The movie 『Inochi no Teisyaba』 (released in May 2021), which depicts home medical care in Ishikawa Prefecture, was filmed mostly in Kanazawa City, and at one point there were so many tourists who went on a “sacred land” tour. On the other hand, a new project of the media-mix work 『Love Live!』 series is attracting attention because it is set in a school in the Kanazawa area. Did you know that many other famous works have been shot on location in Kanazawa?
『Inochi no Teisyaba』 starring Sayuri Yoshinaga (Image from the 『official website of 「Inochi no Tokeiba」』)
『Inochi no Teisyaba』 Kanazawa Location
Based on the novel of the same title written by internist and novelist Kyoko Minami about end-of-life care, the film 『Inochi no Teisyaba』portrays the doctors, visiting nurses, patients and their families at the 「Mahoroba Clinic」, which provides home medical care in the city of Kanazawa. Incidentally, Minami’s novel 『Inochi no Jujiro (April 2023)』 is a sequel.
The main cast of the movie 『Inochi no Teisyaba』 was well talked about with Sayuri Yoshinaga as Sakiwako Shiraishi, a home doctor, Suzu Hirose as Mayo Hoshino, a visiting nurse, and Momori Matsuzaka as Seiji Noro, a driver and a medical school graduate. The director of the clinic, Toru Senkawa, was played by Toshiyuki Nishida, Sakiwako’s father, Tatsuro Shiraishi, by Min Tanaka, a geisha, Chieko Terada, a patient at the 「Mahoroba Clinic」, by Eiko Koike, and Tomoko Nakagawa, a childhood friend and a female Go player, by Yuriko Ishida. The cast also included Yoko Minamino, Yoneko Matsukane, Toshiro Yanagiba, Yohko Moriguchi, and Rambo Minami.
The scenery in the play is of Kanazawa’s rivers and bridges, slopes and stairs (image from 『photoAC』).
↑The Asanogawa Bridge was built in December 1922 (Taisho 11).
It is located in Hashiba-cho, Kazuemachi to Higashiyama, Kanazawa City on National Route 159, and was designated as a National Tangible Cultural Property in 2000.
↑「Umenobashi」, which spans between Higashiyama and Namiki-cho in Kanazawa City
↑Cherry blossoms on Saigawa River flowing through Kanazawa City
↑「Dark Slope」 in Kanazawa’s Chaya-machi district, Kanazawa
↑Cherry blossoms at Shukkei-cho Ryokusuien
A masterpiece set in Kanazawa
The real-time 「School Calendar」 linked project 『Ren-no-Ku Jogakuin School Idol Club』 is a smartphone application 「Link!Like!Love Live!」 In October 2022, the official SNS mentioned the location of the school as being 「deep in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture」, which led to speculation that the scene depicted in the illustration was 「the park over there, isn’t it?」 When the illustration of the school building was released in 2023, there was further exchange of information, with tweets by 「love-lovers」 (a collective term for fans) who made a 「pilgrimage to the holy place」 of the stage, suggesting that 「that school is the motif. The tweets by 「Love Livers」 (a generic term for fans) who made a 「pilgrimage to the holy place」 of the stage are getting popular.
It is well known that the TV anime 『Hanasaku Iroha』 (April-September 2011) is set in Kanazawa City’s Yuwaku Hot Springs, and even the 「Bonbori Festival」 that appears in the anime is now actually held there.
Seicho Matsumoto’s feature-length mystery novel 『Zero Focus』, set in Hokuriku, has been the subject of numerous movies and TV dramas, and it appears that the film was also shot on location in Kanazawa City. The film 『Zero Focus』 (released in November 2009), which drew much attention for the competitive performance of Ryoko Hirosue, Miki Nakatani, and Tae Kimura, was filmed on location with the support of the 「Kanazawa Film Commission」.
The film 『The Samurai’s Account Book” (released in 2010)』, starring Masato Sakai, is a live-action adaptation of historian Michifumi Isoda’s 2003 book 『The Bakumatsu Restoration of the Kaga Domain Gokyosha』 and was shot on location at Kanazawa Castle Park and other locations. Although the director and script are different, the movie 『The Samurai’s Offering』 (released in December 2013) starring Aya Ueto and Kengo Kora, set in the Kaga domain during the Edo period, was also shot on location with the cooperation of the 「Kanazawa Film Commission」.
In fact, the movie 『Otoko wa Tsuraiyo Shibamata Bojo』 (released in August 1972), in which Sayuri Yoshinaga played the role of Madonna, was also shot on location in Kanazawa City.
Information on Kazuemachi Ryokusuien
When Tori Matsuzaka cranked up 『Inochi no Teisyaba』 in October 2020, she tweeted about the cast and crew, including Sayuri Yoshinaga, saying 「It was a warm scene with deep nostalgia」. When the film opens in May 2021, she said 「Some theaters are closed under the current circumstances. 『Please see it in theaters!』 I strongly believe that this film was created precisely because of the current situation」, he tweeted. I could see the hard work that went into releasing the film amidst the ongoing declaration of a state of emergency, and at the same time, I could sense the respect he has for the medical community.
Sayuri Yoshinaga also said when she cranked up the film at Shukkei-cho Ryokusuien, 「I was worried about whether we would even be able to crank it, but the staff endured many difficulties, and I can only thank them for helping us reach this day」.
One of the filming locations for the movie 『Inochi no Teisyaba』, Kazuemachi Ryokusuien is a water park utilizing the running water of the inner moat on the west side of Kanazawa Castle, which was developed as part of the Kanazawa City Government Centennial Commemorative Project. In spring, it is known for its weeping cherry blossoms.
| Spot Name | Kazuemachi Ryokusuien |
| Address | 3-1 Higashiyama, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture |
