Detective Yoko Himeno, Specialist in Raids, is Back

To my delight, 'Detective Gasahime 2,' a two-hour drama, was decided, and we filmed it last December. The cast remained the same: Ryūta Ryū, Kōji Matoba, Hiroaki Iwanaga, and misono. Although it had been a little while, this team had excellent chemistry from the start, and somehow, the gaps in time felt instantly bridged. Despite it being the first day of filming, it felt as though we had been working together for days.





"Gasahime," Detective Yoko Himeno, who specializes in raids, this time poses as a fisherman at a certain fishing spot (laughs). It's fun to be able to wear various disguises. It was incredibly cold, though... In Part 2, Arthur Kuroda, who plays my husband, also appears. Last time, he was only in a photograph. Issues of marital discord surface... as expected, working women face many challenges.

Anpanman Visited Children in Sendai!

I had some time off during the New Year holidays, so I volunteered at the Sendai Anpanman Museum. The Sendai Anpanman Museum's opening was delayed due to the earthquake. In the Tohoku region, which is still recovering, there are many children who haven't yet been able to visit the museum.—To help invigorate the museum, we held five Anpanman Taiso performances, a raffle, and a handshake and photo session.





Meeting the energetic children and their families always inexplicably gives me strength. The museum staff are, in fact, survivors themselves. Seeing them interact with the children with bright smiles is truly admirable. I intend to visit again if I have the opportunity. And I'd love to take my time exploring the museum someday. There are so many items you can only find there!

New Year's Bonus: A Luxurious Lucky Bag!?

This was the ninth casual live performance at STB, but it was my first time performing in January. Since it was a New Year's live show, I wanted to create a special, different kind of New Year's feel. After much thought, the first thing that came to mind was a lucky bag. It feels festive for the New Year, doesn't it (laughs)? To express my gratitude for your continued support, I prepared three prize packages, including BG brand merchandise, a signed joint piece from my team, Backgammon, with Go Ueki, and a signed fan and valuable tenugui towel from surprise guest Shota Fukusho. We held a lottery-style drawing. Lotteries are fun, aren't they? They really get you excited.





Many audience members were likely seeing and hearing a professional rakugo performer for the first time, but everyone roared with laughter at his professional power and humor! I believe we truly delivered a New Year's laugh, fitting for the season. Mr. Fukusho, Brother Go, and I sang Yosui Inoue's 'Yume no Naka e.' Mr. Fukusho practiced diligently, and it turned into a wonderfully fun trio song! 'Yume no Naka e' is also the song I hum when I solve a case in 'Gasahime.' I never quite finish singing it on the show, so I've always wanted to perform it completely someday (laughs).

I also performed my upcoming cover song, 'Machi no Akari' (Streetlights). It was a packed, ambitious live show for just one night, but I had an incredibly enjoyable time. It was a live performance where I discovered my growing passion for singing. I feel that the singing practice from last year's 'ROUTE55' release live and the tour have also been significant strengths. I sincerely thank everyone for the overwhelmingly positive reception of 'Casual Live 9'.

By the time this article is published, I will likely be in the midst of rehearsals for "Jigoku no Keiko" (Hellish Keiko)! (Tears). Next time, I will do my best to bring you enjoyable news about the two-person play 'Hachigatsu no Love Song' (Love Song in August). Now, off to rehearsals.—Let's Go!