310 episodes, almost entirely lost to time — television archaeology meets maternal sacrifice.
Season 1 • Episode 310
LatestStarring Yōko Minamida as a woman who supported her family during and after World War II. All episodes are missing from the NHK archives, though a brief clip does survive as part of a contemporary news segment documenting the drama's production.
Acting
Yōko Minamida's decade-spanning performance now exists only in memories.
Production
Daily 15-minute episodes for two years — television as endurance sport.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
NHK's archival practices in the 1970s prioritized tape reuse over preservation; Niji fell victim to the infamous 'wiping' era that destroyed countless asadora.
The asadora format was explicitly designed to create 'daughter-in-law' identification — housewives were meant to see Kanako as their mirror, their aspirational self.
JP
