Details
Title: あすか
Title (romaji): Asuka
Also known as: Sweet Ambition
Genre: Asadora drama, human drama
Episodes: 149 x 15 minute episodes
Viewership ratings: Ep1=25.9, High=27.6, Avg=24.4
Broadcast network: NHK
Broadcast period: 1999-Oct-04 to 2000-Apr-01
Synopsis
The 61st NHK Asadora Drama is Asuka. Set in Kyoto in the home of a traditional Japanese candymaker, Asuka is the story of one young girl's dream to one day walk in her father's shoes and become a top candymaker in the male-dominated world of wagashi (Japanese confectionery). Asuka grows to be a healthy, adventurous young girl with a deep curiosity and, a desire to become a candymaker like her father. This NHK drama is one of the best in years with an excellent cast, a well-developed story based on extensive research into the traditional worlds of candymaking and the tea ceremony in Kyoto, and beautiful scenery and settings in Kyoto and the surrounding areas. ---groink
Cast
Takeuchi Yuko as Miyamoto Asuka (heroine, age 19)
Enokizono Miho as Miyamoto Asuka (as a young girl)
Fujioka Hiroshi as Miyamoto Rokutaro (Asuka's father)
Konno Misako as Miyamoto Kyoko (Asuka's mother)
Ashiya Gannosuke as Fujiyoshi Ganjiro (Kyoko's father)
Arima Ineko (有馬稲子) as Fujiyoshi Shino (Kyoko's mother)
Umezawa Tomio as Fujiyoshi Tamajiro (Kyoko's older brother)
Natori Yuko as Ayase Hiroko (Mai's mother)
Sato Hitomi as Ayase Mai (Asuka's cousin)
Sugimoto Yuria (杉本友莉亜) as Ayase Mai (as a young girl)
Fujiki Naohito as Hayata Shunsaku aka Professor (Asuka's childhood friend)
Asari Yosuke as Hayata Shunsaku (as a young boy)
Ogiya Isshindo
Inoue Charu as Kiyokawa Tetsuji (wagashi maker)
Kunita Hideya (国田栄弥) as Enomoto Tomekichi (wagashi maker)
Uchiba Katsunori (内場勝則) as Hattori Takeharu (wagashi maker)
Fukumoto Shinichi as Tsurumi Jun (wagashi maker)
Kyoto
Azuma Chizuru as Terashima Kiku
Kaneda Ryunosuke (金田龍之介) as Matsuzaka Tahei (tea ceremony master)
Kano Yukikazu (加納幸和) as Matsuzaka Saburota (Tahei's son)
Brian Hulse as Michael Brown
Nara
Mishima Yuriko (三島ゆり子) as Imamura Yoshimi (Ganjiro's sister)
Murakami Shoji (村上ショージ) as Imamura Seiichi (Yoshimi's son)
Mita Atsuko (三田篤子) as Imamura Michiyo (Seiichi's wife)
Yamaguchi Tomomitsu as Batayan (childhood friend in Nara)
Nakamura Hiroki (中村大輝) as Batayan (as a boy)
Hirahata Keiji (平畠啓史) as Sanpei (childhood friend in Nara)
Ishino Shinichiro (石野慎一郎) as Sanpei (as a boy)
Oe Senri (大江千里) as Yamagiwa-sensei (Asuka's teacher)
Others
Arimori Narimi as Segawa Yoko (CM consultant)
Kakei Toshio as Hidaka Hideaki (business consultant)
Ichida Hiromi (市田ひろみ) as Tamaki Sawako
Koyanagi Keiko (小柳圭子) as Yone
Asahina Kiyoko (朝比奈潔子) as Sada
Sawamoto Tadao (沢本忠雄) as 御伊志堂
Tsuyuno Goro (露の五郎) as Keigetsu
'Let's Go' Chosaku (レツゴー長作) as Shojikiya
Kitami Yuiitsu (北見唯一) as Matsumoto Hiromatsu
Seki Hideto (関秀人) as Irotoki Shigetsu
Hironaka Maki (弘中麻紀) as Yoshiko
Okamura Aki (岡村亜紀) as Yumi
Oyama Rumi (大山ルミ) as Hitomi
Yamanishi Atsushi (山西惇) as Sakabe Bu
Momoyama Mitsuru (桃山みつる) as Gosho Chieko
Mr. Okure (Mr.オクレ) as Kuwata
Mineo Susumu (峯尾進) as Master Shiozaki
Kasugai Seina
Production Credits
Screenwriter: Suzuki Satoshi (鈴木聡)
Director: Tamura Fumitaka (田村文孝)
Music: Oshima Michiru
Narrator: Arima Ineko (有馬稲子)
