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Midnight Diner

Original title: Shinya shokudô
  • TV Series
  • 2009–2014
  • TV-MA
  • 24m
IMDb RATING
8.6/10
3.6K
YOUR RATING
Midnight Diner (2009)
ComedyDrama

Set in a small restaurant open only after midnight. This drama depicts the lives of the restaurant's patrons, who come for the amusing chatter and the proprietor's willingness to cook any di... Read allSet in a small restaurant open only after midnight. This drama depicts the lives of the restaurant's patrons, who come for the amusing chatter and the proprietor's willingness to cook any dish they request.Set in a small restaurant open only after midnight. This drama depicts the lives of the restaurant's patrons, who come for the amusing chatter and the proprietor's willingness to cook any dish they request.

  • Stars
    • Kaoru Kobayashi
    • Mansaku Fuwa
    • Shôhei Uno
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.6/10
    3.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Kaoru Kobayashi
      • Mansaku Fuwa
      • Shôhei Uno
    • 27User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win total

    Episodes30

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    Photos54

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    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Kaoru Kobayashi
    Kaoru Kobayashi
    • Master
    • 2009–2014
    Mansaku Fuwa
    • Chû-san
    • 2009–2014
    Shôhei Uno
    • Komichi
    • 2009–2014
    Asako Kobayashi
    • Rumi
    • 2009–2014
    Toshiki Ayata
    • Kosuzu
    • 2009–2014
    Kiyobumi Kaneko
    • Kanemoto
    • 2009–2014
    Joe Odagiri
    Joe Odagiri
    • Katagiri…
    • 2009–2014
    Risa Sudou
    Risa Sudou
    • Miki
    • 2009–2014
    Nahoko Yoshimoto
    • Kana
    • 2009–2014
    Ken Mitsuishi
    • Detective Noguchi…
    • 2009–2014
    Yutaka Matsushige
    Yutaka Matsushige
    • Ryû Kenzaki
    • 2009–2014
    Yûichirô Nakayama
    • Hachirô
    • 2009–2014
    Takashi Yamanaka
    Takashi Yamanaka
    • Gen
    • 2009–2014
    Tamae Andô
    • Marylin…
    • 2009–2014
    Kaoru Hirata
    • Saya Adachi
    • 2011–2014
    Tomomitsu Adachi
    • Adachi
    • 2009–2011
    Satoru Matsuo
    Satoru Matsuo
    • Gorô
    • 2011
    Naoaki Kenmochi
    • Anzai
    • 2009–2011
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews27

    8.63.5K
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    Featured reviews

    10tokyojoe-08972

    Like Japan - Japanese? Must watch

    50 years. Best gentle teaching of things Japanese EVER!
    9hwallace-49853

    The best of humanistic television.

    I don't know what brought me to watch this show, but I found myself completely fascinated. The storytelling is phenomenal, and what more can we expect of a show other than a story which makes us feel something. I've watched this show over and over again (each time with some heartwarming meal, mind you), and each time I find it more comforting than the last. Nothing conveys the beauty of flaws, the coincidence of living, and the serendipity of existence better than this show in my opinion. Give it a chance, grab a friend, and a bowl of your favorite heartwarming brothy meal, you won't regret it. :)
    10jroskelley

    Superb and Unexpected

    Ultimately, this is about important moments in our lives and the foods we often associate with them.

    The stories are set at the Midnight Diner, a small and comfortable hole-in- the-wall sitdown you wish you could call your own.

    Open from midnight until seven in the morning, it attracts an array of regular and casual denizens. The proprietor will make whatever is ordered, so long as he's got the ingredients.

    Often what's ordered are comfort foods that remind the patron of the home of their youth, of a parent or someone close, or of a memorable or important life event. Sometimes it's all of the above.

    Many of the tales are peculiar, and even if you suspect a direction the story will take, it likely won't.

    Everything about the show is simple and unassuming, which of course is akin to most of our comfort foods.

    This won't resemble anything you've ever seen. We laughed out loud throughout and shed several tears. Every last second of it is beautiful, thoughtful, and unexpected.
    8qui_j

    Pleasantly surprised

    I can certainly recommend this Japanese series. It brings to life a group of characters and their multi-dimensional life stories. They all are customers of a late night diner, and each story is told to completion, and matched to a favorite dish. It is a very slow but interesting way to tell a story.
    10barry-587-897538

    Why is my question, i have watched three times over and each with total appreciation!

    I just have no language to communication the story - at all. It is drab, dry and surface deep. Well that would be it from one point of view.

    For me though, i just want to say, i was broken hearted when i found out there was no more seasons - more than an other show ever!

    I can't for the life of me say why.

    Why would i say that, well i felt this series drum up all the naive childish experience and the craving i once had to learn how to be a human .... and crystallized it in a single series.

    I can't say it is a moral endeavour but for me it was and well, better than anything else a came across in the past 20+ years. In the scope it was also revealing and heart warming. I will watch this series again more than any other over the rest of my life.

    I can't speak to the potential audience in this review because there is just so many points of view, what i can do though is speak to the creators:

    SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO thank you from the bottom of my heart, this is beyond magic and had enriched my soul beyond measure. i use this series as healing..... I use it and i want you all to know that it would not be magical if the people involved were not contributors to the magic. This is one of a kind! SO SO SO SO SO SO thank you very much!!!

    Best Emmys Moments

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    More like this

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    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The show was actually produced in 5 series. However, since Netflix initially only had rights to the last 2 series (4 & 5 - as a producer) they were shown under a different name, Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories. Then, when Netflix acquired rights to the first 3 series, they were listed with a different name, Midnight Diner. However, in fact, there really is only one show, filmed continuously over the 5 series.
    • Connections
      Remade as Late Night Restaurant (2015)

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    FAQ17

    • How many seasons does Midnight Diner have?Powered by Alexa
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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 9, 2009 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Official sites
      • Mainichi Broacasting System (MBS) (Japan)
      • Official Facebook (Japan)
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Shinya shokudô
    • Production companies
      • Amuse
      • At Movie
      • Dentsu Casting & Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 24m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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