Takunomi. – 03

When Michiru heeds a work poster that encourages employees to leave on time on Wednesday (which may or may be a trap depending on her co-workers reactions to her leaving), she’s discouraged to find no one home yet. She decides she’ll use the extra time on Wednesday to attend a gym and do yoga, since that’s what she believes Tokyoites do.

When she gets home Kae is there, lounging like a cat with a can of Suiyoubi no Neko, a Belgian Style White Ale brewed with orange peel and coriander (like Allagash White or Blue Moon). It’s described as a great beer for hump day and also a good first beer for people who don’t like the bitterness.

Kae reveals that Neko was indeed her first beer, and that prior to that she didn’t like beer’s bitter taste at all, shocking Michiru. The white ale inspired Kae to travel the world sampling various beers and the cultures that brewed them. In other words, it was a catalyst for action.

Michiru ponders how she can change her life post-Neko, but she already has: after a couple of rough early sessions, she’s gotten the hang of Wednesday Yoga, and can now claim to have an active lifestyle!

Takunomi. – 02

Michiru has somewhat overblown standards of how a young Tokyoite office woman should look, and her perceived failure to meet them leave her frustrated to the point of tears upon coming home. Enter Nao, who works at a clothing store. Michiru offers shochu as payment for fashion advice.

After the presentation of “chu-hi” (shochu highballs) as one of the more delicious alcoholic beverages one can enjoy (for those over the age of 20), Nao opens her closet for Michiru, who settles on an understated natural look. In doing so, Michiru rekindles the passion that drove Nao into clothing industry: that satisfying moment when a customer has found their look.

As for things like finding a man to accompany her to couples spots like Tokyo Sky Tree and an office demeanor in which she’s not mixing up words like “call” with “coal”, Michiru is on her own. But when she comes home, she can be assured of good drink, good food, and good friends.

Update: What do you know, my local state-run wine & spirits store actually sells shochu, a 50-proof mugi (barley) variety made in Kyoto. Earthy and nutty, it’s great neat, on the rocks, or with club or flavored soda. Kanpai!

Takunomi. – 01 (First Impressions)

Takunomi is a good old-fashioned sitcom, centered on the lives of four young women who live together in Tokyo, and enjoy good food and good beer, particularly YEBISU premium beer.

That golden can is flashed on the screen so often you could make a drinking game out of it. But I didn’t really mind the blatant product placement, because A) I personally like Yebisu and B) the rest of the show is quick, simple, enjoyable enjoyable watch.

Takunomi isn’t trying to do that much, merely portray that Michiru had nothing to fear by moving to a Tokyo share-house with three strangers; they all turn out to be very friendly, kind, and generous. The first housemate she met, in fact, retrieved her purse from a thief at the station before they even knew each other, after all.

Everyone’s drawn to look at least five years younger than they are (Michiru is supposed to be 20), but it’s still good to have a show about adults who appreciate good beer, good food, and good company, and know how to properly kick back after the grind.

If I had to choose between Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san and this—and I do—I’m choosing this. Kanpai!