156 episodes of a woman building houses while tearing down patriarchy. Lunch break TV that hits different.
Season 1 • Episode 156
LatestThis drama is the tale of one high spirited, strong-willed young woman and her struggle to fulfill her lifelong ambition of becoming a carpenter and building homes. The story takes place from the later part of the Showa era to present day Heisei rule. The heroine of the story, Kawashima Urara, lost her father at the tender age of seven and this drama depicts her life as she grows from a young school girl, through puberty and adolescence and on into her adult years as an independent woman who owns her own carpentry business. As Urara grows into a beautiful and strong woman and a talented carpenter, her family around her goes through many difficult and trying times. This story of becoming an independent businesswoman in the male-dominated world of carpentry accurately reflects the lives and struggles of the young women in present day Japan who are trying to make a career for themselves in addition to balancing the demands of family obligations, friends, and lovers.
Acting
Risa Sudou ages 7 to 40+ flawlessly
Production
156-episode scope, zero filler episodes
Costume
Decades of authentic Showa-Heisei fashion
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Asadora morning dramas are Japan's decades-long tradition of making 15-minute emotional weapons for commuters. This one ran 1998-1999.
Female carpenters were statistically rare in 1990s Japan; the show's production consulted actual women in construction, making Urara's barriers documentary-level specific.
JP
