Chishū Ryū retires, buys a hat, and wanders into 310 episodes of quiet revolution.
Season 1 • Episode 310
LatestThe 5th NHK Asadora. Starring Chishuu Ryuu as an old man who begins to travel after he retires. From a story written for television by Yasunari Kawabata.
Acting
Chishū Ryū's face contains multitudes without speaking.
Writing
Kawabata's Nobel-winning minimalism adapted for housewives.
Production
NHK invented slow television in 1965, accidentally.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Asadora (morning dramas) were designed for housewives doing chores; Kawabata's involvement elevated domestic fiction to literature.
Chikage Oogi later became Japan's first female Upper House president—her early role here as a traditional daughter makes her political rise deliciously ironic.
JP
