10 Best Japanese Dramas of 2023, If You’ve Seen All Korean Ones 

Everyone knows about Japanese anime and horror movies, but when it comes to dramas, audiences mainly turn to South Korean ones. However, Japan produces just as many dramas as South Korea, and some of them deserve even more attention.

1. From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke

This drama is based on the manga of the same name by Karuho Shiina, which was published from 2005 to 2017 – it has already been adapted into an anime, a feature film, and last year into a series, so you can choose any format you like.

Sawako is a modest and kind girl who is bullied at school – classmates call her Sadako, like the main villain in the movie The Ring. Sawako is protected by her friend Kazehaya, with whom she is deeply in love. He takes her into his company and helps Sawako cope with social anxiety and the bitterness of loneliness.

2. Our Dining Table

Hozumi Yutaka is an architect for whom eating is a real challenge despite his culinary talent – he is terrified of eating in the presence of other people. One day, however, Yutaka meets a boy, Tane, who tastes the onigiri he has made.

The onigiri turns out to be so delicious that Tane's older brother, Minoru, asks Yutaka to give them a cooking lesson. After spending an evening together, Yutaka realizes that he is not afraid to eat with these two and looks forward to their next meeting every weekend.

3. The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House

Two best friends, Kiyo and Sumire, come to Kyoto from a small village. Both want to become maiko, but the mentor decides that Sumire has a great talent, but it is useless to teach the clumsy Kiyo. The friends, who have sworn to be together, do not want to be separated, and the expelled girl has a chance to prove herself. When the old cook falls ill, Kiyo decides to feed the maiko. As a result, she almost immediately becomes a makanai.

Makanai is a cook who works for the staff of the establishment. Maiko is a student, a future geiko (it’s how geisha are called in Kyoto). The story is dedicated to both the intricacies of Japanese cuisine and the teaching of the unique art of geiko to young girls.

4. Burn the House Down

The main character Anzu Murata lost her house in a fire 13 years ago. The girl wants to find out the truth about what happened and gets a job in the house of her former stepmother Makiko to find out the details of the arson.

Makiko is the perfect modern-day villain. She is rich, has a career as a well-known fashion model and has many followers on social networks. But she has her own terrible secrets – and one of them is her son from her first marriage, whom she hides from prying eyes.

5. On a Starry Night

Yukimiya Suzu lost all her dreams and friends for the sake of her career as a doctor and good status. One day, Suzu was suddenly photographed and then kissed by Hiiragi Issei, a deaf man with a passion for astrophotography. He simply followed the desires of his heart, and Suzu, by communicating with him, gradually began to gain freedom.

This is perhaps the most touching series on this list, as it focuses on the most important events in each person's life, such as the birth of a child or the death of a loved one.

6. Hold My Hand at Twilight

One day, Asagi Soramame ran into Umino Oto, an aspiring composer. After talking for a while, they went their separate ways, not thinking that they would ever meet again. However, every time there was a dark period in their lives, they would see each other again.

This is the story of two young people who met by chance at a difficult time in their lives. Hold My Hand at Twilight is a warm and touching show about people finding their way and pursuing their goals.

7. Falling High School Girl and Irresponsible Teacher

Mikoto Ochiai, a high school student, nearly commits suicide due to a broken heart. However, she is stopped by Jin Haiba, a lazy physics teacher who is constantly teased by his students. He calmly asks her to explain the reason for her actions and later suggests that she fall in love with him in order to forget her past sad experience.

This miniseries has only nine episodes and runs about three hours in total, so it is perfect for those who want to watch something romantic for one evening.

8. Let’s Get Divorced

Shoji Taishi and Kurosawa Yui have been married for over five years. But they are tired of playing the role of a happily married couple. Feelings are a thing of the past, their communication has come to nothing – they only have conversations on the sets of various shows that are organized for mutual PR purposes.

The young couple decided to divorce and build a life apart from each other. Shoji's relatives were against this decision – such an act would severely damage the politician's reputation. Despite everything, the two are determined to stick to their decision and come up with a plan.

9. Vivant

Nogi Yusuke, an employee of a large company, finds himself in a difficult situation. His department was supposed to transfer $10 million to the Balka Republic. Instead, $100 million was transferred. Colleagues suspect Nogi of a conspiracy, and to clear his name, he must find and return $90 million within a month.

Nogi travels to Balka to negotiate with the contractor in person and clear up the misunderstanding. But the cunning businessman tells him that the money has already been transferred by other contractors. Desperate, Nogi rushes to a remote desert town to return the money, despite warnings that he is getting into a very dangerous game.

10. Sanctuary

The focus in this show is on a young man, Kiyoshi Oze, who was trained in martial arts as a child, but now wanders around trying to get rich through petty robbery. One day, he is offered to take up sumo – his constitution is just right for it. The young man is promised big money if he succeeds, and he agrees to enter the sumo school.

The show is full of unexpected plot twists, and witty humor. If you have never been a fan of this sport before, this show will give you no choice but to fall in love with the strange but beautiful world of Japanese sumo.