Recommended Japanese Dramas

A funny and refreshing look at relationships during the covid-19 pandemic. Haru shines as the relatable and quirky female lead who seeks to move a relationship from virtual into real life. Lots of heart and laughs.

A slice-of-life style family drama that is simple and heartwarming. 

The main character who had isolated himself for so long begins to interact with people again as his family transitions into a multi-generational home. I especially loved the interactions the male lead had with his niece and nephew - so sweet!

This tear-jerker of a drama is based on the story/book of a real young woman grappling with a terminal illness. Erika Sawajiri gives a performance to remember as the main female lead. This drama 'stays' with me for its emotional impact and stirring OST. 

A Japanese drama that features a large family. The narrator is the youngest with the big imagination and his communication with a ghost are intersesting. Tons of heart with the loving family.

A moving look at family, especially in its many forms and variations. Each of the characters are flawed but lovable. There is a lot of laughs and heart in this drama about a family coming together and fighting each other as their dad ages. 

Set in a college with a set of unique and quirky characters. Lots of laughs and shows the workings of being a creative.

One of my favorite pairings - Odagiri Joe and Kuriyama Chiaki, as two investigators  tasked with finding the truth behind the disappearance of 4 high school students and end up in a eerie town. Lots of hidden symbolism and quirkiness is incorporated into this drama. 

Oguri Shun shines in this detective drama in which he can talk to the dead and get to the bottom of cases at hand. This drama stands above the rest for its heart and its ending twist is one that stays with you. 

A family drama centered on an unconventional mother and her three sons. All 4 characters arae charming as they face the ups and downs of life together. 

Suzuki Kyoka shines in this drama in which a housewife goes on a journey of self-discovery and interacts with all sorts of interesting characters along the way. 

A rom-com that features two eccentric leads. There are tons of hijinks that induce laughter. Yes, even weird people deserve companionship and even love.

A comedic and moving look at a family with 3 adult daughters and their interactions with their father.  Lots of laughs and heart. And food!

This fun youth comedy holds a special place in my heart for its lovely portrayal of friendship. It also stars some big name Japanese actors before they got 'big'. 

A short and moving family drama that focuses on moving forward after the death of a young child/sibling.  Emotional and heartwarming.

Freeter, Ie o Kau is a story that tackles the growth of a young adult who is struggling to find a career and his relationship with his family. Really relevant and moving portrayal.

A brilliantly written asadora that shows how imagination and being creative helps people get through difficult times and relationships. Lots of heart here.

A detective drama with quite an impact. Uchino Seiyou displays his acting chops once again.

A stunning showcase of Kaho's acting ability as the main character, the mysterious Shizuka.  Plenty of twists and turns. 

This drama holds a special place in my heart for being among my first Japanese dramas. Nagase Tomoya also captured my heart (I couldn't believe he was from Johnny's Entertainment?!) as the male lead. Nice cast of supporting characters and an interesting look at youth delinquency in early 2000s Tokyo.

This drama is very slice-of-life and touches on family and women's issues in a lovely way. I like how the female lead is an older woman who is reflecting on her life and her choices. 

A moving story of family and love set during World War II.  Very bittersweet and with plenty of great acting all round.

Funny and quirky instances in this comedy set in a convenience store. It is laugh-out-loud funny!

This family drama focuses on a single mother struggling to make ends meet and take care of her two young children. The drama is emotionally heavy hitting with the themes that it addresses. 

This is a Japanese family drama with the central character as the talkative, eccentric and jobless Mitsuru. It is subtly moving as it examines the lives of the Kishibe family members as they all live under one roof because of home renovations. Moving and funny. Also, Mitsuru's lack of motivation regarding work and the future is relatable on many levels.

A coming-of-age story for the title character Nagi. Nagi moves to the suburbs for the summer after a traumatic experience with her boyfriend and resigning from her job. The drama takes us on Nagi's journey of personal growth as she learns to stand up for herself and learning to love herself (and her fabulous curly hair!). This drama also stands out because the characters are all flawed in their own ways. Takahashi Issei delivers a compelling performance as the ex-boyfriend.

A refreshing, quirky male lead played to perfection by Abe Hiroshi and his interactions with the people around him.

An epic, hilarious manga adaptaton come to life. Definitely my favorite version for its laughs and zany characters. To me the standout stars are Ikuta Toma as Nakatsu as well as all of the weird dorm members.

One of my favorite youth dramas for: a) the main female character has a makeover that has to do with her personality/approach rather than her appearance and b) the bromance between Yamapi and Kamenashi. Also Kamenashi's character is unique as a male lead who has these fascinating internal monologues. 

This drama focuses on the happenings between two 'messy' couples. The drama manages to switch between comedic and emotional often. Ono Machiko and Eita really shine as their characters in this. 

A moving portrayal of the relationship between a father and son over from childhood into adulthood. Both Sato Takeru and Uchino Seiyou bring their acting chops in this heartwarming family drama.

A quirky tale with a motley of odd characters and yet it all works to create a strange and hilarious drama.

A refreshing tale of a mother and daughter with lots of heart and laughs. Toyokawa Etsushi may have stolen the show as a secondary character. 

A bittersweet infidelity story. 

Infidelity is not my usual cup of tea but  I stuck it out because of the high quality cinematography and the journey that the female lead takes (along with a good ending, in my opinion). 

A political drama with some amazing acting across the entire cast, especially by Motoki Masahiro as the main lead. 

This drama is an interesting look at  the socio-political climate of Okinawa in the 1970s. The drama touches on secret pacts between the US and Japan and involves a lot of scandal, political and otherwise.

A fascinating dive into the people who live in a neighborhood in the aftermath of a murder. Moving while exploring the lives of multiple characters.

YAMI NO BANSOSHA is mystery drama that revolves around the world of manga. 

Investigator Mizuno Yuki frequently butts heads with the quirky Daigo Shinji, a manga expert, as she tries to get to the bottom of a collection of drawings depicting missing women from a 50-year old cold case. 

What works for the drama is the amazing chemistry between Investigator Mizuno and Daigo. The plot is also well executed. There is something really moving about the emotions that the case evokes.