Global Ambitions & High-End Cameras: Akari Takaishi’s Bold Two Moves for Bakabake

The War That NHK Morning Dramas Have Continued to Bear

NHK’s 2025 fall asadora (morning drama) “Bakebake” began airing on September 29, and though only two weeks have passed, it is already shining as one of the most distinctive entries in asadora history.

Set in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, during the Meiji era, the drama stars Akari Takaishi (22) as Setsu, the wife of renowned Meiji writer Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo), best known for his ghost story collection Kwaidan. The series portrays the lives of this couple as they navigate a Japan transforming from the Edo period into the modern Meiji era — making it a truly unconventional work.

So why is Bakebake being called unconventional?
The first reason lies in its choice of setting — the chaotic early Meiji period.

Traditionally, NHK morning dramas have often depicted heroines living through the Second World War and its aftermath, reflecting Japan’s modern history. The previous series Anpan and last year’s Tora ni Tsubasa also portrayed heroines struggling amid the turbulence of war. Since its debut in 1961, the asadora format has carried the heavy burden of reminding viewers: “We must never forget that war.”

But why did Bakebake choose early Meiji Japan as its stage instead?

Behind this creative decision were the quiet convictions of Kuniumi Hashizume (producer) and Naoki Murahashi(director), the same duo who worked on the 2021 historical drama “Reach Beyond the Blue Sky” (Seiten wo Tsuke), which depicted the life of industrialist Eiichi Shibusawa.

“The two who collaborated on Seiten wo Tsuke reunited as executive producer and chief director for Bakebake. This time, rather than focusing on the powerful figures of history, they wanted to depict ordinary people who were swallowed by the great tides of the early Meiji era — people who couldn’t quite ride those waves.

By showing how such individuals lived, they hoped to reach those in today’s world who feel alienated or burdened by division. That’s the motivation behind this project,” said a producer from the production company.

However, the road to realizing that vision was far from easy.

The team had to build Meiji-era sets from scratch, invest heavily in wigs and costumes, and — since NHK Osaka doesn’t typically produce historical dramas — they had few staff experienced in period pieces. As they solved each of these challenges one by one, the Bakebake team encountered an even greater obstacle.

“In early Meiji Matsue, there existed a fantastical landscape that feels nostalgic to modern Japanese eyes. Especially at night, when people lived by only the faintest light, there was an almost tangible blackness of darkness. Without that darkness, Koizumi Yakumo’s ghost stories could never have been born.

So the question became: how could we recreate that world on screen? Through extensive trial and error with the art, lighting, and camera teams, the directors developed Bakebake’s unique visual tone and texture — its own distinct look,” explained a director from the production company.

The interplay of light and shadow, capturing the essence of Japanese aesthetics — a world Jun’ichirō Tanizaki famously celebrated in his essay In Praise of Shadows. The painstaking effort to recreate that subtle beauty was nothing short of extraordinary.

Overseas streaming began immediately after Anpan aired

Because the story takes place in a time before electricity, the crew couldn’t simply illuminate the set with overhead lights. Instead, they built full ceilings and filmed using only natural light entering through windows and doorways.

The real challenge came with night scenes. Shooting in pitch-black darkness, relying solely on candles and paper lanterns, was an ordeal worthy of being called ascetic training. To capture that world authentically, the team made a groundbreaking move: for the first time in NHK morning drama history, they used Sony’s high-end cinema camera “VENICE.”

Through meticulous color grading, they succeeded in beautifully recreating the world of light and shadow of the Meiji era. The result of this painstaking effort is Bakebake itself.
If this doesn’t qualify as an unconventional work, what does? This marks the second reason why Bakebake is called such.

But the rigorous pursuit of a cinematic look also produced an unexpected benefit.

“By building ceilings, we no longer needed to install overhead lighting equipment. That allowed the actors to move freely without worrying about their marks. This freedom led to more natural, vibrant performances,” explained the same director.

That’s how the warm, bustling family scenes in the Matsuno household came to life.

Still, one might wonder — why did the Bakebake team go to such extremes?
The answer lies in the ambition and vision of the creators.

“The asadora is a national program watched by one-fifth to one-sixth of Japan’s population. The previous series Anpan achieved immediate overseas streaming in Taiwan, the U.S., and Canada.

This time, Bakebake is set in the early Meiji era — the height of Japonisme’s global influence. The real-life model, Lafcadio Hearn, was European, and the actor portraying him, Tommy Bastow, is well-known for his leading role in SHŌGUN.

With its cinematic portrayal of light and shadow, Bakebake can stand shoulder to shoulder with world-class productions. The creators are clearly envisioning not just Asia and North America, but also Europe as part of their market,” said the producer.

“This world is full of bitterness — and beauty.” Will this catchphrase one day captivate audiences around the globe? All eyes are on how Bakebake’s story unfolds.