The challenges Ema faced when producing Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams and how working with NHK helped make the film possible.Using the Koshien high school baseball tournament as a way to look back on a hundred years of Japan’s history and how Japanese society has changed.How it was that the Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams project began.The emotionally riveting and exciting nature of the Koshien summer high school baseball championship.How living abroad helped Ema better understand Japan and how it is perceived by people outside of Japan.How it was that Ema decided to focus on Japan-related projects.Deciding to go to university in New York.Ichiro Suzuki’s time playing with the Miami Marlins.The success of Ichiro Suzuki and how he captured the imagination and attention of so many people in Japan and the United States.How Ema Ryan Yamazaki became interested in filmaking.
About growing up in Nishinomiya near Koshien Stadium.Her most recent feature-length documentary is titled Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams and focuses on the wildly popular National High School Baseball Championship ( 全国高等学校野球選手権大会, Zenkoku Kōtō Gakkō Yakyū Senshuken), popularly referred to as “Summer Koshien” (夏の甲子園, Natsu no Kōshien). About Ema Ryan YamazakiĮma Ryan Yamazaki is a documentary filmmaker who has worked on several Japan-related projects. On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, documentary filmmaker Ema Ryan Yamazaki discusses being inspired by Ichiro Suzuki and her latest documentary Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams.