Tomohisa Yamashita has started filming his new TV drama, “Our Hakone Ekiden,” the adaptation of the novel of the same name from Jun Ikeido.
After Yo Oizumi was announced as one of the leads, it was revealed that Tomohisa will be playing the role of Kai Masato, a former Hakone Ekiden runner who gives up his job at a trading company and returns to his alma mater, Meisei Gakuin University, to become the track and field coach and accompany his juniors in pursuing their dreams.
Speaking about his role, the actor expressed, “I am very honoured to participate in this deeply moving drama that portrays the myriad aspects of life.”
“I would listen to the stories of people involved in the Ekiden while reading the script and do my best to convey the feelings and emotions contained in this story,” he added.
The Hakone Ekiden is a large-scale relay marathon event with over a century of history. The event is held between Tokyo and Hakone on 2 and 3 January, with each team of 10 members taking turns covering 20-23 kilometres, ultimately completing the 217.1-kilometre course.
“Our Hakone Ekiden” is divided into two main storylines: one follows university students as they undergo rigorous training and participate in the competition, and the other depicts the efforts of television station staff to broadcast the event live.
Tomohisa’s last TV series was Apple TV’s “Drops of God”.
(Photo Source: CinemaCafe, Suruga-ya)