Lunchtime in Tokyo with a VIP!

Kyoko Ifukube. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today Friday, February 24), I was invited to lunch in Nakameguro with Kyoko Ifukube (the daughter of maestro Akira Ifukube) and two of her friends. The four of us had lunch at an eel restaurant right as it opened at 11:30 in the morning. 

Even though Kyoko-san's father is a true legend of Japanese cinema, the conversation centered around everyday topics and was much more casual. I asked her what her favorite Godzilla movie was, and of course the 1954 original is her favorite. After that, she cited Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), specifically mentioning that The Peanuts were in it.

When I mentioned that Yuriko Hoshi was in it, Kyoko-san pulled out a photo from her purse that looked like it was taken sometime in the early 2000s (or possibly the late '90s). It appeared to my eye that it was taken at a ceremony inside a luxurious hotel. Her father was walking in the direction of the camera with Kyoko-san behind him. In the background, you can see none other than Yuriko Hoshi looking on. I'd never seen this photo before, so it was a rare treat!

One of Kyoko-san's friends mentioned that she lived near Ofuna, so the subject of Shochiku Studios came up. We both rattled off a bunch of trivia about Shochiku movies, and I suppose she was surprised that I knew as much as I did. I've seen a few of them.

We spent a little more than an hour together, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. We talked about meeting up again, which I hope we can do. It was most definitely a fun lunch break!