[Aichi] Let's Visit the Filming Locations of the NHK Drama Series "Tora ni Tsubasa"!

The popular NHK drama series "Tora ni Tsubasa" starring Sari Ito. The drama is based on Tokyo, but many spots in Aichi Prefecture, such as the "Fountain Tower" and the "Municipal Archives" in Tsuruma Park were used as filming locations!

We will now introduce the locations of "Tora ni Tsubasa" in Aichi.

Please use this as a reference and take a look around!

What kind of drama is "Tora ni Tsubasa"?

NHK's TV series "Tora ni Tsubasa" for the first half of the 2024 fiscal year is a superb legal entertainment featuring the passionate heroine Torako, played by Sari Ito. The story follows Torako and her friends as they pave the way for the wayward in difficult times and save lost children and trapped women.

The model for this story is Yoshiko Mibuchi, the first woman in Japanese history to enter the legal profession. This is an original story based on the true story of one woman.

The script was written by Erika Yoshida, who is known as "Cheri Maho" and has worked on "It seems you can become a magician if you are a virgin until you are 30" (TV Tokyo) and "Yoru-dora: Koi Senu Futari" (NHK).

The theme song, "Goodbye, See You Again!", is sung by Kenshi Yonezu, and the narration is provided by actress Machiko Ono.

Location 1:
Tsuruma Park

Setting in the drama:Hibiya Park

The fountain tower at Tsuruma Park appears almost every episode from the beginning of the first broadcast as Hibiya Park in front of the Tokyo District Court.

The fountain tower that appears in "Tora ni Tsubasa" is located straight ahead of the main entrance to Tsuruma Park. In the first broadcast, it appeared as a backdrop of painful postwar scars.

The author, who had watched the broadcast from the first time, was so excited and yelled "This is the place!"

The fountain tower appears many times in the drama afterwards, including in the memorable scenes where Torako and Hanaoka meet and when they shake hands after their date.

The fountain tower was designed by Suzuki Yoshitsugu and built as the symbol of the Exposition held in Tsuruma Park in 1910.

The modern design, reminiscent of European architecture, features a Doric colonnade in the style of early ancient Greece. Water is lifted to the topmost point and flows down naturally from the eight prongs.

The "Nagoya City Public Hall" also makes a brief appearance behind the fountain.

In the first broadcast, Torako appeared in the scene where she walked through the fountain tower and into this building where Katsuraba Toichiro (Kenichi Matsuyama) is located.

The Nagoya City Public Hall was built in 1930 as a commemorative project for the Emperor Showa's wedding, and still retains the original appearance of the building when it was first opened. Today, it is registered as a Tangible Cultural Property (building) of Japan.

[Tsuruma Park]
Address : 1-1 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Hours of operation: Open 24 hours a day
Phone number: 052-733-8340
https://tsurumapark.info/

Location 2:
Nagoya City Hall Main Building

Setting in the drama: corridor of Meiritsu University & middle corridor of the Ministry of Justice

The Nagoya City Hall Main Building is used as a corridor for the university building Torako attends, and as a middle corridor for the Ministry of Justice.

The main staircase on the first floor and the north corridor appear as the corridor & main building of Meiritsu University where Torako students go to and from. It is the longest corridor in Nagoya City Hall, and in order to match the period, the art staff adjusted every detail of the film, even the lighting.

The central corridor on the second floor was utilized as the middle corridor of the Ministry of Justice. Sari Ito, who plays Torako, Kenichi Matsuyama, who plays Toichiro Katsuraba, and other splendid actors have visited the building for filming.

In addition, the footage of the higher examination broadcasted in Week 6 is a natural combination of footage shot on location in three different locations. The exterior of the Ministry of Justice (the examination site) is the “Old Main Building of the Ministry of Justice in Kasumigaseki,” the corridor to the site is the “Nagoya City Hall Main Building (Central Corridor),” and the examination site is the “Minato Ward Local History Museum".

It was a memorable scene, so I'm sure many of you remember it.

Nagoya City Hall Main Building is a historic structure from the early Showa period that combines Western architectural style with Japanese elements.

Starting with "Warai no Daigaku" (2004) written and scripted by Koki Mitani as a sacred place for Nagoya location shooting, it has been used in various movies and dramas including "SP Revolution" (2011, movie) and "VIVANT" (2023, TBS TV Sunday Theater).

▼More details here
https://www.nagoya-info.jp/location/search/detail/4/

Location 3:
Nagoya City Archives

Setting in the drama: Tokyo District Court

Among the filming locations, the one that has been talked about as a sacred place for "Wings of the Tiger" is the Nagoya City Archives Aichi Prefecture. This building was constructed in 1922 (Taisho 11) as the Nagoya Court of Appeals District Court Building.

It's also where Yoshiko Mibuchi actually worked for about three years as a female judge.

The building has appeared many times in the drama since its initial broadcast as the "Tokyo District Court" and is quite familiar to viewers due to its impressive architecture.

This beautiful neo-baroque building has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

Inside the building, the central stairwell is the most characteristic of the Neo-Baroque style. The symmetrical construction, the atrium from the second to the third floor, and the rows of two-tone brown and yellow decorative columns are all indicative of the building's prestigious status.

The stained glass window in the front of the building depicts a picture of a balance, meaning a fair trial, a reminder that this building was once a courthouse.

This is the angle from which the female students from Meiritsu University got off the train to watch the trial.

This is the courtyard terrace where sweet-toothed Katsuraba, aka Matsuyama Kenichi, missed out on some dango (sweet rice dumplings).

The museum also displays an introduction panel for Yoshiko Mibuchi, autographs from the cast members, and actual legal robes worn by lawyers before the war.

Since the Municipal Museum was originally the Court of Appeals, visitors can learn about the history of the judicial system as well as recreate the courtrooms under the Meiji Constitution, the Jury Court, and the Court under the current Constitution.

It's a must-see for drama fans, as it makes you feel like you've really been transported to the world of the drama.

Learn about the history of the justice system.

The Municipal Archives also has a cafe on the left side of the central staircase. Light meals such as Ogura toast and sandwiches are also popular.

[Nagoya City Archives]
Address : 1-3 Shirakabe, Higashi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 461-0011, Japan
Hours: 9:00-17:00
Admission : Free
Closed: Monday (if Monday is a holiday, the immediately following weekday), 3rd Thursday (if Monday is a holiday, the 4th Thursday)
December 29 to January 3
http://www.city.nagoya.jp/shisei/category/52-7-4-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.html

Location 4:
Meiji Mura

The open-air museum and theme park "Meiji Mura" is located in Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture. Meiji Mura preserves and exhibits authentic Meiji-era architecture, and four locations have been used as filming locations.

Meiji Mura is also a mecca for morning dramas, with many locations having been used as filming locations for past dramas such as "Gochisousan," "Hanako and Anne," "Manpuku," and "Hanbun Aoi."

Naikaku Bunko
Setting in the drama: Exterior view of Teito Bank

The scene at the Teito Bank where Torako's father Naokoto and his lodger Yuzo work, which appears from the first broadcast of Tora ni Tsubasa, was filmed at the Naikaku Bunko in 5-chome, Meiji Mura.

The Naikaku Bunko is a library of the Meiji government established in 1873 under the name "Daijyokan Bunko" in the Akasaka Imperial Villa.

The building was designed by Yoshikuni Okuma. He also later directed the construction of the National Diet Building. The building is constructed of stone and brick in the Renaissance style (changed to a reinforced concrete structure when the building was moved). Four circular columns and two square columns support a huge pediment in front, and its appearance is reminiscent of the architecture of ancient Greek and Roman temples.

The buildings in the background of the drama appear to be CG composites.

Mie Prefectural Office Building
Setting in the drama: Interior view of Teito Bank

The central part of the second floor of the Mie Prefectural Office Building, located at Meiji Mura 1-chome, is used as the interior scene of the Teito Bank. This building was built in 1876 and was modeled after the Ministry of Home Affairs building, and is typical of wooden government buildings of the early Meiji period.

In the drama, the scenes where Torako's father, Naokoto, and Yuzo work were filmed here. As the oldest surviving prefectural office building, it has been designated an Important Cultural Property.

Incidentally, the Mie Prefectural Office Building is also used in the NHK television series "Half, Blue," starring Mei Nagano in the lead role. The main character's first date is at the building.

Kitasato Institute Main Building and Medical Building
Setting in the drama: Exterior and interior view of the girls' school Torako attended

The "Kitasato Institute Main Building and Medical Building" is used in the exterior scene of the girls' school that the main character, Torako Inozume, attends. It is also the location where Torako's brother Naomichi received a bucket of water that fell from a window.

This building also appeared in the scene where Hanae-chan fell in love at first sight with Naomichi, who was smiling and saying "It's okay!" even after being splashed with water.

The Kitasato Institute was established by Dr. Shibasaburo Kitasato, who studied bacteriology under Robert Koch in Germany, as a laboratory for infectious diseases. The building was designed in the German Baroque style, following the style of the institute where Dr. Kitasato himself studied, with its characteristic hip roof and dormer windows.

Additionally, the details are designed with geometric motifs, giving the building a sense of the influence of new era design.

Once inside, you'll see a staircase.

This staircase was also used in the drama!

In fact, this building was also used as the school building of Shuwa Girls' School where the heroine, Hana Ando, enrolled in the NHK TV series "Hanako and Anne".

Some of you may think, "This looks familiar!"

Although it is not a filming location, the Mie Prefectural Elementary School, Kuramochi Elementary School located in the village has a nostalgic elementary school classroom recreated for the film.

If you sit in one of the chairs, you can get a feel for what it's like to be a student, so be sure to check it out.

Japanese Red Cross Central Hospital Ward
Setting in the drama: Ward of an internment camp where Torako's husband, Yuzo, awaits demobilization

The hospital scenes where Torako's husband Yuzo was hospitalized were filmed in the Japanese Red Cross Central Hospital Ward.

When the hospital was rebuilt in 1974, one of the nine buildings was moved to the Museum Meiji Mura, where it is still on display and preserved as a registered tangible cultural property.

It was designed by the same Imperial Household Ministry engineer, Tokuma Katayama, who also designed Akasaka Palace. The beautiful building was modelled on Heidelberg University Hospital in Germany, and was equipped with cutting-edge hospital functions at the time.

Meiji Mura is not only a filming location, but also a valuable place where you can learn about Japan's modern architectural culture through the preservation and exhibition of historical buildings.

There are also plenty of seasonal events and exhibitions, so be sure to check them out.

[Meiji Mura Museum]
Address: 1 Uchiyama, Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture
Opening hours: Please check the official website
Closed days: Please check the official website
http://www.meijimura.com/

In this issue, we have introduced the filming locations of "Tora ni Tsubasa" in Aichi Prefecture. We hope that the film will inspire you to visit places you would not normally have the chance to visit.

The drama will continue until September. I'm looking forward to seeing what other places will appear in the future.