The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House

A show where nothing happens (if you stick to a narrow-minded view of events on a Hollywood or Bollywood scale) that sucks you in, sinks its hooks into you, and doesn't let go until the end.

Simply beautiful. No fancy plots. No unexpected reveals. No gimmicks. Just an artfully crafted glimpse into the maiko life most people know nothing about. I know I sure didn't.

And they nail the pacing. No extreme highs that like sugar cause you to crash and burn. And no extreme lows that make you dread "uh-oh, what's coming next" whenever a joyous event occurs. The pace stays comfortable, like a warm blanket, and you can relax and marvel at the simplicity yet intricate details throughout this masterpiece.

The acting is so superb to the point you forget they are actresses and actors. And begin to think of them as real-life people living their normal everyday routines.

I've only felt this way with one other show/movie. And that is "From Up on Poppy Hill" by Studio Ghibli. Well worth a binge watch!

Two girls leave their rural village to travel to Kyoto where they join a maiko (apprentice geisha) house in the hope of realising their dreams. Sadly one is a naturally elegant whilst the other seems to lack coordination and will never make the grade. The story is gently told over 9 episodes and we get to see that even though dreams are thwarted new ones can appear. The people in the house are addressed as mother, sister or brother and we see how even though they are not blood relations they all have a bond. Food is an important part of the story and many of the best scenes centre around the kitchen and how important taste and flavours can be to connect us with our past. A beautiful story with an insight into the lives of maiko but more importantly a story of true friendship.

This is a wonderful and rare view into the life and workings of a Maiko House in Kyoto. All the characters are beautifully presented by the ensemble cast and whilst the storyline is simple and limited, there is always enough going on to be completely enthralling.

The cooking/ food is so authentic you can almost taste it, and the two young girls under training are so caring and giving both to each other and all others.

Kyoto scenes are breathtaking at times and simply beautiful at others.

This show has similarities to Midnight Diner in that it focuses on ordinary people going about their lives.

But there is nothing ordinary about the quest to become a fully fledged Maiko at the heart of the story and the portrayal of the training and lifestyle required is extraordinary. So too the appointment and work of the wonderful Makanai, in cooking and caring for all.

I hope those who have not lived in Japan, like I, can fully appreciate the art and insights in this wonderful story. It is worth the effort.

Overall a wonderful series, offering deep sweetness without sentimentality. It celebrates Japan's restrained aesthetic of beauty - a row of different coloured jars and bottles on a shelf becomes a revelation.

Two 16 year old girls enter a house for the training of geisha (geiko). Sumire (Natsuki Deguchi) displays exquisite sensitivity, captured by close ups of her face. Her friend Kiro (Nana Mori) is a creature of sunlight; dark words and experiences slide off her, unable to get any hold on her personality. When she can't make the grade as a trainee geisha she becomes a dedicated "makanai" cooking for the household. Tsurukoma (Momoko Fukuchi) stood out for me in the supporting cast - one of the young trainees full of liveliness and charm, within the constrained atmosphere of the house.

Early on the show sharply separates geisha from sleaze. The geisha's audience is represented by a handful of middle aged men who know and appreciate the intricate meanings of the performances. The action is mainly in a traditional house and handful of traditional streets, meticulously preserved in modern Japan; we only have faint hints of drunken salarymen or tourists after instant-gratification pics with a geisha.

In taking her geisha training Sumire defies her father's wish that she train to be a doctor. The show celebrates close female bonding and gentle but firm refusal to submit to fathers or lovers. It can also be seen as celebrating Japanese women's physical beauty and delicacy, their role in providing pleasure and entertainment, their deference, and even perhaps the many forms of restriction they face in the Maiko House.

I've been inside the homes of 3 elderly Japanese women (one in Okinawa and two in the U. S.) and they all had that "organized chaos" feel. LoL! Books and knick knacks stacked to the ceiling, yet they knew exactly where to find things. I love the innocence conveyed by Kiyo and Sumire. I enjoyed the details shown when Kiyo was preparing food and how impressed everyone was with her offerings. The most touching part for me was when the man ate Kiyo's rice ball and said she must be emitting something from her hands (for it to taste so good). What a profound compliment. I cried so hard at that part.