Asuka
(Sweet Ambition)
The Complete Japanese Drama DVD Collection (1-149 End)
Japanese with English Subtitles
Format: DVD

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.

Cast
    * Takeuchi Yuko as Miyamoto Asuka (heroine, age 19)
          o 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 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)
          o Sugimoto Yuria as Ayase Mai (as a young girl)
    * Fujiki Naohito as Hayata Shunsaku aka Professor (Asuka's childhood friend)
          o Asari Yosuke as Hayata Shunsaku (as a young boy)

Ogiya Isshindo
    * Inoue Charu as Kiyokawa Tetsuji (wagashi maker)
    * Kunita Hideya as Enomoto Tomekichi (wagashi maker)
    * Uchiba Katsunori as Hattori Takeharu (wagashi maker)
    * Fukumoto Shinichi as Tsurumi Jun (wagashi maker)

Kyoto
    * Azuma Chizuru as Terashima Kiku
    * Kaneda Ryunosuke as Matsuzaka Tahei (tea ceremony master)
    * Kano Yukikazu as Matsuzaka Saburota (Tahei's son)
    * Brian Hulse as Michael Brown

Nara
    * Mishima Yuriko as Imamura Yoshimi (Ganjiro's sister)
    * Murakami Shoji as Imamura Seiichi (Yoshimi's son)
    * Mita Atsuko as Imamura Michiyo (Seiichi's wife)
    * Yamaguchi Tomomitsu as Batayan (childhood friend in Nara)
          o Nakamura Hiroki as Batayan (as a boy)
    * Hirahata Keiji as Sanpei (childhood friend in Nara)
          o Ishino Shinichiro as Sanpei (as a boy)
    * Oe Senri as Yamagiwa-sensei (Asuka's teacher)

Others
    * Arimori Narimi as Segawa Yoko (CM consultant)
    * Kakei Toshio as Hidaka Hideaki (business consultant)
    * Ichida Hiromi as Tamaki Sawako
    * Koyanagi Keiko as Yone
    * Asahina Kiyoko as Sada
    * Sawamoto Tadao
    * Tsuyuno Goro as Keigetsu
    * 'Let's Go' Chosaku as Shojikiya
    * Kitami Yuiitsu as Matsumoto Hiromatsu
    * Seki Hideto as Irotoki Shigetsu
    * Hironaka Maki as Yoshiko
    * Okamura Aki as Yumi
    * Oyama Rumi as Hitomi
    * Yamanishi Atsushi as Sakabe Bu
    * Momoyama Mitsuru as Gosho Chieko
    * Mr. Okure as Kuwata
    * Mineo Susumu as Master Shiozaki
    * Kasugai Seina