I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 242 Filming Begins! The Seafood Market in Chiba Prefecture! The Freshest Taste of Sashimi!
At four in the morning, the seafood market in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, was still bathed in the pale blue light of dawn.

The fishing boats by the dock were lit with dim deck lights, and the sound of waves crashing against the embankment mingled with the shouts of the fishermen, spreading in the cool air.

The freshly unloaded tuna, wrapped in white cloth, were piled on a wooden platform. Their eyes still gleamed with freshness. Occasionally, seabirds would swoop down, only to be chased away with a laugh by the vendors behind the platform.

Hiroshi Nohara, wearing a dark gray work jacket, stood under the archway at the market entrance, holding a rolled-up storyboard in his hand.

Behind him followed a large filming crew—Yuichi Matsui carrying a camera bag, Sakurako Honda clutching a notebook filled with key points, and Shigeru Saito squatting on the ground adjusting the newly arrived high-definition camera, the lens pointed at the fishing boats in the distance, the boat lights in the scene casting warm yellow spots of light in the morning mist.

Hashimoto Ichiro and Asano Kita also came over to help, and the two were helping the sound engineer, Kobayashi-san, to secure the windproof microphone.

"Hiroshi-kun, over here!"

A middle-aged man in a navy blue suit walked briskly over, wearing a badge that read "Chiba Prefectural Government Commissioner" on his chest, with just the right amount of enthusiasm on his face.

Behind him was a man in a light gray suit, holding a leather folder, who looked more composed than the specialist.

"I am Ishigami Honro, in charge of cultural and tourism affairs at the Chiba Prefectural Government, and this is Kawabe Hidematsu, the vice mayor of Chiba City."

Ishigami Honro extended his hand, his tone full of respect, "I've heard so much about Nohara-kun before. I've seen 'Seven Samurai' in theaters three times, and each time I was blown away by the scene of the final battle in the rice paddies—it's truly an honor for Chiba to be able to film 'A Bite of Japan' here!"

Hiroshi grasped Ishigami Honro's hand, his tone still steady: "Ishigami-san, you're too kind. Chiba's seafood is very famous in the Kanto region, especially tuna and sea bream, making it perfect for filming 'freshness by the sea.' I'll have to trouble you two to cooperate this time."

Heibe Hidematsu nodded in agreement. He opened the folder in his hand, which contained detailed information about the Chiba Seafood Market—including the daily docking times of fishing boats, the tuna auction process, and even introductions to several long-established fish shops.

"Don't worry, Nohara-kun, we've already spoken to the market management. We've reserved the best spot for filming today, and we even had Masayoshi Nomizu prepare in advance. He's the oldest fishmonger in the market, and he's been going out to sea with his father since he was fifteen. His sashimi making skills are among the best in Chiba."

"Nomizu-san?" Hiroshi's eyes lit up. He had heard of this old fisherman when he was scouting the area. "I mentioned to the market management office that I wanted to film the traditional sashimi making process. I didn't expect that you two had already made arrangements for us."

Ishigami Motoro smiled, his tone slightly friendly: "Speaking of which, we and Nohara-kun are 'indirect fellow countrymen'. Kawabe-kun and I are both students of Governor Koike Ryuichi. Back when we were working at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Governor Koike often mentioned you—saying that your film 'Super Transformation' changed the indifference of Japanese people, and that your design of Kumamon tripled the tourism revenue of Kumamoto Prefecture."

Kawabe Hidematsu chimed in, his tone tinged with emotion: "That's right! Governor Koike came to Chiba last month for an inspection and specifically told us that if there's an opportunity to collaborate with Nohara-kun, we must do our utmost to support him. You don't know, the Tokyo real estate market is so overheated right now that many young people in Chiba have been siphoned off to buy homes in Tokyo, leaving mostly elderly people behind who rely on fishing and tourism for a living—if this film can let more people know how good Chiba is, maybe it can help retain some young people."

Hiroshi was stunned for a moment, then he understood.

He had previously read in a report on Tokyo TV that Chiba Prefecture, due to its proximity to Tokyo, has experienced a significant loss of young people in recent years, with many fishermen's children preferring to work as office workers in Tokyo rather than inherit their family's fishing boats.

"Ishigami-san is saying that Chiba values ​​cultural tourism and fisheries more, and is not interested in real estate?" Hiroshi Nohara chuckled.

"It's not just that I'm not interested, it's that I'm disgusted."

Ishigami lowered his voice, his tone tinged with helplessness, “Last year, a Tokyo real estate developer wanted to build apartments in Chiba Bay, saying he wanted to ‘create Tokyo’s backyard.’ As a result, the fishermen went to the prefectural government to protest—we Chiba people rely on the sea for our livelihood, and if the fishing grounds in the bay are filled in, how many people will lose their jobs? Governor Koike also supported us, saying, ‘We can’t lose our local roots,’ and in the end, he managed to stop the project.”

Kawabe Hidematsu nodded in agreement, pointing to the wooden stalls in the market: "These stalls were passed down from the Showa era. Last year, someone suggested replacing them with steel structures, saying they would be more sturdy. But Nomizu-san led the opposition, saying, 'The wood grain can absorb the moisture from the sea, and the fish will taste fresher if they're placed on it.' You see, that's how we Chiba people are; we value tradition and local things. Nohara-kun is making a 'humanistic documentary,' which is perfect for capturing this 'recognition' of Chiba."

Asumi then walked over, holding a thermos, and said with a smile, "Ishigami-san is right. When I was working for Kanto TV, I often came to Chiba to film local news, so I know how dedicated the people here are to fishing. Last time, a young reporter wanted to film 'modern fishing' and replaced Nomizu-san's wooden boat with a motorboat. But Nomizu-san just blocked the camera outside the boat and said, 'The noise of the motorboat will scare away the fish. The old methods are right.'"

Ishigami Honro and Kawabe Hidematsu both laughed.

Ishigami patted Hiroshi on the shoulder: "Look, even Managing Director Asumi knows Nomizu-san's temper. This time, in order to cooperate with the filming, Nomizu-san specially moved the time of departure to an hour earlier, and said that he would take us to the fishing grounds he often goes to, where the tuna is the fattest."

Hiroshi felt a warmth in his heart and quickly thanked him: "It's really a lot of trouble for you, Mr. Nomizu. This time, when we filmed sashimi, we wanted to focus on the process of 'from sea to table'—from going out to sea to catch fish, to the market auction, to the fish shop processing, and finally to the diners' reactions when they eat the sashimi. We wanted the audience to know how much hard work is behind a delicious plate of sashimi."

"That's a great idea!"

He Bianxiu's eyes lit up. He pointed to the auction area deep in the market. "Every morning at five o'clock, there is a tuna auction here. Dozens of fish shop owners gather around to bid, and the sound of their bidding can be heard at the dock. Nomizu-san always manages to buy the best tuna at the most reasonable price. He says, 'You can tell how fresh a fish is just by looking at the luster of its eyes and the elasticity of its body'—this detail will definitely look great in a photo."

Ishigami Honro added, "There's also Nomizu-san's fish shop, located at the very back of the market. The wooden counter is 40 years old, and the knife marks on it are from when he cut sashimi. He has a rule for making sashimi: he only sells ten tuna a day, and closes the shop once they're sold out, saying, 'If I sell too many, I can't guarantee the taste.' Many Tokyo diners drive here specifically to eat his sashimi."

Hiroshi scribbled a few notes on the storyboard, the sound of his pen scratching across the paper particularly clear in the morning mist: "Our shooting process will be roughly like this—first, we'll shoot Nomizu-san going out to sea to fish at dawn, focusing on his actions when he pulls in the net, and the state of the fishing boat in the waves; then we'll shoot the market auction, capturing the tension of the bidding; next, we'll shoot Nomizu-san processing tuna at the fish shop, focusing on his knife skills and the texture of the fish skin as it's cut; finally, we'll shoot the expressions of diners eating sashimi, emphasizing the feeling of 'freshness'."

He paused, then looked up at Ishigami Honro and Kawabe Hidematsu: "We might need to clear the shooting area temporarily to avoid tourists interfering. Also, the lighting in the auction area is a bit dim, so we might need to use reflectors to add light—I wonder if that will cause you two any trouble?"

"It's not troublesome at all!"

Ishigami Honro immediately waved his hand, "We already told the market management office that a special area has been reserved for the filming team in the auction area today, and they can use the reflectors freely. We've also arranged guides for the tourists to avoid the filming area and ensure that it doesn't affect Nohara-kun's filming."

He also chimed in, "If we need to film diners, we can get several long-established restaurants in the market to cooperate and have their regular customers act as 'temporary actors'—they are all regular customers who won't be nervous in front of the camera and can express their true feelings."

Hiroshi felt completely at ease. He turned to Matsui Yuichi and said, "Matsui-san, let's follow the procedure. First, go to the pier to film Nomizu-san going out to sea. Use a telephoto lens to highlight the fishing boats in the morning mist. Honda-chan, you stay with Nomizu-san and record the details he talks about fishing, such as when to cast the net and how to determine the location of the fish."

"Hi!"

Matsui Yuichi immediately picked up the camera, with Saito Shigeru following behind him, carrying a spare battery; Honda Sakurako also took out a pen and quickly followed, her notebook already filled with the title "Nomizu-san Fishing Techniques".

Ishigami Honro and Kawabe Hidematsu also walked towards the pier. As they walked, Ishigami Honro chatted with Hiroshi: "Nohara-kun, I also really like the 'Midnight Diner' you directed, especially the oden. Every time I watch it, I want to go downstairs and find a small shop to eat at. This time, when you're filming sashimi, will you add some human touches? For example, Nomizu-san's interaction with his son, or chatting with regular customers?"

"of course."

Hiroshi nodded, his tone resolute. "Food is just a vehicle; the people's stories are the core. For example, why does Nomizu-san insist on going out to sea in a wooden boat? Does he have any disputes with his son about fishing? Why are his regular customers willing to come specifically to eat his sashimi? Only by filming these details can the audience remember Chiba's seafood and the people of Chiba."

Kawabe Hidematsu couldn't help but exclaim, "No wonder Governor Koike said that Nohara-kun understands 'humanities' best. NHK came to film seafood in Chiba before, but they only filmed how the tuna was processed, not the people behind it. After it was broadcast, there was no response. Nohara-kun's ideas are better. People only watch when there is warmth."

As they spoke, the group had already reached the dock.

A wooden fishing boat was moored on the shore, with the three characters "Yesui Maru" carved on its hull. An old man with gray hair, wearing dark blue fishing trousers, stood at the bow, holding a well-worn oar. It was Yesui Masayoshi.

When he saw Hiroshi and his group, a simple and honest smile appeared on his face. He walked over quickly and said, "You must be Nohara-kun? Ishigami-san told me about you. You did a great job making 'Seven Samurai'!"

"Hello, Mr. Nomizu, thank you for your help." Hiroshi bowed respectfully.

Nomizu Masayasu waved his hand and pointed to the fishing boat: "No trouble at all! It's a good thing to let more people know about Chiba's seafood. This boat was passed down from my father and is thirty years old. Don't let its age fool you, it's very stable at sea—the tide was good this morning, so we're sure to catch some good tuna."

Yuichi Matsui had already set up the camera, while Shigeru Saito was adjusting the lighting.

"Nomizu-san, are we ready to start filming?" Matsui Yuichi called out, and the camera was focused on Nomizu Masayoshi's hands—those hands were covered in calluses, with large knuckles, but they were exceptionally flexible, as he skillfully untied the rope tied to the shore.

"it is good!"

Nomizu Masayasu responded and leaped onto the fishing boat, his movements even more agile than those of the young man.

He picked up the oar and rowed out to sea. The fishing boat, like a leaf, moved slowly on the waves in the morning mist.

Yuichi Matsui carried a camera and followed along the shore, the lens constantly tracking the fishing boat. Sakurako Honda ran beside him and whispered to Masayoshi Nomizu, "Nomizu-san, how do you tell where there are schools of fish?"

Nomizu Masayasu turned around and smiled, his voice carrying through the morning mist: "Look at the color of the seawater! Where there are many fish, the seawater will have a faint bluish tint, and there will also be seabirds—where there are seabirds, there are definitely fish!"

Hiroshi stood by the pier, looking at the scene in the camera lens, and said to Asano Kita beside him, "Asano-san, when Nomizu-san casts the net later, use side lighting to shoot it, highlighting the arc of the fishing net in the air and the splashing water."

"Understood!" Asano Kita nodded, quickly walked to Matsui Yuichi's side, and whispered Hiroshi's request.

Ishigami Honro and Kawabe Hidematsu stood behind Hiroshi, watching the filming scene. Ishigami Honro whispered, "Nohara-kun is so particular about the camera; he even thought of the curve of the fishing net."

"That's what professionalism is all about."

Kawabe Hidematsu responded softly, "The city TV station came to film Kamiki Shunsuke's visit to Chiba before, but they only filmed him shaking hands with Nomizu-san, and didn't film these details, so it didn't feel right."

About half an hour later, Nomizu Masayoshi's fishing boat stopped on the sea in the distance.

He picked up a large net, swung it forcefully with both arms, and the fishing net spread out in the air like a deep blue cloud, slowly falling into the sea.

Yuichi Matsui immediately zoomed in to capture the moment the fishing net fell into the water, with the water droplets splashing up and sparkling in the morning light.

"Great shot!" Saito Shigeru couldn't help but praise. He stared at the camera screen, where the fishing net slowly sank on the sea, and Nomizu Masayoshi's figure stood out against the morning mist.

Another ten minutes or so later, Nomizu Masayoshi began to pull in the net.

He gripped the ropes of the fishing net with both hands, leaning back with his muscles taut beneath his fishing clothes.

Matsui Yuichi walked around to the other side of the fishing boat and took a picture of Nomizu Masayoshi's profile as he hauled in the nets—the old man's brows were furrowed, his eyes were focused, but his lips held an expectant look.

"Got it!" Masahiro Nomizu suddenly shouted, and the sound of a heavy object struggling came from inside the fishing net.

He pulled the fishing net onto the boat with all his might. Inside lay several plump tuna, their scales gleaming with a silvery-blue luster in the morning light.

"Okay! Stop for a second!" Hiroshi shouted, quickly walked over, and said to Nomizu Masayoshi, "Nomizu-san, your expression when you were pulling in the net was particularly good. Could you do another close-up shot? Just the look in your eyes when you saw the tuna."

“No problem!” Nomizu Masahiro readily agreed, picked up the fishing net again, and made a hauling motion, his eyes full of appreciation for his prey.

Yuichi Matsui immediately adjusted the camera to focus on Masayoshi Nomizu's eyes—eyes full of wrinkles, yet exceptionally bright, like light reflecting off the sea.

By the time we finished filming the scenes of going out to sea, it was already dawn.

Nomizu Masayoshi steered his fishing boat back to shore, where the fishermen helped him load the tuna onto the cargo platform. Ishigami Honro walked over and said with a smile, "Nomizu-san, today's tuna is really good. It'll definitely fetch a good price at the auction later."

"Thank you for your kind words!" Nomizu Masayoshi wiped the sweat from his forehead and followed the crowd toward the market's auction area.

The auction area was bustling with activity, with dozens of fish shop owners surrounding the counter, notebooks in hand, their eyes fixed on the tuna on the stage.

An auctioneer in a black suit stood in the center of the auction table, holding a small gavel, and shouted: "First tuna, thirty kilograms, starting bid 100,000 yen!"

"One hundred and ten thousand!"

"One hundred twenty thousand!"

"One hundred and fifty thousand!"

The business owners raised their signs one after another, their voices rising and falling.

Masayoshi Nomizu stood at the front of the crowd, his eyes fixed on the tuna on the stage, his fingers flying across his notebook.

Hiroshi gestured to Matsui Yuichi to set up a camera on the side of the counter to capture the auctioneer's gestures and the owners' actions of raising their paddles. The sound engineer, Kobayashi-san, deliberately pointed the windproof microphone at the crowd to record the rising and falling bids.

"Two hundred thousand!" Masayasu Nomizu suddenly raised his sign, his voice booming.

The crowd fell silent instantly. The other business owners glanced at him, but no one raised their paddles again. The auctioneer banged the gavel: "Two hundred thousand once! Two hundred thousand twice! Sold!"

Masayasu Nomizu smiled with satisfaction, walked to the counter, carefully examined the tuna's eyes, pressed the fish's body with his fingers, and said to Hiroshi beside him, "This fish is fresh, with bright eyes and firm flesh. It's perfect for sashimi."

Hiroshi nodded and said to Yuichi Matsui, "Film Nomizu-san's movements as he examines the tuna, focusing on the details of his fingers pressing on the fish and the elasticity of the fish's body."

Yuichi Matsui immediately adjusted the camera, and in the picture, Masayoshi Nomizu's finger pressed on the tuna's body, and the fish's body quickly returned to its original shape, with the texture clearly visible.

Sakurako Honda took notes: "Nomizu-san's criteria for selecting tuna are: bright eyes, firm flesh, and elastic body."

After filming the auction, everyone followed Masayoshi Nomizu to his fish shop.

The fish shop was a wooden structure with an old wooden sign hanging at the entrance that read "Yasui-ya" (meaning "Wild Water House"). Behind the counter was a row of sharp knives with different patterns engraved on their handles.

Masayasu Nomizu lifted a tuna from the counter and placed it on a wooden board behind the counter. He picked up a long, thin knife and said to Hiroshi, "This knife was passed down from my father. You have to cut sashimi quickly, or you'll ruin the texture of the fish."

"Yesui-san, when you're cutting, we'll take a picture from the front to highlight the sound of the knife cutting through the fish and the thickness of the sashimi."

As Hiroshi spoke, Kobayashi immediately placed the microphone on the counter, ready to record the sound of cutting fish.

Nomizu Masayasu took a deep breath, raised his knife, and brought it down quickly.

With a "whoosh," the tuna skin was neatly cut open, revealing pink flesh with clearly visible texture.

He twisted his wrist, the blade moving swiftly across the fish, and slices of raw fish as thin as cicada wings fell onto a plate lined with bamboo mats, each slice the same thickness.

"Excellent craftsmanship!" Ishigami Honro couldn't help but exclaim. "Nomizu-san's sashimi is the perfect thickness. When you dip it in soy sauce, it doesn't absorb too much sauce, so you can taste the freshness of the fish itself."

Yuichi Matsui's camera kept focusing on Masayoshi Nomizu's hands and knife, while Shigeru Saito used a reflector to add light, making the pink color of the sashimi even brighter.

"Nomizu-san, why do you insist on selling only ten tuna a day?" Honda Sakurako asked curiously.

While slicing sashimi, Masayoshi Nomizu replied, "Making sashimi requires care. It takes forty minutes to slice one tuna, so ten tuna would take four hours. If it takes more than that, I won't have the energy. If you don't put your heart into it, it won't taste good. You can't fool your customers."

Hiroshi stood to the side and said to Hashimoto Ichiro, "Hashimoto-san, when you're filming the diners eating sashimi later, take close-ups of their expressions and their reactions when the sashimi is put in their mouths—you have to capture the feeling of 'freshness'."

"Understood!" Hashimoto Ichiro nodded, having already set up another camera at the entrance of the fish shop, ready to film the diners' reactions.

Soon, a queue formed in front of Yesui Zhengtai's fish stall.

The first person to arrive was an office worker in a suit. He sat down familiarly and said, "Nomizu-san, two servings of tuna sashimi, the usual."

"Alright!" Nomizu Masayoshi placed the freshly sliced ​​sashimi on a plate and handed it to him. The office worker picked up his chopsticks, took a slice of sashimi, dipped it in wasabi and soy sauce, put it in his mouth, closed his eyes, and a satisfied expression appeared on his face: "Nomizu-san's sashimi is still the freshest, even better than the sushi restaurants in Ginza, Tokyo!"

Yuichi Matsui's camera immediately focused on the office worker's face, capturing his satisfied expression.

Honda Sakurako walked over and asked softly, "Hello, why did you specifically come to Nomizu-san's shop to eat sashimi?"

The office worker replied with a smile, "My grandfather used to go out to sea with Nomizu-san. I've been eating Nomizu-san's sashimi since I was a child. It's all about memories—and it's really fresh. Every time I come to Chiba, I make a special trip to get there."

Filming continued until noon, and all the shots, from setting sail, the auction, cutting the fish to the diners, were successfully completed.

Masayoshi Nomizu invited everyone to eat bento boxes at the fish shop. The bento boxes contained freshly made sashimi, dipped in soy sauce, so fresh that it made people squint their eyes.

Ishigami Honro and Kawabe Hidematsu looked at the team packing up their equipment with surprise on their faces: "Nohara-kun, you're done filming already? It only took less than a day, and you filmed it in such detail—when NHK came to film before, they didn't finish even after three days."

Hiroshi smiled and took a sip of tea: "We scouted the location beforehand, streamlined the process, and everyone cooperated well, so it was quick. Plus, we captured all the key points, so there's no need to waste time taking extra shots."

Matsui Yuichi wiped the camera lens, his tone full of pride: "That's Hiroshi-kun's skill! Last time when we were filming 'Midnight Diner,' we filmed one episode a day, and the details were more than others filmed in three days."

Hashimoto Ichiro nodded in agreement: "Last time when we were filming 'Yamishibai,' Hiroshi drew up the storyboard for every shot in advance, and even marked the lighting angles clearly, so we didn't waste any time during filming—working with Hiroshi is so worry-free!"

Nomizu Masayasu looked at Hiroshi and gave him a thumbs up: "Nohara-kun is really amazing! I thought filming would take a long time, but I didn't expect it to be so fast and so detailed—once the film airs, I'm definitely going to make sure my whole family watches it!"

Ishigami Honro stood up and said to Hiroshi, "Nohara-kun, after the film is edited, could you send a sample copy to our prefectural office? We want to show it at the Chiba cultural and tourism promotion event so that more people can learn about 'A Bite of Japan'."

“Of course.” Hiroshi nodded. “I’ll have Asuka-san contact you after the haircut.”

Asumi added, "Don't worry, Ishigami-san, we'll edit it as soon as possible and try to broadcast it next month. Maybe that will boost tourism in Chiba and attract more people to try Nomizu-san's sashimi."

Kawabe Hidematsu said with a smile, "That's great! Chiba City will cooperate with the promotion and play trailers in stations and shopping malls—we must make 'A Bite of Japan' a hit!"

Everyone packed up their equipment, ready to leave Chiba. Nomizu Masayasu stood by the pier, waving and shouting, "Nohara-kun, next time you come to Chiba, I'll treat you to freshly caught tuna!"

Hiroshi turned around and waved, his heart filled with warmth.

He looked out the car window at the Chiba Seafood Market; the stalls in the morning light, the busy vendors, and the fishing boats in the distance—all these scenes became part of the scenery captured in his lens.

He knew that this episode of "A Bite of Japan" not only filmed the seafood of Chiba, but also the people of Chiba, and the persistence and warmth hidden behind the seafood.

In the car, Yuichi Matsui looked through the footage he had just shot and couldn't help but exclaim, "Hiroshi-kun, look at this shot! When Nomizu-san was pulling in the net, the morning light was just falling on his face. It's so evocative!"

Hiroshi leaned closer to look, and in the picture, Nomizu Masahiro was facing the morning light, his wrinkles full of smiles, and his eyes filled with awe for the sea and joy for the harvest.

“We’ll keep this shot for the opening sequence,” Hiroshi said. “With the sound of ocean waves and the voice of Nomizu-san, the opening scene will grab the audience’s attention.”

Sakurako Honda also opened her notebook, which was filled with Masayoshi Nomizu's words: "Nomizu-san said, 'We should eat whatever the ocean gives us and not be greedy.' That's a really good sentence. We can add it when editing the video."

“Add it to the end credits,” Hiroshi nodded, “to echo the theme of ‘freshness by the sea’ and to give the film more depth.”

Asumi looked at the scene before him and a smile appeared on his lips.

He recalled that when he was working at the Guandong TV station, he always had to worry about equipment and funding when making films, and it had never been this smooth.

With Hiroshi taking the lead, a team working together, and local government support, the reform of the Kanto TV station seems to be on the verge of success.

“Hiroshi-kun,” Asumi suddenly spoke up, “After returning to the station, I reported to Director Takada and asked the editing department to prioritize editing the first episode of ‘A Bite of China’ so that it can be broadcast as soon as possible.”

"Thank you for your help, Hiroshi." Hiroshi nodded, looking at the farmland rushing past the car window. He suddenly remembered the plum rice balls that Misae had made for him that morning—food with warmth that made him feel at ease.

He knew that "A Bite of Neon" was just the beginning, and there were still "Warmth on the Streets" and "The Taste of Home" to film. But as long as he put his heart into filming every shot and telling every person's story, just like today, this documentary would definitely be a hit.

After all, good stories never lack an audience.

The car drove away from Chiba and headed towards Tokyo.

Sunlight streamed through the car windows, falling on everyone's faces and also on the storyboard on the passenger seat—the simple sketches on it seemed to come alive in the sunlight, becoming warm and inviting images.

……

The artist management office at the headquarters of the Kirin Group is decorated even more extravagantly than the conference room of the Tokyo Metropolitan Television Station.

The off-white leather sofa was covered with cushions embroidered with gold thread, and a huge poster of Shunsuke Kamiki hung on the wall—he was wearing a silver sequined jacket and making an exaggerated V-sign at the camera, with the words "Kirin Group's Key Artist of the Year" printed in the corner of the poster.

On the mahogany desk sat a gilded coffee pot, next to several entertainment magazines, most of which featured Kamiki Shunsuke's scandals on the cover, but none of them mentioned his works.

Shunsuke Kamiki sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, his fingers unconsciously twirling the latest model flip phone with a diamond-encrusted gold casing—a gift from Tokugawa Sato last month, something few people in all of Tokyo could afford.

After listening to his agent, Keisuke Yamaguchi, he suddenly scoffed, tossed his phone onto the sofa, and said with undisguised contempt, "A documentary about humanities? Has Hiroshi Nohara run out of ideas? Why not make good movies and TV series instead of making those old-fashioned things that nobody watches?"

Keisuke Yamaguchi stood to the side, holding a folded copy of the Asahi Shimbun. In the corner of the entertainment section, there was a line of small print that read, "TV Tokyo and TV Kanto are preparing a food documentary, with Hiroshi Nohara as the chief director."

He pushed up his black-rimmed glasses and said cautiously, "Jun-suke-san, you can't say that. Nohara-kun's previous works... 'Yamishibai' saved TV Tokyo's midnight slot, and 'Seven Samurai' grossed over 89 billion yen. Even Eiji Kurosawa praised him. This time, he might have his own ideas for making this documentary, so we'd better be careful."

"careful?"

Shunsuke Kamiki sat bolt upright, grabbed the coffee cup on the table, and smashed it to the ground. The bone china cup shattered, and brown coffee splattered onto the carpet. "Yamaguchi-san, are you my manager or a fan of Hiroshi Nohara? It's just a documentary, what kind of splash can it make? NHK's 'Kyoto Ancient Temples Travelogue' last year took six months to make, and the ratings were only 2.8%. The advertisers almost turned the station manager's office upside down! Even if Hiroshi Nohara is amazing, can he turn a documentary into an idol drama?"

Keisuke Yamaguchi took a half step back in fright, but still forced himself to continue, "But...but Nohara-kun is good at understanding the audience's psychology. Look at 'Midnight Diner,' it didn't have big stars or big scenes, but it was still a hit, wasn't it? The ratings were consistently above 10%, and it even got Nissin Ramen as a long-term sponsor. If this food documentary takes the 'food + human touch' approach, it might really attract family viewers—those housewives over 35 years old are a group that our 'Exploring the Tokyo Area' hasn't covered."

"Family audience? Housewives?" Kamiki Shunsuke sneered, stood up and walked to the poster, poking his face with his finger. "Yamaguchi-san, have you forgotten who my fans are? They're young girls aged 15-25! They're after my looks, my stage. Who would watch an old man cooking soba noodles or fishermen hauling in their nets? The city TV station's 'Exploring the Tokyo Area' is premiering next week, and they've already secured 30 million yen in advertising sponsorships just for the pre-release promotion. Even if Hiroshi Nohara's documentary is made, it can only be broadcast in the late-night slot. It's not even in the same league as us!"

He paused, his jealousy almost overflowing: "Besides, Hiroshi Nohara is just lucky! 'Yamishibai' relied on the novelty of urban ghost stories, and 'Seven Samurai' relied on Eiji Kurosawa's brand. What real talent does he have? He's just a newcomer who only knows how to copy and modify, and now he dares to compete with me for resources—President Sato even said he would make a movie for me, but when he heard that Hiroshi Nohara was going to make a documentary, he suppressed my film project, saying that he would 'support humanistic themes first'!"

Keisuke Yamaguchi knew what Shunsuke Kamiki was angry about—Tokugawa Sato had indeed been paying more attention to Hiroshi Nohara lately, and last month he even sent him to TV Tokyo to discuss a collaboration, hoping to poach Nohara to Kirin as an exclusive director, while his attitude towards Kamiki had become much colder.

But he didn't dare to say it out loud, so he changed the subject: "Jun-suke-san, don't be angry. Let's talk about the schedule. Tomorrow morning at 10 a.m., we're going to Senso-ji Temple for a fan meeting. In the afternoon at 2 p.m., we're going to talk to the head of Marui Soy Sauce about an advertising endorsement. In the evening at 7 p.m.... we're going to Mayor Tanaka Mikami's private dinner. President Sato specifically told us that this dinner is very important, so we must do our best."

Upon hearing the name "Tanaka Mikami," Kamiki Shunsuke's anger subsided considerably. He bent down to pick up his phone from the ground, wiped it with a tissue, and his tone turned serious: "Mayor Tanaka's dinner? Why didn't President Sato tell me beforehand?"

"It was just finalized yesterday." Keisuke Yamaguchi quickly handed over a gold-embossed invitation. "Mayor Tanaka is currently promoting a real estate project in Tokyo Bay and wants to invite President Sato to invest. He also invited a few celebrities to support the project. President Sato said that if you can build a good relationship with Mayor Tanaka, the city radio station's resources will be more inclined towards us in the future—after all, Mayor Tanaka spearheaded the establishment of the city radio station, and Deputy Director Takahashi is very close to him."

Kamiki Shunsuke accepted the invitation, his fingertips tracing the name "Tanaka Mikami," a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes: "I understand. I can't afford to offend Mayor Tanaka. Last time he came to my concert, I made him wait ten minutes because I was late, and President Sato almost scolded me to death. I'll do my best at this banquet."

He paused, then added, "By the way, how's the endorsement deal with Marui Soy Sauce going? They said they'd sign a two-year contract before, have they softened their stance yet?"

“We’re still negotiating.” Keisuke Yamaguchi opened his notebook. “The person in charge at Marui Soy Sauce said they’d like you to shoot an advertisement with a ‘traditional craftsmanship’ theme, which would fit their century-old brand image. But you previously preferred to shoot a fashion-related advertisement, such as for cosmetics or a sports brand, so I’m still coordinating…”

"Coordinate what?" Kamiki Shunsuke interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Just do it according to Marui Soy Sauce's requirements! Traditional craftsmanship it is, as long as we can get the endorsement fee, we'll film whatever we want. The city TV station is still watching. If we can secure the annual endorsement from Marui Soy Sauce, they will definitely add a prime-time slot to 'Tokyo Surrounding Areas Exploration'—I don't want to be stuck in the off-peak weekend afternoon slot all the time."

Keisuke Yamaguchi nodded in agreement: "Okay, I'll talk to the person in charge of Marui Soy Sauce again tomorrow and try to finalize the contract. Also, there's a magazine interview the day after tomorrow morning. The reporter will ask you about your views on 'Kanto local culture.' Would you like to prepare your answer in advance? After all, Hiroshi Nohara's documentary also touched on this topic. If you answer well, you can ride the wave of popularity."

"Kanto local culture?" Kamiki Shunsuke frowned, then sneered. "What's there to prepare? Just say 'local culture needs young people to carry it on,' and mention that I'll take viewers to experience the old streets and shops of Kanto in 'Exploring the Tokyo Area.' Isn't that more authentic than Hiroshi Nohara's documentary? Those old craftsmen are almost retired, and their skills have long been outdated. Filming them would just be selling nostalgia."

Seeing that he no longer mentioned Hiroshi Nohara, Keisuke Yamaguchi breathed a sigh of relief: "Then I'll go prepare the materials for tomorrow. If you have any other plans, feel free to call me."

"Wait." Kamiki Shunsuke suddenly called out to him, tapping a few times on his phone screen. "I know, you can go now. Just come pick me up on time tomorrow."

Keisuke Yamaguchi glanced at him with a puzzled look, but didn't dare to ask any more questions. He bowed and left the office.

As soon as the door closed, the composure on Kamiki Shunsuke's face vanished. He strode behind his desk, took out a black address book from the drawer, flipped to the page for "Sato Tokugawa's Rivals," and found a name—"Mitsui Fudosan Watanabe Toru."

He picked up his phone and quickly pressed the send button. The text message was short: "Tonight at 8 PM, at the 'Kikusui' ryotei in Ginza, I have something important to discuss."

After the notification popped up that the message had been successfully sent, Shunsuke Kamiki threw his phone on the table, leaned back in his chair, and looked terrifyingly sinister.

He recalled that when he went to Sato Tokugawa's office last month, he overheard Sato and Watanabe Toru on the phone. The two were arguing fiercely about a real estate project in Tokyo Bay. Watanabe Toru had been trying to seize Sato's resources but had not found a way to break through.

"Sato Tokugawa, didn't you value Hiroshi Nohara? Tanaka Mikami, didn't you think I was just a shallow idol? City TV, didn't you think I couldn't carry a prime-time slot?"

Kamiki Shunsuke muttered to himself, his fingers clenched so tightly they turned white, "Just wait, I'll show you that I, Kamiki Shunsuke, am not someone who can only make a living by my looks—as long as I can get resources, I don't care if I have to cooperate with Watanabe Toru."

He recalled that when he first joined the Kirin Group, Sato Tokugawa treated him like a "canary," giving him popularity but not good works, and making him film some meaningless idol dramas and commercials.
Although Kazuo Takahashi of the city TV station appointed him to host "Exploring the Tokyo Area", he privately told people that "Shunsuke Kamiki can only pose, he has no acting skills and no substance."
Even Tanaka Mikami, when we met last time, only talked about his number of fans briefly, without mentioning his works at all.

And what about Hiroshi Nohara?

At only 23 years old, he has his own independent production department, and every film he makes becomes a hit. High-ranking officials such as Nobuhiko Sakata and Yoshihiro Shimazu treat him like a treasure, and Governor Ryuichi Koike praised him for "changing the indifference of Japan."

Why?
Why is it that Hiroshi Nohara can gain everyone's recognition by relying on "humanities" and "sentiments," while he can only maintain his popularity by relying on his looks and fans?
"Hiroshi Nohara, you better not have your documentary become popular."

Shunsuke Kamiki picked up a cigarette from the table, lit it, and took a deep drag. The smoke blurred his face. "If it becomes popular, I don't mind if something 'accidents' happen to it—like the old craftsman in the documentary getting some negative news, or the filming equipment being 'accidentally' damaged, causing a delay in its broadcast."

Just then, my phone vibrated. It was a reply from Watanabe Toru: "Be there at eight o'clock sharp. Bring what you have with you."

A cold smile crept across Shunsuke Kamiki's lips as he slipped his phone into his suit pocket. He did indeed possess what Watanabe Toru wanted—a recording he had secretly made last month of Sato Tokugawa discussing the Tokyo Bay real estate project with Tanaka Mikami, which mentioned the "private transfer of land approval authority."

He hadn't dared to bring it out before, fearing he'd offend Sato Tokugawa, but now he had nothing left to lose.

He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the bustling crowd below, his eyes filled with resentment and calculation.

The afterglow of the setting sun streamed through the glass, casting a cold light on the gilded ornaments in the office, but it couldn't penetrate the darkness in his eyes.

"Just wait, everyone will see that I, Shunsuke Kamiki, am far superior to Hiroshi Nohara," he said in a low voice, his tone filled with an almost frantic certainty.

Meanwhile, in the editing room of TV Tokyo's production department, Hiroshi Nohara and Ichiro Hashimoto were watching the initial cut of the first episode of "A Bite of Japan".

On the screen, Masayoshi Nomizu is sailing out to sea in the morning mist in a wooden boat. The arc of the fishing net spreading in the air is particularly beautiful, and the sound of the waves and the shouts of the fishermen can be clearly heard.

"The pace here could be a bit slower."

Hiroshi pointed to the screen, "When Nomizusan is hauling in the net, there's a close-up of the calluses on his hands, then a close-up of the tuna to emphasize its 'freshness.' There's also the auction segment, where the bidding is amplified to increase the tension."

Hashimoto Ichiro nodded, his editing pen flying across the script: "Understood, I'll adjust it in a bit. By the way, Hiroshi-kun, Managing Director Asumi just said that Mr. Ishigami from the Chiba Prefectural Government wants to see a sample video in advance, saying it's for a cultural and tourism promotion event. Should we send them a copy?"

"can."

Hiroshi nodded. "Have the editing department make an extra copy and have someone deliver it tomorrow. Also, talk to Manager Hattori Tadashi and ask him to help promote it through Tokyo's promotional channels, such as subway ads and newspaper columns, if the sample is fine."

Hashimoto Ichiro agreed, then suddenly remembered something and said with a smile, "Hiroshi-kun, I just heard that Kamiki Shunsuke smashed a coffee cup in the Kirin Group office. Apparently, he was quite angry because he heard about your documentary."

Hiroshi paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Don't worry about him, just focus on making a good film. Audiences want good content, not the temper of celebrities."

Hashimoto Ichiro nodded and continued to focus on editing.

On the screen, Masayasu Nomizu is slicing sashimi. The sound of the knife cutting through the fish is crisp and pleasant. Thin slices of sashimi, as thin as cicada wings, fall onto the bamboo mat, gleaming with a fresh pink color.

As Hiroshi watched the video, he suddenly remembered the plum rice balls that Misae had made for him that morning—simple yet heartwarming, just like the story in this documentary.

He knew that as long as he told these stories well, he would definitely be able to move the audience. As for Kamiki Shunsuke's jealousy and dissatisfaction, they were just insignificant little episodes.

As darkness fell outside the window, the lights in the editing room came on, illuminating the focused figures of the two people.

The initial cut of the first episode of "A Bite of Neon" is nearing completion, and it will be available to viewers in a few days.

Hiroshi believes that this documentary will bring warmth and emotion to the audience, just like "Midnight Diner," and will also bring Kanto TV back on track.

Meanwhile, at the Kirin Group's talent agency, Shunsuke Kamiki had already changed into a suit, holding an envelope containing a cassette tape, and was about to leave.

He straightened his tie in front of the mirror, deliberately concealing the sinister look in his eyes, replacing it with a sharp, determined look.

“Ginza ‘Kikusui’ ryotei, Watanabe Toru…” He murmured the address, a cold smile playing on his lips. “After tonight, everything will be different.”

He pushed open the door and strode towards the elevator.

The corridor lights were bright, but they couldn't penetrate the dark corners of his heart.

He was unaware that his choice at that moment would not only affect Hiroshi Nohara's documentary, but also expose the power struggle between Tokugawa Sato and Mikami Tanaka, and even change the landscape of the Tokyo mayoral election.

The elevator doors slowly opened, and Shunsuke Kamiki stepped inside.

The numbers on the elevator kept fluctuating as it descended, just like the calculations in his mind, gradually developing in an unpredictable direction.

This seemingly simple "celebrity competition" has quietly turned into a game involving the interests of multiple parties, and Kamiki Shunsuke is nothing more than a pawn in this game who thinks he is clever.

PS:
(End of this chapter)