Poster for Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi (2012)
Poster for Zoku—Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi (2014)
Chiaki Yoshino and the Nagakura Family
Kyoko Koizumi (left) and Kiichi Nakai (right)
1. Chinese Quotations of the Day:
范仲淹 (989 - 1052)
《岳陽樓記》
「不以物喜，不以己悲。」
「先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂。」
2. How Beautiful You Are by Ayumi Hamasaki is the ending theme song of the Japanese TV drama Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi (2012).
("Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi", Wikipedia):
"Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi (最後から二番目の恋 My Second Last Love) is a Japanese television drama series, starring Kyoko Koizumi and Kiichi Nakai. The series aired Thursdays at 22:00 - 22:54, on Fuji Television from January 12, to March 22, 2012."
"A second season entitled Zoku—Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi (続・最後から二番目の恋) was broadcast by Fuji TV from April 17 to June 26, 2014."
"Described as an adult love story, the story of Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi narrates the story of Chiaki Yoshino (Kyoko Koizumi), a 45-year-old TV drama producer. As she is becoming older, Yoshino becomes increasingly more concerned about her health and retirement, instead of building romantic relationship with someone: the life she once hoped for of sharing her life with someone else seems distant. Yoshino is subsequently troubled about deciding on taking a break from her ruling life, and such questions lead her to Kamakura, where she decides to move in and settle. In this ancient city she knows Wahei Nagakura (Kiichi Nakai), a 50-year-old widower and father of one child who works for the city office."
The stars of the drama are Kyoko Koizumi, Kiichi Nakai, Kenji Sakaguchi, Naoko Iijima, and Yuki Uchida; these are well-known actors to J-Drama.
I have watched both seasons and find some of the relationships depicted in the drama to be quite quirky, but they ultimately work for the audience.
The drama won Tokyo Drama Awards for Excellence (2013) and Best Screenplay (2014).
The setting for the drama is mainly in historic Kamakura City, which is not too distant from Tokyo and is the seat of power for the Kamakura shogunate (1192-1333).
The drama has some sceneries of Kamakura City including the historic Enoshima Electric Railway.
I have previously read a mystery novel in which murders took place along the Enoshima Electric Rail lines and am happy to get to know the rail lines better through this drama.
3. How Beautiful You Are by Ayumi Hamasaki:
Concert:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVrZxWBsCSU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW0cq4PlpZo
Music video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AtQGD8r4YM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWHkis8nVcs
The making of the music video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXFeoXJrmqI
References:
"Ayumi Hamasaki", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayumi_Hamasaki
(accessed 2015-09-22).
"How Beautiful You Are (Ayumi Hamasaki song)", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Beautiful_You_Are_%28Ayumi_Hamasaki_song%29
(accessed 2015-09-22).
"Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saigo_Kara_Nibanme_no_Koi
(accessed 2015-09-22).
"范仲淹", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E8%8C%83%E4%BB%B2%E6%B7%B9
(accessed 2015-09-22).
"岳陽樓記白話翻譯", study.ck.tp.edu.tw,
http://study.ck.tp.edu.tw/teafiles/tctso/%A9%A8%B6%A7%BC%D3%B0O%A5%D5%B8%DC%5B1%5D.htm
(accessed 2015-09-22).
"岳陽樓記", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E5%B2%B3%E9%98%B3%E6%A5%BC%E8%AE%B0
(accessed 2015-09-22).
"岳阳楼记", baike.baidu.com,
http://baike.baidu.com/view/15258.htm
(accessed 2015-09-22).
End.
