The second episode, "The Bell of Wishes," of the 2026 NHK Taiga drama "Toyotomi Brothers!" (General TV, Sunday 8:00 PM and other channels), starring actor Nakano Taiga, aired on January 11th. The episode depicted the departure of Koichiro (played by Nakano), and Anna Kurasawa, who plays the brothers' younger sister Asahi, spoke about her role.
"Toyotomi Brothers!" is the 65th taiga drama. It is a success story of hope and dreams, depicting the miracle of the Toyotomi brothers, Hidenaga (Koichiro) and his older brother Hideyoshi (Tokichiro), who achieve the great feat of unifying the country with their strong bond.
Asahi is a "bright, cheerful, and carefree younger sister."
The younger sister of the Toyotomi brothers. She has a cheerful personality and is always positive and smiling, even though she lives in poverty as a farmer. Thanks to her older brothers' success, she and her husband lived a wealthy and happy life, but one day, she was suddenly divorced by Hideyoshi and married to Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Kurazawa says, "Asahi is the most innocent and cheerful child in the family."
"Even though her mother (Naka, played by Maki Sakai) and older sister (Tomo, Emma Miyazawa) struggle to make ends meet every day in their impoverished farming life, Asahi, who loves to eat, can honestly say, 'I'm hungry' (laughs). I think her mother, older sister, and older brother Koichiro shower Asahi with love and care, making sure she never goes hungry and that she has a fun time."
In order to prepare for the role of Asahi, Kurazawa revealed that before filming began, he "visited places associated with Asahi," such as Tofukuji Temple in Kyoto Prefecture and Zuiryuji Temple in Shizuoka Prefecture.
"I watched as many previous works as possible that feature Asahi and gathered information. However, this time I'm playing Asahi as part of the 'Toyotomi Brothers!' So I'm setting aside what I've learned and trying to portray the Asahi that screenwriter Yatsutsu-san has created in an appealing way."
The first scene to be shot was with my mother and sister.
"I was really happy that they listened to me with such sympathy. Asahi is a good eater, so there are a lot of scenes where she is munching. When Sakai saw that, she said, 'So cute, so soothing.' I was munching so much that I was embarrassed, but her words really helped me. Miyazawa is also really kind, and even when I got anxious and wondered if my acting was okay, she cheerfully said, 'It's okay!' I've been helped by the two of them so many times."
Nakano, who plays Koichiro, and Ikematsu Sosuke, who plays Tokichiro, are "really good friends," and he says he is "naturally drawn" into their atmosphere.
"So the whole set was filled with a sense of unity, like a real family. I think one of the major themes of 'Toyotomi Brothers!' is familial and brotherly love, and I'm really grateful that the two of them embody that. What surprised me when I worked with them for the first time was how they were acting with such a playful spirit! It was truly inspiring to see how the characters Koichiro and Tōkichirō, as written in the script, became even more vivid with the help of the two of them."
Regarding the script written by Yatsu, he said, "It's really lively, and each character is very charming," and "I think that's the most important point."
"Even at the script stage it was already interesting enough, but as we all acted together it felt like it became even more appealing. Every character has depth, and they're all people who make you think, 'I want to see more!' 'Toyotomi Brothers!' is a story about the rise of the Koichiro brothers, but the driving force behind it is 'for the sake of family.' I feel a great humanity in that love for family and friends, and it really moves me personally."
