Takashi Kobayashi appears in Asadora for the third time in seven years

The new cast for the NHK Asadora drama "Kaze,Kaoru, " which will be co-starred by Ai Mikami and Juri Kosaka in the first half of 2026, has been announced on the official NHK Drama X (@nhk_dramas) website, and it has been revealed that Takashi Kobayashi will also be appearing.

Nakamura Yoshimasa, played by Kobayashi, is a former vassal who served Shin'emon, the father of one of the main characters, Ichinose Rin (played by Mikami). In the Meiji era, after being dismissed from the Ichinose family, he becomes an official in Tochigi Prefecture. He continues to visit the Ichinose family frequently.

Kobayashi commented, "I am excited to be appearing in a Asadora for the third time in seven years. The character I will be playing, Nakamura Yoshimasa, is unusual for someone in my neighborhood as he was one of the first people to adopt Western clothing, but his way of speaking still makes you want to ask, "Are you from the new era or the old era? Are you from that era?" Together with the staff and cast, I hope to create a bright and fun set so that I can portray this character with great energy. I can't wait for filming to begin."

"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.