Kana Kurashina Wows in Stunning Pantsuit While Filming Drama Coach

Next to real police officers

The headquarters of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, located in Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda Ward, sits across Uchibori Street from a gate of the Imperial Palace, commonly called “Sakuradamon.” It was at this intersection that a drama shoot was taking place.

The Sakuradamon intersection is always bustling with police personnel entering and leaving the headquarters, as well as runners using the Imperial Palace outer loop, nicknamed “Kōkyo runners.” On this late September day, a large crew of drama staff had also gathered. At the center of it all, a short-haired Kana Kurashina (37) in a sharp black suit gave off a strikingly poised impression.

“The shoot was for the TV Tokyo drama Coach, airing October 17, based on the novel of the same name by Shunichi Doba. The protagonist, Kotaro Mukai, played by Toshiaki Karasawa (62), appears to be an ordinary middle-aged man but is actually a special officer dispatched from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Personnel Division 2, acting as a coach for other police officers.

Kurashina plays Hitomi Masuyama, a female section chief who rose through the ranks quickly and struggles with her relationships with subordinates. The story depicts how, through the coach’s precise advice, Hitomi and the younger detectives around her gradually unlock their potential and grow,” explained a TV magazine writer.

Because the shoot was at Sakuradamon, uniformed officers normally stationed there for security were also present. Kurashina repeatedly filmed scenes crossing the intersection and walking in front of the police headquarters, her focused expression making her look like a real plainclothes officer. Although the temperature that day reached 28°C and the sun was strong, she didn’t break a sweat and maintained her cool composure between takes.

On the official program website, Kurashina commented:

“In life, no matter the profession, there are times when you hit walls, things just don’t go right, and you struggle alone. My character Hitomi experiences this too—though she’s a detective section chief with high expectations for her future, she senses her own stagnation. Meeting Mukai allows her to gradually grow.”

This drama is sure to showcase a new side of Kurashina at her very best.

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