We opened our new editing room which has south-facing window!
From now on here, I will make history creating many films.
And so, we had a housewarming party.
The chef is Naoki-kun of our production staff.
And the master chef is Tohta-kun of Tohtaring.
Nabe dish with a lot of vegetables in it.

You can find out the recipe at:
http://webuomo.com/magazine/article543 (Japanese only)

It was non-fatty and very tasty.
And on the right is Kaneko-kun, the editor.
Miho-chan is losing her femininity
Just showing her appreciation to the guys for warm soup...

I personally like this photographing...
What do you think?
Well, my son's picture, shooting my swinging bat, is better, isn't it?

Our editing room will support film editors.
We look forward to your request using this room.
It is comfy and you can stay overnight.

I've been sticking in a room for editing...
I've been under a lot of stress, too...!?
And so, the batting cage.
Photographed by Michuki.
Good shooting, isn't it?
I think he grasped well his mom's feeling.

Special Announcement！
Special Program:
Kawase Naomi Film "HOTARU 2009 version"
 (with English subtitles)

Athénéé Francçais Cultural Center presents a special program of screening 9 Japanese films, selected by overseas scholars in Japanese studies, from the Japan Foundation Film Library. This Special Program takes place for 6 days from February 27 (Sat.).

With screening "HOTARU 2009 version" which was premiered at Cannes International Film Festival last year, the program also presents a Talk Session by Director Kawase and Dominique Paîni, the former Director of Athénéé Francçais, on March 1.

For more info, please visit the Athénéé Francçais Cultural Center homepage
http://www.athenee.net/culturalcenter/index.html (partly English)

ーDate and Placeー
March 1 (Mon.)
Athénéé Francçais Cultural Center (Ocha-no-mizu, Tokyo)

ーProgramー
17:30〜 "HOTARU 2009 version"（117min）

ーTalk Sessionー
19:30〜（open door）
Kawase Naomi (Film Director)×Dominique Paîni (former director of Athénéé Français)

Everyone has been to circus, haven't they?
I have, too.
With Grandpa!

My son enjoyed a date with his favorite girl from school
The official date approved by his mom
To Kinoshita Circus on Valentine's Day.
The girl couldn't wait to give him a chocolate on a train.
My son got a bit bashful but really delighted.
He had been gentle holding her hands after getting off the train.
And took a photo at the Fushimi Momoyama Castle.
Not necessary to say, he thinks of himself as the super-hero Kamen Rider.
We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the circus tent...
They were in such a good mood on the train back home.
Looked so fun.
And then, for closing the date.
Sushi...
The mother, spending time with sushi lovers of the five-year-old couple
also enjoyed a moment together.

The new event in the Nara's winter season.
The event had been opened.
And closed yesterday... I found some twinkling in Mt. Wakakusa a week before
Then, the big sound of fireworks in the middle of last week.



I guess many Nara people thought the mountain burning event had already finished?
Too bad we couldn't see well the fireworks because of the bad weather.
Seems quite a lot of people visited this event.
Even though Nara's winter is really cold.
Because tourists don't visit because of the chilly winter,
this event has started.
It was not as crowded as the Tokae Festival,
but more people joined it compared to that of the first event of Tokae.
The next year's event will be much greater by word of mouth!
Much better for young couples since it's around Valentine's Day and cold enough to hold each other???
On the same day, Kasuga Shrine, Kofukuji Temple and Todaiji Temple were open till 8 o'clock at night, so that people could enjoy Nara very much.
The approach to Kasuga Shrine was mysteriously dark, so that we enjoyed the mystic world, completely different from Kobe Luminarie.
It's a ceremony to pray for others' happiness, a warm moment among the chilly winter days.

It's hot in Vancouver as well!
Getting medals is not everything, but I hope Japan will get them a lot.
I'm an athletic-type film director dropping tears while watching the games.

About till 2 years ago,
he had been saying that
because devils would come
he didn't want to join the chasing-devil-ceremony at Kofukuji Temple.
This year, he was eager to join it.
And he grew up as much as
saying "I will protect you, mom."

Probably he thinks of himself as the super-hero Kamen Rider...
And the traditional sushi rolls for the ceremony, well-known in Kansai area.
We took bites out of a whole roll with the office staff.
This year, we had to face to west-southwest (it's a ritual)
without uttering any words,
during eating it all.
Eating sardine as well.
We decorated the sardine heads with holly leaves
which my son got from a school activity in a forest.
This avoids devils coming in the house.
We also scattered soybeans and ate them...
And it's a spring season according to the calendar.
But it's cold.
Nara is cold.
But the plum trees in my yard started having floral buds.
Let's go out to look for spring.

I always go to the studio in Kyoto for a radio program recording...But this time we recorded like this.Editing... the editing for a new documentary film has started.
I work hard to create a visual world in this room.
In this world, there appear four new-born babies and many other lives.
I wanna make this film like "welcome to this wonderful world!"
If we spend our lives enjoying very much, then the world will turn as we wish.
Like this world is really exciting and fun.

Let's enjoy our lives.
It's really cold. Please take a good care of yourself.

A mountain-burning event takes place every year at Mt. Wakakusa.
This year's fireworks were fantastic. It might be because of the memorial year of 1300, capital relocation of Nara.
Exactly 10 years earlier, I was shooting the fireworks for the climactic scene for the film "HOTARU."
I was just into making this film as much as I almost forgot my only son.
And this year, I watched the fireworks with my son holding him beneath my stadium jacket.
In "HOTARU" the protagonist Ayako is carrying a baby of Daiji inside her.
And she whispers to Daiji.
And Daiji also...
"Can you see, Ayako? The mountain's burning"
And for thousands of years, the mountain has been watching over us...

This year, the mountain burned well.
Foreign tourists might be startled at the sight if they don't know about the event
Saying "mountain fire!!"



Nara is a really wonderful place.
It's magnanimous, borderless, wide-open, and lovely.

After being premiered at Cannes last summer,
We presented "HOTARU 2009 version" in Nara.
We are happy to announce that we will screen the film at two theaters this time in Kanto area.

February 5th to 7th   TOKIO OUT of PLACE in Minami Azabu, Tokyo
March 1st to 3rd    Athenee Francais Cultural Center in Suido-bashi, Tokyo

I will come to Tokyo for speech on February 5th and March 1st.
My lovely "HOTARU."
I'm looking forward to seeing you all!

At TOKIO OUT of PLACE, the making film "Folks gathered at Hotaru kiln"
will also be screened for three days.

For more info, please visit our website!

Other information: TOKIO OUT of PLACE
(Information on Athenee Francais will be uploaded at the end of January)