An interview with Kanta Ogata! "Actor Ken Ogata and His Era" Exhibition
Ken Ogata was an actor who was active in a wide range of fields, including television dramas, films, and documentaries, from joining the Shinkokugeki theater company in 1958 until his death in 2008. This year marks the 13th anniversary of his death, and an exhibition titled "Actor Ken Ogata and His Era" is being held, offering an overview of the changes in postwar Japanese popular culture through his numerous belongings. We spoke with his eldest son, Kanta Ogata, at the Yokohama Museum of History, the venue for the exhibition.
We've also received gifts such as admission tickets, so please read carefully!
You left behind so many things, including scripts, posters, props, and calligraphy.
My father is someone who simply can't throw things away (laughs). He'll even keep a tiny pencil, so ever since I was a child, I thought, "This house has so much stuff" (laughs). We got rid of a lot of things when we rebuilt the house about 30 years ago, but we still have a lot of diverse items left. This exhibition can be said to be a reflection of my father's nature.
What was the reason for holding the exhibition?
It all started when the daughter of playwright Shuji Hojo, author of "Osho," introduced me to Professor Hiroomi Baba of Tokai University. I heard that Mr. Hojo left behind a vast amount of materials, and that Professor Baba had neatly organized them, so I consulted him about my father's belongings.
Professor Baba specializes in the history of local governments, a field within modern Japanese history.
That's right. Focusing on the fact that he spent most of his life in Tsurumi, Professor Baba organized the materials from the perspective of "an actor with ties to Kanagawa." I imagine it was a very time-consuming and laborious process, but as a result, we were able to present an exhibition that is not just a retrospective of my father, but an exhibition that surveys the flow of popular culture from the postwar period through the Showa and Heisei eras. I am truly grateful to Professor Baba because the exhibition has become something that even younger generations who don't know my father can enjoy.
So, that means we've sorted through most of the belongings, right?
No, I've only done about two-thirds of it so far (laughs). There are still stacks of unopened cardboard boxes in the attic. They're filled with letters and photos, so if I organize them, I might be able to get a sense of the times through the connections and relationships between people. This is sure to be another huge task, so I'll think about it patiently (laughs).
Did Kanta-san write the title and other calligraphy for the exhibition?
That's right. I started calligraphy about five years ago on a whim, and I found it incredibly enjoyable. Since the Reiwa era began, I've been using a pen name and working as a calligrapher. I'm very happy that I was able to collaborate with my father in this way.
Did your father influence you to take up calligraphy?
What do you think? My father wrote calligraphy entirely on his own, and I didn't have a teacher either. I sometimes use my father's calligraphy as a model, but I had absolutely no interest in it when he was alive...or rather, I didn't like calligraphy.
I think I was in the third grade of elementary school. I was doing calligraphy for my school homework when my father came home and asked me, "What's your favorite character?" I answered "wind" on a whim, and he told me to write it, but no matter how many times I wrote it, he would say, "No, that's not right," and "Try again," and I was so frustrated that I burst into tears. Looking back now, my father was busy, but he sometimes came home early and was trying to communicate with his child, but I was only a third-grader. That incident became a trauma for me, and I came to hate calligraphy, and I didn't think about writing it until a few years ago.
Now that I'm enjoying calligraphy like this, perhaps my father guided me in some way.
We also spoke with Professor Hiroomi Baba of Tokai University, who supervised this exhibition.
Ken Ogata, who debuted with the Shinkokugeki theater company, remained a top star throughout the turbulent post-war era and the 21st century. Why was he able to remain active until the very end? When we examine his belongings from this perspective, we realize that looking back on his life, from being a stage actor in large theaters to appearing in early television dramas and films, is an act of tracing the trajectory of post-war popular culture and surveying the evolution of media. As television dramas matured, he expanded his activities to documentaries and also appeared on the stages of small theaters. This may be a reflection of his unwavering commitment to his own interests.
On the other hand, I also find his everyday life as an ordinary citizen appealing, as he lives in Tsurumi, Yokohama City, and frequents local restaurants with his family.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on popular culture, including theater, and now, fundamental changes are needed in traditional approaches. We hope that this exhibition will serve as an opportunity to explore new guidelines in this field and offer encouragement to those who perform and those who watch.
"Actor Ken Ogata and His Era"
[Dates] October 3rd (Sat) - December 6th (Sun)
[Opening Hours] 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM (Ticket sales until 4:00 PM)
[Venue] Yokohama City Museum of History
[Closed days] Mondays (except November 23rd ), November 24th
[Admission Fee] General: ¥500 / High school and university students: ¥300 / Elementary and junior high school students, and Yokohama residents aged 65 and over: ¥ 100
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The application period for this giveaway has ended. Thank you for your many entries.
[Gift Application Details]
We are giving away admission tickets and original exhibition merchandise to the "Actor Ken Ogata and His Era" exhibition currently being held at the Yokohama Museum of History (until December 6th, 2020). Please choose one item to enter the contest.
[A] Admission tickets for 5 pairs (10 people)
[B] Ken Ogata Postcard Set (5 winners)
[C] Original Staff T-shirt, Size S, 1 winner
[D] Original Staff T-shirt, Size M, 1 winner
[E] Original Staff T-shirt, Size L, 1 winner
[F] Original Staff T-shirt, XL size, 1 winner
[How to apply]
If you are interested, please select one option from the application form below and submit your application. We look forward to receiving your applications.
[Application Deadline]
Until November 6th (Friday) 23:59
[Lottery and Winner Announcement]
Winners will be notified by mail with their tickets, merchandise, etc. (These will be sent by the Kanagawa Prefectural Cultural Affairs Division.)
*If we are unable to deliver the tickets, merchandise, etc. to the winner due to an unknown forwarding address or other reasons, the winning entry will be invalidated.
*The personal information you provide will not be used for any purpose other than the lottery.
