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Oshin

arts Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Oshin is a famous Japanese serialized morning drama, known as an asadora.

It originally aired on the NHK network from March 4, 1983, to March 31, 1984. This production was the 31st asadora ever created by the station. The series consists of 297 episodes, with each episode lasting 15 minutes. It follows the life of a woman named Oshin from the Meiji period into the early 1980s. The show became one of the most watched serials in Japanese history. It also reached a global audience by airing in 68 other countries with many different subtitles.

The story uses a framing device to explore the past. In 1983, Oshin's grandson, Kei, searches for her after she disappears during a family celebration. He remembers a story about a kokeshi doll that she once told him. This memory leads him to find Oshin in Yamagata. Once they are together, the narrative travels back in time. The viewers see Oshin's memories as she recalls the difficult times she faced across Japan. This structure allows the audience to experience her life through her own reflections.

Writer Sugako Hashida developed the story using a collection of anonymous letters. These letters were written by a woman on her deathbed about her untellable past. Hashida felt an obligation to honor the hardships of women from the Meiji period. These hardships included serving as an apprentice and being sold at a brothel. Because the themes were so dark, many television networks rejected the project. Even NHK initially opposed the idea because they felt they could not confront Meiji-era issues. The show only moved forward after a station director gave his approval.

Oshin is a fictional biography modeled after a real woman named Katsu Wada. Wada co-founded the Yaohan supermarket chain with her husband, Ryōhei Wada. The drama captures several distinct stages of Oshin's development. As a seven-year-old in Yamagata, she worked as a babysitter to support her sharecropper family. She later moved to Sakata to work at a household called Kaga-ya. There, the matriarch, Mrs. Yashiro, trained her in reading, writing, and the use of the abacus. These skills provided Oshin with the tools to navigate her future.

Oshin's journey continues as she moves to Tokyo to pursue new paths. She undergoes an apprenticeship in traditional Japanese hairstyling under a teacher named Isho. This period of her life involves navigating complex social changes and personal losses. After marrying Ryūzō Tanokura, she faces significant economic struggles during a post-war depression. When her husband's business fails, Oshin takes an active role in their survival. She sells cloth at a night market to raise capital for a new venture. This venture involves making Western-style children's clothes.

The series highlights the intersection of personal resilience and historical change. Oshin's life reflects the shifting social structures of Japan, from the Meiji period through the modern era. Her struggles with poverty and social class are central to the plot. For example, her work as a babysitter and a hairdresser shows the different roles women held. Her involvement in business demonstrates the changing economic landscape for families. The story connects the individual experience of one woman to the broader movement of Japanese society.

In 1984, the early parts of the story were adapted into an animated movie by Sanrio. This film focused on the episodes concerning young Oshin. The movie reused the original scripts written by Sugako Hashida. Ayako Kobayashi, who played the young Oshin in the live-action series, provided the voiceover for the character. This adaptation shows how deeply the story resonated with different audiences. It remains a significant example of how a single narrative can move across different media and cultures.

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