NHK Morning Drama Series
Every morning at 8 am, many Japanese households zap their TV to NHK. What they are looking forward to is what is called Asadora (meaning “morning drama series”).
This is one of the interesting Japanese TV cultures, where a 15-minute drama is aired every morning from 8:00 to 8:15 am, and many people watch it before they leave their homes for school or work or start their housework, writes Mayu Yamamoto, Japanese content expert, King’s College, London.
Main image above: © NHK
What is Morning Drama Series?
Asadora has a 64-year history, it debuted in 1961. Every six months, a new series is launched, and the 112th series, Anpan, is currently airing.
The drama is based on the life of manga artist Yanase Takashi, the creator of Anpanman, and his wife. It is a story portraying how they overcame war to ultimately create one of Japan’s most famous and beloved preschool superheroes.
Recently, Anpan was selected for K7 Scriptlist April 2025 , “10 Most Noteworthy Dramas This Month”. Drawing on the fact that “the first episode drew 19,393,000 views in live audiences and catchup” and the fact that it scored the highest viewership of any drama on NHK’s digital service, Anpan was praised for its concept, story, and the popularity.
It also marks a milestone as the first Asadora to be streamed overseas—broadcast in Taiwan shortly after its domestic release.
15 Minutes Every day
The notable feature of Asadora is its short, 15-minute episode—perfect for busy mornings. As watching Asadora is a daily habit for many Japanese, it maintains a high watch rate, with the consistent ratings of over 15%.
Each series has 120 episodes (156 episodes until 2019), running for about six months. This format of airing daily over a long period allows audiences to gradually become attached to the characters who grow throughout the story. When one season ends, many people miss the characters as they’ve been living with them for so long, but in the next season, new morning friends come.
Stories for Morning Encouragement
Around 90% of Asadora protagonists are women, many inspired by real-life figures who have achieved something meaningful in the modern Japanese history.
One of my personal favourites is The Tiger and Her Wings (2024), which depicts the story of a woman who becomes the first lawyer and judge in Japan. In each Asadora, the protagonist chases her dream and overcomes numerous challenges. Every morning, we are encouraged and uplifted by the characters and able to start a day with a positive feeling.
Another important aspect of Asadora is the theme song. Each season, NHK announces the artist and title of the new opening song, which always becomes a hot topic in Japan. At the beginning of each episode, the theme song is played with an iconic opening video, colouring part of our morning time.
International Sales of Asadora
While Asadora is especially popular in Japan, they are well-received internationally as well. Oshin (1983), which holds the record for the highest watch rate in Japanese TV history, has been broadcast or streamed in nearly 80 countries.
The story follows the life of a woman from a poor farming family who ultimately succeeds as a supermarket owner. Her journey of perseverance and deep family bonds resonated with global audiences, especially across Asia. In some countries, even some people and businesses were named after the protagonist, Oshin.
More recent Asadora series have also been successful internationally. Doctor Ume (2012) centres on a female doctor dedicated to community medical care in the postwar era. Ama-chan (2013) follows a girl working to revitalise the Tohoku region after the 2011 earthquake. Bon Appetit! (2013) features a woman who brings people together by cooking heartful meals during the Taisho era. These series have been distributed in over 10 countries.
The Next Asadora is about…
NHK announced the next Asadora, coming this fall, is The Ghost Writer’s Wife (Bakebake). It’s based on the real story of Koizumi Setsu, wife of Lafcadio Hearn – an Irish background writer known for his collection of Japanese ghost stories, Kwaidan, during the Meiji era.
The couple dedicated themselves to preserving traditional Japanese folklore and values at a time when the country was rapidly Westernising. In Japan, everyone learns Hearn’s name in the history class. It was also announced that British actor Tommy Bastow, who appeared in the popular series Shogun, will play the role of Hearn.
Asadora has been a beloved part of daily life for Japanese people for a long time, but this culture is still not known to many people outside Japan. There are a wide range of styles—from serious ones to human dramas and comedies. Please check out the amazing, encouraging morning series from the link below!
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Article based on an interview with people at NHK
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