先日富良野で、プリンスホテル敷地の倉本聰さんのゆかりの建物群を逍遥して倉本さんへの鎮魂の寄せ書きに署名もしていた。氏は、NHK大河ドラマの演出家として活躍中のところ、現場スタッフによってかれの書いた脚本とはまったく違う筋立てに勝手に変更されることに抗議したところ、NHK上層部の逆鱗に触れて、東京から追われて札幌に「逃れてきて」いた。
　その当時、わたしは大学卒業後東京で勤務していた広告代理店から転勤で北海道に帰って来た頃で、たしか、フジテレビ系列の地方局の関係者向け「講演会」があって倉本さんの「逃げてきた」実相を克明に聞いていた。
　わたしは、父との今生のわかれの可能性が非常に高まっていた時期だったので、遠距離でわかれが叶わないのは一生の痛恨事だと思っていたので、長兄がその前に「たぶんオヤジはそろそろヤバい」とわざわざ東京のわたしに告げに来てくれたことをきっかけに、会社に依願して転勤願いを提出した。そもそも入社時点で同族経営会社の社長から「いずれ札幌に転勤してもらう」という内意を告げられていたので申し出たのだが、無事に受理された経緯。
　その東京から札幌への帰還便では途中で大きく機体が揺れて、東京暮らしでのさまざまな経緯・心残りが「オマエ、ホントに帰るのかよ。」と揺さぶってくれているようだった。・・・
　そういった自分事と、倉本聰さんの人生に一種のハーモニーを感じていた。
　それから倉本さんは戦後ニッポンの文化世界で「北の国から」という不朽の名作を遺していくことになる。わたしの創刊した雑誌でも氏へのインタビュー企画を２本掲載した。
　写真は、昨日撮影したJR「桑園」駅の冬景色。札幌から西へ１駅移動する駅だけれど、近代的な駅舎の一隅にこういう石油ストーブが設置されている。倉本さんは、こういう北海道のふつうのたたずまいでの経験積層からドラマの基底部分を作ってくれたように思っている。
　外気の冷却に対して多くの北国人が持つ、みんなで暖まる空間のいごこち。それも一歩外に出れば、過酷な寒さに打ちのめされるけれど、得られるいっときのやすらぎ感。
　なかなか忙しくたくさんの「描きたいこと」があるけれど、倉本さんへの鎮魂の書き付けに託した思いが、ジワジワとしずかに沁みてきています。

●お知らせ
拙書「作家と住空間」幻冬舎から電子書籍で発刊
お求めはAmazonで。
https://amzn.asia/d/eUiv9yO

English version⬇

[A Heartwarming Scene of Heating at JR “Kuwano” Station in Hokkaido]
It is said that *From the North* embodies the longing for the warmth of people gathering together—a sentiment that resonates with those living in cold climates. …

　The other day in Furano, I strolled through the complex of buildings on the Prince Hotel grounds associated with Satoshi Kuramoto and even signed a memorial message in his honor. At the time, he was active as a director for NHK’s Taiga dramas, but when he protested against on-set staff arbitrarily changing the plot to something completely different from the script he had written, he angered NHK’s upper management and was driven out of Tokyo, “fleeing” to Sapporo.
　At that time, I had just returned to Hokkaido after being transferred from the advertising agency where I’d been working in Tokyo following my college graduation. I recall attending a “lecture” for staff at a local Fuji TV affiliate, where I heard a detailed account of the true circumstances behind Mr. Kuramoto’s “flight.”
　It was a time when the likelihood of parting with my father in this lifetime had become very high, and I believed that being unable to say goodbye due to the long distance would be a lifelong regret. So, when my eldest brother went out of his way to come to Tokyo and tell me, “Dad’s probably on his last legs,” I took that as a sign and submitted a request to my company for a transfer. I had actually made this request because, when I first joined the company—a family-run business—the president had informally told me, “We’ll have you transferred to Sapporo eventually.” My request was accepted without issue.
On that flight back from Tokyo to Sapporo, the plane shook violently at one point, and all the various experiences and unresolved feelings from my time in Tokyo seemed to be shaking me, as if asking, “Are you really going back?” …
I felt a kind of harmony between my own personal experiences and the life of Satoshi Kuramoto.
From then on, Mr. Kuramoto went on to leave behind the timeless masterpiece *From the North* in the cultural world of postwar Japan. The magazine I founded also published two interview features with him.
　The photo shows a winter scene at JR Kuwazono Station, taken yesterday. It’s just one stop west of Sapporo, but tucked away in a corner of the modern station building is a kerosene heater like this one. I believe Mr. Kuramoto built the foundation of his dramas from the layers of experiences he accumulated in these ordinary Hokkaido settings.
　The comfort of a shared, warm space—a feeling many northerners share as a respite from the biting cold. Even though stepping outside means being overwhelmed by the harsh cold, it offers a momentary sense of peace.
I’ve been quite busy and have many things I want to write about, but the feelings I entrusted to this tribute to Mr. Kuramoto are slowly and quietly sinking in.

● Announcement
My book, “Writers and Living Spaces,” has been published as an e-book by Gentosha.
Available on Amazon.

Posted on 10月 27th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類