Netflix Producing Hirokazu Kore-eda Series

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Netflix is producing The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House, written and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters), with Story Inc. and BUN-BUKU.

The eight-episode drama is an adaptation of the comic Maiko in Kyoto: From the Maiko House, written by Aiko Koyama. Set in the geisha district of Kyoto, the story follows Kiyo as she becomes a Makanai (person who cooks meals) at a house where Maiko (apprentice geishas) live together.

Nana Mori stars in the lead role, alongside Natsuki Deguchi, Aju Makita, Keiko Matsuzaka, Ai Hashimoto, Mayu Matsuoka and Takako Tokiwa.

Genki Kawamura (Confessions, Villain, Your Name, MIRAI) serves as producer. Up-and-coming directors Megumi Tsuno (Ten Years Japan), Hiroshi Okuyama (Jesus) and Takuma Sato (Any Crybabies Around?) will direct individual episodes.

The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House is slated to debut globally on Netflix later this year.

“After receiving the offer from Kawamura, I actually visited Gion several times,” said Kore-eda. “There, I was surprised by how the people living in Maiko houses were like a family without blood ties and how the entire town felt like an organism connected by telephone wires. This is not the story of people left behind by the times, but rather one that might provide us with a hint for how we should live in a post-Covid world. With this in mind, I excitedly took on this production. For the role of the Maiko, I conducted repeated auditions of actresses on an even playing field, without any consideration of their careers, in order to make my decision. In addition to (Yohei) Taneda’s large and detailed sets and (Nami) Iijima’s meals, I believe that the greatest charm of this series is the perfect ensemble of actresses, including the house mother and senior geisha who surround the Maiko. We still have more to film, but I look forward to sharing the finished product.”