Supporting cast lineup of new movie "Kita no Sakuramori" announced

The supporting cast lineup of new movie "Kita no Sakuramori" directed by Takita Yojiro and starring Yoshinaga Sayuri and Sakai Masato has been announced. The story stretches over 30 years from the days of WWII to after the war where Eren Tetsu (Yoshinaga) flees Sakhalin in 1945 due to the attacks by the Soviet Union and ends up in Abashiri in Hokkaido. However, she has to grapple with the bitterly cold weather and hunger while keeping her two sons alive. Time goes by to the year 1971 when Tetsu is still waiting for her missing husband Tokujiro and lives on her own. Her second son Shujiro (Sakai) returns to Hokkaido after making it big in the United States and they start living together in Sapporo. Just then, Tetsu who is very advanced in age, starts to have issues due to the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) she developed during the war.

Abe Hiroshi will be playing Tokujiro this time after they last played aunt and nephew in the movie "Fushigi na Misaki no Monogatari". Shujiro's wife Mari who treats Tetsu coldly will be played by Shinohara Ryoko while Sato Koichi will be playing a black market rice seller Sugahara Shinji who helps Tetsu and Shujiro who were struggling to make ends meet. Takashima Reiko plays Shimada Mitsue who is Tetsu's neighbour in Abashiri and Mari's father Okabe Daikichi will be played by Nakamura Masatoshi. Last but not least, Shofukutei Tsurube will play the master of the izakaya Tanuki which is frequented by Tetsu and Shujiro and Kishibe Ittoku will play Yamaoka Kazuo, an old friend of Tetsu.

Filming began in Abashiri on 16 February and is done at Tokyo, Wakkanai, Setana-cho and Sapporo before it is to be wrapped up at the end of April. The movie will be shown in cinemas next year.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo / Sponichi / Eiga.com