All Smiles Along the Sumida River… Kentaro Ito & Akari Hayami: Their Date Look from the “Gourmet” and “Affair” Dramas

Is it really just about eating?

A couple walks happily along the Sumida River, basking in the bright sunlight. From time to time, they exchange glances and share shy smiles…In fact, this is a scene from the currently airing drama *Just Eating Dinner Together* (TV Tokyo network), and the couple are the co-leads, Kentaro Ito (29) and Akari Hayami (31).

“Based on the manga of the same name by manga artist Terrace Omachi, this is a love story centered on the themes of ‘gourmet food’ and ‘extramarital affairs.’Taki Sawada, played by Hayami, works as a cooking instructor and feels a sense of emptiness due to a clash of values with her husband, who shows no interest in her cooking. Rei Saito, played by Ito, is a food magazine editor who feels stressed because his wife—for whom frozen meals are the norm—won’t accept his ideals.The series depicts how these two meet through their work and are drawn to each other, yet find themselves torn between love, food, and ethics,” said a TV magazine writer.

After the first episode aired on July 9, social media was flooded with comments expressing mixed feelings, such as “It’s not like a typical affair, which makes it even harder to watch” and “There aren’t any clear villains, but…”

In the second episode, Rei, who had visited Taki’s home for a meeting, came down with a fever. While she was resting on the sofa, Taki made a special “cold soup” for her. Watching Rei eat it with tears of gratitude in her eyes, Taki realized his own faint romantic feelings—but… that was the gist of the story.

Let’s go back to the beginning of the story. Filming took place in mid-May. It started in the morning with a scene where the two walked along the Sumida River from downstream toward upstream.Along the way, the two picked up drinks prepared by the staff and walked straight to a nearby park. Onlookers who had noticed the shoot watched from a distance, but the two, sitting on a bench, seemed to be enjoying the early summer sunshine as they chatted and laughed while gazing at the Sumida River. When asked about his thoughts upon being cast in the lead role, Ito said,

“I suppose there’s a sense of connection because both romance and food are strong human desires. That said, I can’t relate to the act of having an affair at all, though (laughs).” (From the July 2 episode of “Oshiraku”)

Hayami, without mentioning “affairs,” said,

“Since each couple has their own distinct personalities, I think the character viewers can relate to will vary completely depending on the person watching. Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing which character most viewers connect with. Also, the food looks absolutely delicious! Or rather, it really, really is delicious! The food is a star in its own right, so please be sure to enjoy that as well!” (From the official STARDUST PROMOTION website)

she said. Is this drama really just “about eating meals”…? We can’t take our eyes off how the story unfolds.

*“FRIDAY Digital” welcomes tips and information from our readers. Please submit your tips via the form below or through our official X account.

Tip Submission Form: https://friday.kodansha.co.jp/tips
Official X: https://x.com/FRIDAY_twit