagonist moves into a home she bought in the suburban neighborhood outside of Fukuoka where she and her parents lived when she was small, she brings along cuttings of plum trees that her mother had tenderly cared for before she passed away. A story that follows plum trees between Fukuoka and Tokyo and the family memories that go with them as well as the beginning of the protagonist’s new lifestyle.
We will invite short story writers from three regions to discuss not only the literature works that were written but also the hidden stories of Japan that we want to convey and their charm.
Scheduled to be held in October 2022. Details will be announced as soon as decided.
