In developing the screenplay, how did you combine Chiyokos story with elements of Japanese history ?
Murai: “I wanted to intertwine fragments of Japanese history with the story of her [Chiyoko’s] life. In terms of craftsmanship, I wrote the screenplay underscoring the fact that she is the one telling the story. In other words, what she is telling is more significant than how the actual events took place.” The film changes from present day to different historical periods such as the Edo Period and the Meiji Period, even going far back to the Warring States period. Did this create a challenge for you? Kon: “Most modern Japanese have specific images of the Edo Period, which are not necessarily the actual Edo Period. Television and movies have created those particular images. For instance, when Akoh Roushi, a group of 47 samurais staged a revenge attack for their lord in January 1703, it was a requisite that the scene be snowy, regardless of historical verification. What we included is our image of history. I wanted Chiyoko to run through such images. Historical verification doesn’t reall
