“Asadora”: Japan’s Dramas Providing Morning Inspiration

The asadora, or “morning drama,” is a long-running series format on NHK, with 15-minute episodes broadcast each morning (and repeated at lunchtime) through the week. The stories have generally centered on the life of a female protagonist and the challenges she faces, although male main characters have become more common in recent years. Often the lead characters are based on real people, as in The Tiger and Her Wings, which ran from spring to autumn 2024, modeled on the life of Mibuchi Yoshiko, who became one of Japan’s first female lawyers in the prewar period.

Itō Sairi (left), star of The Tiger and Her Wings, symbolically passes the baton to Omusubi lead Hashimoto Kanna on September 4, 2024. (© Kyōdō)

At first, each series lasted a year, but from 1975 most have taken place over six months. One notable exception was Oshin in 1983, which became a global phenomenon after a 12-month run. It tells the story of Tanokura Shin (Oshin), who is born into poverty at the turn of the twentieth century, but perseveres through hardships and eventually establishes her own business. The show was a hit not only in Japan but also in many other countries, particularly in Asia and the Americas.

Oshin (1983). (Courtesy NHK On Demand)

The official Omusubi poster. (© NHK)

While once it was usual to cast an unknown as the lead character, more established stars have often taken on the main role in the twenty-first century, such as Andō Sakura, Hirose Suzu, and Hashimoto Kanna, who stars in the 2024–25 series Omusubi, about a budding nutritionist. Later series are set to be based on the lives of the wives of Anpanman creator Yanase Takashi and Lafcadio Hearn, known for his writings on Japan.

Viewers around the world can see the current drama with English subtitles on the NHK World Premium channel. In Japan, many past series are available to watch (in Japanese only) via NHK On Demand.

Selected Twenty-First Century Asadora

• Come Come Everybody (2021–22)
  Stars Kamishiraishi Mone, Fukatsu Eri, and Kawaei Rina as three generations of women connected with a radio English course

Come Come Everybody (2021–22). (Courtesy NHK On Demand)

• Summer Sky (2019)
  Stars Hirose Suzu as an orphan who dreams of becoming an animator
• Manpuku (2018–19)
  Stars Andō Sakura as the wife of the inventor of instant ramen, a fictionalized version of Andō Momofuku

Manpuku (2018–19). (Courtesy NHK On Demand)

• Half Blue Sky (2018)
  Stars Nagano Mei as an aspiring manga creator who is deaf in one ear
• Here Comes Asa! (2015–16)
  Stars Haru as an entrepreneur in the late nineteenth century, based on the life of Hirooka Asako
• Massan (2014–15)
  Stars Charlotte Kate Fox as the Scottish wife of a Japanese whisky brewer, based on the lives of Rita Taketsuru and Taketsuru Masataka, the founder of Nikka Whisky

Massan (2014–15) (Courtesy NHK On Demand)

• Hanako and Anne (2014)
  Stars Yoshitaka Yuriko as Muraoka Hanako, who translated Anne of Green Gables into Japanese
• Ama-chan (2013)
  Stars Nōnen Rena (now known by the stage name Non) as a girl who becomes a diver and then tries to break into the music business
• Carnation (2011–12)
  Stars Ono Machiko as a fashion designer, modeled on the pioneering Koshino Ayako.
• Gegege’s Wife (2010)
  Stars Matsushita Nao as the wife of a manga artist, based on the autobiography of Mura Nunoe, the wife of Mizuki Shigeru
• Churasan (2001)
  Stars Kuninaka Ryōko in a coming-of-age story about a young Okinawan from the Yaeyama Islands who moves to Naha and then Tokyo to become a nurse

(Originally published in English. Banner photo: Hashimoto Kanna plays the lead character in Omusubi. © NHK.)