A teaser trailer has been released for the drama series W-30 "Nagatan and Ao to - Ichika's Cookbook - 2," starring actor Mugi Kadowaki and co-starring Ryuto Sakuma of the Teaser trailer group ACEes, which will begin airing and streaming on WOWOW from February 20, 2026. It has also been announced that regular cast members from the previous series, including Rinka Kumada, Shunya Shiraishi, and Takehiko Ono, will reprise their roles.
The drama is based on the manga of the same name by Yuki Isogai (Kodansha). Set in Kyoto shortly after the war, the gourmet love story begins when the protagonist, chef Ichika Kuwanoki (played by Kadowaki), marries off in an arranged marriage to Shu Yamaguchi (played by Sakuma), the third son of a long-established hotel owner in Osaka, in order to keep her family's struggling restaurant, Kuwanoki, afloat. The previous series, "Nagatan and Ao to - Ichika's Cooking Book," was broadcast and streamed in 2023, and drew attention for the frustrating love story between a couple with a 15-year age difference and Ichika's "delicious-looking dishes."
The previous film depicted a couple who met through an unwanted marriage, gradually growing closer and becoming a real couple. This film begins immediately after that, and sees the arrival of a "new family member" in the couple's home. With the arrival of Sakae, the second son of the Yamaguchi family and Amane's older brother, Kuwanoki, which had begun to recover from financial difficulties, faces another challenge.
The regular cast members who will continue to appear in this work are Rinka Kumada, Shiraishi Shunya, Ono Takehiko, Iida Motosuke, Tokojima Yoshiko, Nakamura Aoi, and Toda Keiko.
Yamaguchi Suzune, played by Kumada, is Shu's childhood friend and the wife of the Yamaguchi family's eldest son, Yukari. She is dedicated to raising her only daughter, Sayoko, but is distressed by the pressure from the Yamaguchi family to give birth to a boy as the heir. Yamaguchi Yukari, played by Shiraishi, is Shu's older brother and Suzune's husband. Although he puts up a bluff, he is actually lacking in confidence in his own abilities and is constantly watching his father's mood. With the return of the Yamaguchi family's talented second son, Sakae, from America, and his relationship with Suzune struggling, Suzune finds himself in a difficult position as the next head of the Yamaguchi family.
Fujiwara Chikauji, played by Ono, is a tea ceremony practitioner and a regular customer at the restaurant Kuwanoki, even before Ichihi took over. He was initially skeptical of Ichihi's cooking, but after praising Ichihi's cooking at a cooking contest, he returns to the restaurant. Yamaguchi Shigeru, played by Iida, is the head of the wealthy Yamaguchi family in Osaka and the father of his three brothers, Shu and his brothers. In order to expand the Yamaguchi family's business, he treats his sons Shu and his brothers as pawns. He constantly keeps an eye on Kuwanoki, to which he is lending money, and in this film he stands in the way of Shu and his brothers.
Tokojima plays Kuwanoki Aiko, Ichihi's kind and slightly airheaded mother. She lives under the same roof as Ichihi and his family, and embraces the "new family" that comes to Ichihi and Shu with great love. Nakamura plays Tajima Akitsugu, a chef who was a colleague of Ichihi's when he worked at the hotel restaurant, and someone Ichihi respects and relies on. He supports Kuwanoki and Ichihi both professionally and emotionally as they take on new challenges.
Toda plays Marukawa Machiko, Ichihi's aunt. As always, Machiko is a busybody who manipulates the Kuwanoki family with the force of a typhoon. In this film, she brings a "present" that will change the relationship between Ichihi and the Amane couple.
The Teaser trailer shows the still-fresh yet frustrating distance between Ichika and Amane as they forge a bond while rebuilding the Kuwanoki restaurant. New cast members will be revealed soon, including the actor who will play Amane's older brother, Sakae, a key character who will greatly disrupt the story.
"Serial Drama W-30 'Nagatan and Ao to - Ichika's Cooking Book - 2'" will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW Prime and WOWOW On Demand every Friday at 11:00 PM starting February 20, 2026.
Comments from the returning regular cast members are as follows:
◇ Rinka Kumada(role of Suzune Yamaguchi)
When I heard there would be a sequel, I was excited to be able to enter that gentle world once again. When we were filming, I was moved to see my precious Kuwanoki tree right in front of me, as if all the memories from three years ago were coming back to me at once. In Season 2, the worries that Suzune has been carrying for a long time will be revealed, and her relationship with Enishi will also take on a new form. Please be sure to check out Season 2 and the wonderful world of Nagatan and Ao.
◇Shunya Shiraishi (role of Yuri Yamaguchi)
I was very happy to see the beloved "Nagatan" team reunited. Just like the series, filming this time felt like visiting Kadowaki-san and Sakuma-kun's home. While the atmosphere was warm and comfortable, the right amount of tension was maintained, making for exciting and enjoyable days. Season 2 will depict the families of each of the three Yamaguchi brothers. The characters have complicated circumstances, but please enjoy watching them overcome them with delicious food and lots of love.
◇ Takehiko Ono (role of Fujiwara Chikauji)
When I heard about the role, I was so happy that the viewers loved it and it led to a part 2. I hope you enjoy watching the growth of Shu, Ichijitsu, and Kuwanoki along with the growth of the show.
◇ Iida Motosuke (role of Yamaguchi Shigeru)
It's been three years since I last returned to the set of "Nagatan and Ao to"! The director, staff, and cast all looked so happy as they greeted each other with "It's been a long time!" I truly felt so glad to have been involved in this project three years ago! This is also thanks to the support of so many fans of the original manga, "Nagatan and Ao to," that it has continued on for so long. I'm filled with gratitude. Season 2 continues from Season 1, depicting even more in-depth details, such as the friction between the Yamaguchi siblings and the parent-child clashes, making it a truly worthwhile experience. And above all, the scenes with Ichiji's cooking are fantastic! I personally look forward to enjoying them with my stomach rumbling. I'm eager to start Season 3 right away! But for now, I hope you enjoy Season 2.
◇ Yoshiko Tokojima (role of Aiko Kuwanoki)
When I heard that a sequel to "Nagatan to Ao to" was in the works, I was thrilled to be able to reunite with that family! I play Ichihi's mother, a strong-willed yet gentle mother, and I love her character. On the first day of filming, we were reunited after three years, and I was a little worried about whether we'd be able to become a family smoothly, but it's amazing how things went. Before I knew it, the family of the "Kuwanoki" restaurant was already there. I personally believe the theme of Season 1 was "encounters," and Season 2 was "bonds." The "new family" who joins the Kuwanoki household will breathe new life into the story. And above all, the heart of this drama is the many dishes that Chizuru Ohara, the creator of the show, lovingly prepares each episode. This drama centers around the universal theme of warm family life, centered around cooking. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you.
◇ Nakamura Aoi (role of Tajima Akiyoshi)
I am very happy to have been able to once again enter the wonderful world created by Directors Matsumoto and Ichioka. Filming was very pleasant, surrounded by familiar cast and staff, and delicious food. In Season 2, Tajima, the character I play, will embark on a new journey. I hope you will support him as he takes on a new challenge alongside Ichika and Amane, who continue to engage in a frustrating love affair from the previous series.
◇Keiko Toda (role of Machiko Marukawa)
I love this show, so I was very happy to see Season 2. It went so smoothly that I didn't even feel like three years had passed. It felt as though everyone had been at Kuwanoki forever. I, Machiko, am as wild as ever. I can't wait for everyone to watch it.
