“Ah — the fifth-floor corridor… the rooftop too…” I blurted out (in my head) in front of the TV. It was while watching NHK drama “Hard Nuts: A Mathematical Girl’s Casebook of Love” (broadcast November 17).
University student Kurumi solves difficult cases — serial bombings, locked-room murders, corporate extortion — with mathematics; eight episodes planned. Marketed as a “math mystery,” but I am watching partly because lead Ai Hashimoto played supporting role “Yui-chan” in “Amachan.” Her detective partner is Kengo Kora from morning drama “Ohisama” — as always, NHK’s thorough casting earns a tip of the hat. Hashimoto’s heroine resembles the slightly eccentric Nodame from “Nodame Cantabile” (Ueno Juri) — divisive, perhaps (sorry!).
Anyway, Palaceside Building was used for “Hard Nuts” location shooting. I confirmed filming shortly before broadcast. The scene is “Metropolitan Police Department.” After the familiar Sakuradamon exterior of the real headquarters, Kora’s character runs down a corridor chasing his boss ＝photo upper — the fifth-floor corridor in The Mainichi Newspapers area, then the rooftop where he pleads with the boss on a bench ＝photo right.
The rooftop location is well known; the corridor is also a selling point — a rare 3-meter width, 100 meters straight east-west. The end is glass; especially in the afternoon, western sun pours in — perfect for backlit silhouettes as in this scene.
Palaceside Building has been filmed countless times; legend has it for Masaru Maruyama’s “Onna Zakari” (1994), directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, starring Yoshiko Kayama as an editorial writer — reporters who usually looked stern stood at attention when she appeared; she ordered a cream soda at the employee cafeteria then on the third floor (now B1), or so they say.
Recent dramas include “Summer Rescue” (TBS), “Legal High” (Fuji), “Urban Legend Woman” (TV Asahi), “Special Lady Prosecutor” (TV Tokyo), plus commercials. Locations include rooftop, corridors, east and west entrances and offices.
At the bottom of this website is a “Filming Guide” icon — interested parties, please take a look.