Toba’s “Pearl Road”

This morning we got on the ferry from Chita Peninsula and crossed the sea to Ise Shima.
Lee Tae Sung　and a few others said it was their first time to ride a large ferry. Going to the head of the ship, they spread their arms and played “Titanic”.
So, we all get the same ideas!
Even if we cannot communicate with each other in words, we can have the same laughs when it comes to films











The clouds that flowed in the sky had an unique expression. This was near the bay called “Pearl Bridge” and is about a 25 minute drive from Toba.

The lattice-shaped rafts that float in the bay are used for cultivating pearls. It gave a delicate nuance to the picture of the bay.









The task for today was to get airborne imagery from the helicopter, and also to capture the dusk.
At 7 in the morning the main troupe moved from Chita Peninsula to Ise across the shore.
We heard that the typhoon was approaching, but so far, a pure blue sky greeted us.

Our aim was to get the unique landscape of Iseshima … the two of them on their bicycles run through this beautiful scenery consisting of scattered islands and complex formation of the bay.
We made a test flight. I have ridden the helicopter many times both in Japan and abroad, but I never tire from watching the scenery below. I wish I could go on riding it for awhile.

Afterwards, we drove for quite a long time on the Pearl Road, and arrived at the perfect location for getting an evening view. They weather forecast had predicted rain from the evening for Mie Prefecture, and the typhoon was supposed to be approaching nearby, but we could not see any sign of it. Again, the heavens were with us.

But we had no time to lose. We were aiming for one moment only – the time the sun almost hides beneath the clouds.Hurriedly, we prepared the rails for the rover, and set the cameras. In the meantime, I explained the movement to Marky and Lee Tae Sung and repeated rehearsals and tests.

“It’s now or never!”
Dai-chan, the lighting chief who was watching the movement of the sun and clouds all this time came over to me and declared in a quiet tone.

“Okay, we’re going to take it! ….ready, action!” The two actors emerged almost as a silhouette against the beautiful sunset.

“CUT!”“Oh, it’s beautiful!”
Everyone was struck by its beauty.

“It’s like a movie, isn’t!”
“Hey, it IS a movie.”
Lee Tae Sung’s jokes in Japanese are getting better all the time.


In the sunset that was dimming, the staffs were getting all excited and took photos of each other. ”Oh, there’s a dragon!”
Marky pointed at the sky.

In the blue sky where the cloud had just hidden itself, there was just one cloud with a peculiar shape shining there.
Junya, who is in charge of the making film, was quick to take me a video of me as I was looking up at the sky.


“Director, is it as you imaged it?”

“Of course it is, it's perfect!”

But needless to say, the beautiful view is a gift from the god of cinema No matter how long one waits, there are people who are do not encounter that crucial moment.

It was late into the night when we finally got back to our hotel

(originally posted in Japanese on August 7, 2006)