is a Japanese television drama series and the 113th Asadora series, following Anpan. This is a work of fiction modeled after the life of Setsu Koizumi, wife of the Greek-Irish writer Lafcadio Hearn, known for works such as Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things.
Plot Toki Matsuno is born into a prestigious samurai family, but the Meiji Restoration brings an end to the age of the samurai. Her father's new business ventures fail, and the family is forced into poverty. She finds a job as a maid to a foreign English teacher named Heavin. Though there are barriers of language and culture between them, they grow close through their shared interest in kaidan (Japanese ghost stories).
Cast
Principal Akari Takaishi as Toki Matsuno Miharu Fukuchi as young Toki Tommy Bastow as Lefkada Heavin, Toki's husband
Matsuno family Takashi Okabe as Tsukasanosuke Matsuno, Toki's adoptive father Chizuru Ikewaki as Fumi Matsuno, Toki's adoptive mother Fumiyo Kohinata as Kan'emon Matsuno, Toki's adoptive grandfather
Ushimizu family Shinichi Tsutsumi as Den Ushimizu, Toki's birth father Keiko Kitagawa as Tae Ushimizu, Toki's birth mother Rihito Itagaki as Sannojo Ushimizu
Others Ryo Yoshizawa as Yūichi Nishikōri Rairu Sugita as Joe Nishikōri Kanichiro as Ginjiro Yamane Wan Marui as Sawa Nozu Honami Sato as Nami Shirō Sano as Yasumune Etō, the Governor of Shimane Prefecture Kana Kita as Riyo Etō, Yasumune's daughter Anna Kurasawa as Chiyo Kono Adachi as Sen Kenji Iwaya as Zentaro Moriyama, debt collector Mizuki Maehara as Zenitaro Moriyama, Zentaro's son Katsuhisa Namase as Heita Hanada Nobue Iketani as Tsuru Hanada Maru Nouchi as Ume Udai Iwasaki as Goro Kajitani Mayumi Asaka as Tatsu Ueno Taisei Sakai as Morimichi Nakamura Tokio Emoto as Saiji Yamahashi Yukito Hodaka as Seiichi Masaki Kyohei Shimokawa as Haruo Kotani Charlotte Kate Fox as Eliza Belsland Shogo Hama as Takichi Shoda Hosaki Tanaka as Hatsuemon Kanenari Meisha Brooks as Martha, Lefkada Heavin's first wife
Voice cast Eriko Watanabe as the Snake Miho Kimura as the Frog
Production Akari Takaishi was chosen for the lead role of Toki Matsuno from among 2892 auditionees. The role of Toki's husband, Lefkada Heavin, was also filled through an audition rather than a direct offer. The casting call was announced in Japan, as well as in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, attracting 1767 participants. Ultimately, British actor Tommy Bastow was selected for the part. He heard about the audition from his co-star on the American TV series Shōgun, Moeka Hoshi.
TV schedule WeekEpisodesTitleDirected byOriginal airdateRating11–5Naoki MurahashiSeptember 29–October 3, 202515.5%26–10October 6–10, 202514.8%311–15Takamasa IzunamiOctober 13–17, 202514.7%416–20Hitofumi MatsuokaOctober 20–24, 202515.2%521–25Naoki MurahashiOctober 27–31, 202515.4%626–30Takamasa IzunamiNovember 3–7, 202514.9%731–35Naoki MurahashiNovember 10–14, 202515.7%836–40Hitofumi MatsuokaNovember 17–21, 202515.9%941–45Takamasa IzunamiNovember 24–28, 202515.7%1046–50Hitofumi MatsuokaDecember 1–5, 202515.8%1151–55Toyo KojimaDecember 8–12, 202515.7%1256–60Takamasa IzunamiDecember 15–19, 202515.8%1361–65Naoki MurahashiDecember 22–26, 20251466–70Naoki MurahashiJanuary 5–9, 2026 15.6%1571–75Takamasa IzunamiJanuary 12–16, 2026 15.3%1676–80Hitofumi MatsuokaJanuary 19–23, 2026 15.5%1781–85Naoki KobayashiJanuary 26–30, 2026 15.4%1886–90Takamasa IzunamiFebruary 2–6, 2026 14.2%1991–95Naoki MurahashiFebruary 9–13, 2026 15.0%2096–100Naoki KobayashiFebruary 16–20, 2026 15.2%21101–105Toyo KojimaFebruary 23–27, 2026 14.4%22106–110Naoki KobayashiMarch 2–6, 2026 14.7%23111–115Naoki MurahashiMarch 9–13, 2026 14.7%24116–120Takamasa IzunamiMarch 16–20, 2026 14.8%25121–125Naoki MurahashiMarch 23–27, 202615.1%Average rating 15.2% - Rating is based on Japanese Video Research (Kantō region).
Notes
References
External links Official website