The allure of the stage came to Hajime Mori in an unusual way.
When he was a small boy, his mother took him to the theater, where his seat at the end of the row happened to give him a sideways glimpse into the wings.
He said: "I was so interested to realize that actors were working on stage. When they went off, I could see a little bit how they reverted to being themselves. That moment was wonderful, so funny, so exciting." For Hajime, that was the beginning of a continuing passion, leading him to the only career he has ever considered.