The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House cast list and characters explored

Netflix's new drama series, titled The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House, is all set to arrive on the streaming platform on Thursday, January 12, 2023. It tells the story of a girl who aspires to become a Makanai (traditional cook).

Here's the official synopsis of the show, as per Netflix's YouTube channel:

''Set in the geisha district of Kyoto, this series follows Sumire, a maiko (apprentice geisha), and Kiyo, a cook at the maiko house where they live, and tells a story of their daily lives through delicious food.''

The series is helmed by Palme d'or winning Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, who's best known for his films like Shoplifters, Our Little Sister, and I Wish, to name a few. The show features Nana Mori and Natsuki Deguchi in the lead roles.

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The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House cast list: Nana Mori and others to feature in Hirokazu Kore-eda's new Netflix series

1) Nana Mori as Kiyo

Nana Mori plays the lead role of Kiyo in The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko. Kiyo dreams of becoming a cook, and it is her eventful journey that viewers get to see in the series. Mori looks quite impressive in the trailer, as she wonderfully captures her character's innocence and charm with astonishing ease.

Apart from The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko, Mori is known for her appearances in Liar x Liar, Fugitive Doctor F, and Blue, Painful & Brittle, to name a few.

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2) Natsuki Deguchi as Sumire

Natsuki Deguchi portrays the character of Sumire in the new Netflix drama series. Sumire arrives at a house with Kiyo to learn the art of becoming a Makanai. Deguchi looks equally impressive and the two make for an adorable duo. Natsuki Deguchi has previously starred in Silent Parade and My Love from the Stars.

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3) Aju Makita as Ryoko

Actress Aju Makita dons the role of Ryoko in The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House. Ryoko is the teenage daughter of the manager of the titular Maiko house. Not many other details about her character are known at this point, but she's expected to play a significant role in the series. Aju Makita's acting credits include If My Wife Becomes an Elementary School Student, Welcome Home, Mone, 99.9 Criminal Lawyer: The Movie, and many more.

Apart from the aforementioned actors, The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House features several others in pivotal supporting/minor roles:

• Takako Tokiwa as Azusa
• Keiko Matsuzaka as Chiyo
• Ai Hashimoto as Momoko
• Matsuoka Mayu as Yoshino

Watch the official trailer here:

The official trailer for The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House offers a peek into the lives of the two lead characters as they move to Maiko house to learn the art of cooking.

The trailer has a warm, friendly tone, much like Kore-eda's previous films like Our Little Sister, Still Walking, and I Wish. Based on the trailer, viewers can look forward to a heartwarming drama that focuses on traditional Japanese cooking while also exploring the magic of human interactions.

Don't miss The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House on Netflix on Thursday, January 12, 2023.