The new cast for the NHK Asadora drama "Kaze,Kaoru, " starring Ai Mikami and Juri Kosaka , which will air in the first half of 2026, has been announced on the official NHK drama website (＠nhk_dramas), and it has been revealed that Miki Mizuno will be appearing in the drama. She will play Mitsu Ichinose, the mother of one of the main characters, Rin Ichinose (played by Mikami).
Mitsu Ichinose was born into the family of the former lord of a small domain in Nasu. She became a farmer and, even with the arrival of the Meiji era, she retained her dignity and was bold enough to wield a naginata herself in times of crisis. However, she also had a penchant for new things.
Mizuno says, "I feel that there is a lot to gain from playing a character who lives a strong life in an era of great change."
Regarding the drama, he says, "Looked at from a modern-day perspective, the Meiji era depicted in ' Kaze,Kaoru' was physically very inconvenient, with very strong social oppression and often mentally painful. But for the people at the center of it all, this was normal, and they had no choice but to grit their teeth and overcome each hardship in front of them. But it's hard to say for sure that this was unfortunate and that we who live in the modern era are happy. I continued reading the script, seriously asking myself what the will to live is and what happiness is."
He added, "I want to convey to the viewers, while savoring the sadness, pain, loss, confusion, and anger of my character, not missing out on any of the happy moments and moments of laughter that come in the midst of all that."
"Kaze,Kaoru" is the 114th serial TV drama. Set in the Meiji era, it is a buddy drama featuring two trained nurses, Ozeki Chika and Suzuki Masa, as its two protagonists. The two graduated from the same nursing school, they struggle with how to interact with patients and doctors, and grow together through clashes, eventually becoming the "strongest buddy." Uesaka plays the other protagonist, Oya Naomi.
