Minshuku no Kakushi Aji (2023)

Short, sweet & an amazing treat! Guesthouse Tsuyukusa mends broken hearts & relationships likewise.

Ah, Hama Shogo as main lead- and as a chef. This is probably a dream come true for both me and the actor himself. Of course, I watched it because of him. And my goodness, did it deliver! It was heart-warmingly sweet and then some.
The story:
It's a very simple story. The mini-series has 8 episodes, every 2 episodes focusing on a different story. The 4 stories are very simple. Tsuyukusa is a guesthouse in the countryside. I don't know which place it is, but it seems like a rural place and it's very charming. It's a Japanese style guesthouse, has been around for around 50 years and 3 generations. And Midorikawa Haruhi has inherited it from his family. It's not a busy place. Because each time, we can only see that there has only been one reservation made. Each time, the customer comes in with some sort of trouble, usually with relationships. And after staying at Tsuyukusa, eating the delicious food and talking to Haruhi, the customer is able to sort out their troubles. And every 2 episodes, they offer delicious food, the recipes for which are available on the official website of the drama, although I have yet to check them out. It may sound very mundane, but the execution is beautiful, the dialogues are thoughtful and the locations are charming. It's not supposed to be an outstanding drama that turns the world upside down for you. It's just a small reminder for us that at the end of the day, we're all human beings, and no matter how big the problem seems, there's nothing that a good meal and a proper conversation can't solve. The format is also interesting. The first episode of each story introduces us to the characters and problems of that story. And in the second episode of each story, we see Haruhi cook a mouthwatering meal while bopping to a fun song. Seriously, what's not to love?

Acting/cast:
Like I said, I came here to watch Hama Shogo and that purpose was fulfilled 100%. I think he's a good actor. And this drama is a very light-hearted drama that doesn't test someone's acting skills to the limit. So the acting was mostly decent. Also, Hasegawa Kasumi (another Super Sentai actor) is in its 3rd and 4th episode, what an interesting surprise!

Music:
I don't know the names of the songs, but this series features some interesting songs. And all of them were nice to listen to, especially in the scenes where Haruhi was cooking. So maybe the audience can listen to the same songs when making the dishes that Haruhi made in this drama.

Rewatch value:
I know I'd definitely love to rewatch this drama. If nothing else, then at least for seeing Haruhi do cute, silly and so called "unmanly" things.

Conclusion:
This is a short light-hearted watch for people who don't feel like watching something hardcore at the moment. If you just want to relax and unwind and have some free time in your hands, go ahead, give this a watch. It's a mini-series, so at least you won't regret it too much, even if you think it's a complete waste of time. 9/10.

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