Once again, the end of the year has arrived in the blink of an eye. As I look back on the many moments of this year, one that stands out is the hugely popular film Kokuhō. Have you seen it?

I’m someone who experiences films quite intensely and doesn’t do well watching them in a crowd, so I usually refrain from going to movie theaters. But this time, I really wanted to see it on the big screen, so for the first time in years, I went to the cinema.

My impression in a single word: Beautiful!
I found myself lingering in the afterglow of its dazzling scenes for quite a while.
Kabuki truly is a magnificent traditional art—something Japan can be proud to share with the world.

When I was in high school, we once went to see a Kabuki performance as part of a school trip. But I was far too young at the time, and I don’t remember anything about the performance itself. What a shame.

Years later, when I was chatting with my former classmates, I asked if anyone remembered that Kabuki outing.
That’s when… a rather shocking truth came to light.

Even after the scheduled start time, the performance didn’t begin, and—as you might expect from a group of high school girls—the chatter just wouldn’t stop. After some time, an actor appeared on stage and said,
“Because you will not stop talking, we cannot begin the performance!”
It turned into a serious scolding—and the speaker was a Living National Treasure.

The fact that I had completely erased this entire incident from my memory makes me truly ashamed. I sincerely apologize.
That said, being personally scolded by a Living National Treasure is actually an incredibly rare experience! (Even though I had forgotten all about it.)

Thank you for indulging me in this completely music-unrelated story at the very end of 2025.
Wishing you all a truly wonderful New Year.