This 16th installment of "Today's Book," a series selecting books perfect for camping trips or solo journeys, features Shinsuke Shimada's "Itsumo Kaze wo Kanji Te" (Always Feeling the Wind).
"Itsumo Kaze wo Kanji Te": Shinsuke Shimada's Emotional Landscapes
In 2004, Shinsuke Shimada looked back on his long career and compiled his inner landscapes into the essay collection "Itsumo Kaze wo Kanji Te." Published by KTC Chuo Publishing, this work draws readers in with his sensitive prose.
What Shinsuke Shimada describes in his essays is the "wind" he felt during his boyhood and his early struggles in the entertainment industry. This refers to the subtle emotions and memories he experienced at various stages of his career and life. For example, when he visited his family home in Kyoto at the age of 47, an episode where he recalled his middle school first love and cycled to her house illustrates how he connects past emotions with the present.
A particularly memorable anecdote is about delivering his master's hamburger set meal during his struggling days. At the time, due to financial reasons, he couldn't enjoy the meal himself and eagerly awaited the single leftover piece of hamburger his master left behind. After achieving success and having more financial freedom, the moment he ate the same hamburger set meal with his daughter at that very restaurant was a deeply moving experience for him. As the meal was brought to their table, his past hardships, sense of accomplishment, and love for his family all came flooding back, and he couldn't stop the tears. This moment symbolizes the struggles in his life and the fulfillment that followed, and it will surely deeply move readers.
Shinsuke Shimada also succeeded in real estate and restaurant businesses, and for about 15 years, he hosted "Sunday Project," a news discussion program on Sunday mornings, demonstrating his multifaceted talents. Through this essay collection, it is evident that his sharp sensibility and delicate insight reveal him to be not just an entertainer, but a person with deeply rooted thoughts on society and humanity.
"Itsumo Kaze wo Kanji Te" is a valuable document that tells the story of Shinsuke Shimada's life in his own words, and it will be a key to understanding the depth of his thought and the subtlety of his emotions.
