Yosuke Yamashita

Kidnapping Blues

A man and a little girl meet in a bicycle parking in Tokyo. The little girl says she wants to watch the sea, and their travel begins. The man does not intend to be a kidnapper – he asks the girl to phone her mother and tell her she's with him. During their trip they meet various people, but they always must continue on, lest the man be arrested.

PIANO ON FIRE

Famed Japanese jazz pianist Yosuke Yamashita expresses his burning passion for music by setting his piano on fire. "I think though it is just a ten minute of performance, it holds an essence of artistic expression because he risked his life and career and took a serious approach to a project which is very ephemeral and unperfectible" (Ken Awazu).

Jazz Daimyo

Shipwrecked African-American slaves arrive in the midst of Bakumatsu-era Japan; they soon carve out a niche in the market with their musical talents.

Ecstasy of the Angels

A militant revolutionary group is torn apart by betrayal as its members descend into paranoia and sexual decadence.

Jazz Godfather

​Isao Suzuki is a legendary Japanese jazz bassist known worldwide. Once elected as one of the top 20 jazz musicians in the world, he is better known outside of Japan than inside, thanks to his sessions with many renowned musicians. What kind of life has he led as a musician, what kind of influence has he had on his younger students, and what has he been like in his later years as the Godfather of Jazz? We take a look back at his life through interviews and his personal life.

Star

Watashi no Seishun Note

An educational program where notable figures from various fields—such as business, art, sports, and more—give lectures to high school students about their own youth. The program aims to inspire and guide them by encouraging reflection on past experiences and future life choices through thoughtful discussions.