It was announced on January 30th that singer Naoko Ken (72) will be the narrator for the NHK morning drama series "Kaze, Kaoru," starring Ai Mikami and Juri Uesaka, which will air in the first half of 2026. The announcement was made on the drama's official account (@asadora_nhk) on the same day.
It was announced on October 24th last year that Ken would play Maji, a mysterious and elusive fortune teller, and she expressed her joy at her first appearance in a morning drama, saying, "I am extremely honored that they chose me."
Regarding his role as narrator, Ken commented, "I was surprised just to be appearing in the role of Makaze, but this time I've been given the important role of narrator. It's been 55 years since my debut, so I feel very honored to have been given the opportunity to try something new."
She continued, "I'm appearing in a morning drama that I've watched since I was a child, and although it's my first time and I'm not used to it, I'm really looking forward to it, so I'll do my best to be myself. I hope to watch over the lives of Rin and Naomi, two women who have survived a turbulent era, together with all the viewers, so I hope you will look forward to it."
"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, but struggle with how to interact with patients and doctors, and grow through clashes, eventually becoming the "strongest buddy." Migami plays the lead role of Ichinose Rin, while Uesaka plays Oya Naomi.
