Gentle Time
Yasashii Jikan, the TV show broadcasted 2005 in Japan, introduced a slow lifestyle of Hokkaido. The show is well made, and especially the scenery of Hokkaido is worth to see. Screenwriting is made by: Kuramoto Sou, Yoshida Noriko, Tago Akihiro (田子明弘), Kobayashi Akio (小林彰夫).
The central character of Yasashii Jikan is Yukichi Wakui (Akira Terao). Yukichi used to be a successful businessman who was often sent to abroad. When his wife Megumi died in car accident at the age of 47, he decided to make his wife's dream true, to establish a coffee shop "Forest Clock" to Furano, Megumi's home town.
Takuro, Yukichi's son, was driving the car when accident happened, in which Megumi died. Takuro feels strong remorse, because at that time he was involved in boozoozoku (gang). Takuro's and Yukichi's relationship got broken since the accident and they don't keep in touch. But now, Takuro ended up doing pottery in town called Biei, a town 50km from Furano. Since the accident he haven't met his father.
In the opening episode, Takuro sends him a present, a hand made coffeecup via friend of Yukichi. He tells her not to say it's from him. Instead she gives him the present as her own. Will the block of ice ever melt?
Furano is a distant town in Hokkaido, a place where busy schedules of business nerds in Tokyo don't reach. In Furano people still have time to feel warmth for each other. Forest Clock is not just another Starbucks, but a real coffee shop with special feature - customers can grind their own beans!
Each episode ends with Yukichi imagining a conversation with Megumi, who sits the other side of the counter.
Yasashii Jikan is a lightyears ahead of the Tokyo human dramas which try to be more cool than they can. There is a sense of something genuine, something very special. The show starts in autumn (with episode called Yukimushi) and goes through all seasons in beautiful Furano.
There is also element of surprise as well, and each episode involve new characters and sub plots (who will mysteriously vanish, they are nowhere to be seen in next episode).
Before New Year, I really loved to watch Yasashii Jikan with my special friend on sofa, drinking coffee and talking about the characters. I just couldn't stop skipping to next episode from the DVDs.
This restored my interest to TV dramas. As a person who doesn't posses a television set, that should be enough to say.
See more of Yasashii Jikan:
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Yasashii_Jikan