We Present 4 Japanese Dramas On Netflix That Talk About Food | CoolJapan

Japanese television/movie productions may have a great take on the complications of love and life, but what if the story revolves around food? No, we’re not talking about documentaries about food, with their range of close-up shots; as great as those may be, dramas that weave food into the main storylines, allowing both characters and cuisine to take centre stage, are incredible. Here, we present four Japanese dramas that centre food around the characters’ lives.


Midnight Diner (深夜食堂)




The main narrative of Midnight Diner revolves around a restaurant owner, known to his customers as “the Master”, who operates a small diner in Shinjuku, Tokyo, from midnight to 7 in the morning. He has a small menu available for his customers but is also willing to cook anything as long as his customers are able to provide ingredients. The variety of customers that come from all walks of life throughout the episodes has colourful personalities: we have an ex-TV actress turned prolific cab driver who knows the streets of Tokyo by heart, a yakuza boss who runs an illegal gambling ring, and a pornstar who is a fan of the Master’s potato salad.


In spite of the complications revolving around each character’s life, they all find respite in the Midnight Diner and in the Master’s listening ear, all the while savouring the dish that takes centrestage in each episode and connects to their life story.


Midnight Diner (深夜食堂)

(Photo from: Netflix)


The Way Of The Hot & Spicy (ゲキカラドウ)




The Way Of the Hot & Spicy follows Kenta Sarukawa, a salaryman who moves from the head office of Lonron, the fictitious company he works at in Osaka to the branch in Tokyo. His colleagues in Tokyo are all fans of spicy foods, and through them, he learns how to enjoy them as well.


During the series, each sales challenge that he’s assigned to by his superior has a spice level attached to it, which represents the difficulty of getting the sale (i.e. being able to sign contracts with a particular place to install Lonron drink vending machines). The number of spicy dishes on display during the series may trigger hunger pangs for the viewers, and the drama plot will definitely engage you to no end.


The Way Of The Hot & Spicy (ゲキカラドウ)

(Photo from: Netflix)


What Did You Eat Yesterday? (きのう何食べた?)




Originally a manga series, What Did You Eat Yesterday stars Hidetoshi Nishijima as Shiro Kakei and Seiyo Uchino as Kenji Yabuki, a middle-aged gay couple living in Tokyo, Japan. Shiro works as an attorney in a small law firm, and is an excellent cook who often lovingly prepares meals for Kenji. Kenji, who works as a hairdresser and is the more flamboyant of the two, often dreams of eating well and being able to dine at expensive restaurants.


Besides the drama showcasing Shiro’s cooking skills at a pace easy enough to be followed in real life, each dish cooked in any episode would reflect that episode’s theme in relation to Shiro and Kenji’s life — the result is a heartwarming series that’s touching and tantalizing at the same time. 


What Did You Eat Yesterday? (きのう何食べた?)
(Photo from: Netflix)


Kantaro the Sweet Tooth Salaryman (さぼリーマン甘太朗)




This one is for those with a penchant for desserts. Kantaro the Sweet Tooth Salaryman follows Kantaro, a computer-programmer-turned-publishing-salesman who makes a career switch in order to pursue his one true passion: tasting the myriad of desserts Tokyo has to offer.

From kakigori (Japanese shaved ice dessert) to picture-perfect parfaits, Kantaro always finds a way to wrap up his workday early so as to squeeze in time for a dessert, with the series culminating into a finale where he tries his best to finish up an avalanche of work just so he can enjoy a seasonal chestnut Mont Blanc — if that isn’t dessert dedication, then we don’t know what is.


Kantaro the Sweet Tooth Salaryman (さぼリーマン甘太朗)

(Image from: Netflix)

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