"Kita no Kuni kara" Screenwriter So Kuramoto Dies at 91

Tokyo, September 28 (Jiji Press) - Noted screenwriter So Kuramoto, renowned for his contributions to Japanese television dramas such as the Kita no Kuni kara series, passed away on September 18 due to multiple organ failure at his residence in Furano, Hokkaido, Japan. He was 91 years old. Kuramoto, born in Tokyo and originally known as Kaoru Yamaya, earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Tokyo in 1959.

Following his graduation, he joined Nippon Broadcasting System Inc. in 1959 before leaving the company in 1963 to pursue a career as a freelance screenwriter.

Kuramoto's talent was recognized in 1976 when he received the Minister of Education Award for Fine Arts for his work on Zenryaku Ofukuro-sama, a youth drama set in a Japanese-style restaurant in downtown Tokyo. A year later, he relocated to Furano, the picturesque town that served as the backdrop for his most acclaimed work, the Kita no Kuni kara series.

The drama series, which aired from 1981 to 1982, garnered widespread acclaim for its depiction of a family harmoniously living in nature, and led to the production of eight special sequel dramas until 2002.

Post the Kita no Kuni kara series, Kuramoto dedicated himself to nurturing young talent. In 1984, he established Furano Juku, a training school for screenwriters and actors, at his own expense. The school operated until 2010, after which Kuramoto shifted his focus to mentoring aspiring writers and actors through teaching at Furano Group, a theater company predominantly consisting of graduates from Furano Juku.