Ep. 56 Tokyo Salad Bowl

cover design by Cordelia Shan

Written by Cordelia.

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🌙✨ Welcome Back to Thursday Night Kissaten 🥢💭 Hey friends! Tonight, we’re diving into NHK’s latest winter drama: Tokyo Salad Bowl - International Investigation Files (東京サラダボウル - 国際捜査事件簿). 🕵️‍♀️🌆

Adapted from Kuromaru’s manga (serialized from 2021 to 2024), this series is part crime drama, part social commentary—and it’s not afraid to stir the pot. 🍲📖

In this episode, we follow Mari and a cold, quiet Japanese detective (played by Ryuhei Matsuda, who actually speaks Mandarin!). Together, they investigate cases that touch on the lives of foreigners in Japan—immigration, labor exploitation, illegal residency, and more. 🚨🌍

But while the show tries to approach tough topics with empathy, it also stumbles into a few stereotypes. 🐸🍭 We’ll talk about the show’s intentions, its problematic scenes, and what it reveals about Japan’s complicated relationship with multiculturalism. Or will this “salad bowl” always mix back into a feel-good stew? 🥗🤔

So pour yourself a warm drink, curl up, and let’s talk about a Tokyo that’s more diverse—and more conflicted—than most dramas dare to show. ✨🍵

🎵 BGM 🎵 🌀 Like a Human by ⁠ゆうり⁠; エウダイモニア by ma-kun; 日常routine by 音屋

#Podcast #TokyoSaladBowl #NHKDrama #ThursdayNightKissaten #JapaneseTV #ImmigrationStories #SliceOfLife #MulticulturalJapan #DramaReview #CozyVibes