Screenwriter So Kuramoto, who created ‘Kita no Kuni Kara,’ dies
September 28, 2026 at 18:14 JST
- Share
- list
Screenwriter So Kuramoto speaks about his film “Umi no Chinmoku” (Silence of the sea) at a news conference in Sapporo on Oct. 13, 2024. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Japanese screenwriter So Kuramoto, who created the acclaimed TV drama “Kita no Kuni Kara” (From the north country), died of multiple organ failure on Sept. 18. He was 91.
Along with the series, Kuramoto was known for his continued exploration of the meaning of postwar Japan’s prosperity and the happiness of its people.
A private funeral was held among close relatives.
Kuramoto, whose real name was Kaoru Yamaya, was born in the capital and graduated from the University of Tokyo. After working for Nippon Broadcasting System Inc., he became a freelance screenwriter in 1963.
While writing NHK’s historical drama series “Katsu Kaishu,” which aired in 1974, he left the project after clashing with the broadcaster and traveled to Hokkaido.
He eventually moved to Furano, Hokkaido, in 1977 and would pen his best-known work “Kita no Kuni Kara” based on his life there. The lauded series aired on the Fuji Television network.
Set against the backdrop of Hokkaido’s majestic natural scenery across the four seasons, it follows a man who returns to his hometown and his young children.
More episodes were produced as the characters grew older, making it an exceptionally long-running drama.
- Share
- list
