Nanako Matsushima Stuns in Rainy Drama Shoot, Black-Rimmed Glasses and All

Her overwhelming style cannot be hidden

Her overwhelming style cannot be hidden

Wearing black-rimmed glasses and smiling brightly while waving, this is Nanako Matsushima (52).

In mid-December, filming was underway in Shinjuku, Tokyo, for the January 2026 drama The Rice Woman – National Tax Agency Data Investigation Division: Zakkoku Room (TV Asahi). The day was cold like winter, and at times heavy rain fell, creating unstable weather. Amid this, Matsushima was spotted walking surrounded by numerous staff holding umbrellas to shield her from the large raindrops.

“This is the first time Matsushima has had a lead role in a TV Asahi series, in the Thursday drama slot that has produced popular series such as Doctor X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon and Emergency Interrogation Room. The story is set in the Tokyo National Tax Agency, Data Investigation Division (nicknamed ‘Kome’), with a drama-original department newly established: the Complex Tax Case Processing Room, nicknamed ‘Zakkoku.’

Matsushima plays the founder and top investigator of the Tax Agency, Masako Yoneda. Yoneda is a quirky character who loves sake and rice, bringing her own pot into the special ‘Zakkoku’ kitchen and eating white rice whenever she can. She fights clever and shady tax evaders in this exhilarating entertainment drama,” explained a TV magazine writer.

Returning to that day: at times the rain fell sideways, and even under umbrellas, Matsushima’s hair was ruffled, and raindrops hit her face. Each time, staff wiped the lenses of her glasses, but Matsushima seemed amused by it and smiled throughout.

Fortunately, the rain stopped, and filming resumed. Matsushima was shooting scenes walking briskly alongside co-stars Hayato Sano (27) and Katsumi Takahashi (64). She was dressed in a black coat from head to toe, but her striking figure could not be hidden. Spectators at a distance commented, “So beautiful” and “What a figure!”

About her role, Matsushima said:

“Masako’s sense of justice and her desire for hardworking people to be rewarded resonate with me personally. She is a character who feels that more strongly than anyone else, so I feel this role has a lot of potential to develop in various directions.” (Official program website)

Matsushima, in the first half of 2025, appeared in the NHK morning drama Anpan, playing the spirited mother Tomiko of Takumi Kitamura’s (28) character Takashi Yanai, leaving a strong impression on viewers. At the year-end Kohaku Uta Gassen, Mio Imada (28), who played the lead Asada Nobu, was the host, and Matsushima was selected as a guest judge, with their interaction also attracting attention.

This year-end and New Year period looks set to be extremely busy for Matsushima, with little time to rest. Viewers are left eagerly anticipating what kind of character she will bring to The Rice Woman.

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