September 30, 2019 (2019-09-30) – March 28, 2020 (2020-03-28)
Scarlet (スカーレット, Sukāretto) is a Japanese television drama series and the 101st Asadora series, following Natsuzora. It premiered on September 30, 2019, and concluded on March 28, 2020.
This asadora follows the life and career of Kimiko Kawahara (played as an adult by Erika Toda) pioneering the way for women in the male-dominated field of ceramics in Japan after World War II. The story centres around Shiga Prefecture and the pottery town of Shigaraki.
In 1947, 9-year-old Kimiko (played as a child by Yukawa Kawashima) came to Shigaraki from Osaka with her father Joji (played by Kazuki Kitamura), mother Matsu (played by Yasuko Tomita), and two sisters. Joji was fleeing from debt collectors due to a business failure as a result of the war. As they settle into life in rural Shiga, Kimiko, who is very curious, is inspired by the pottery work in Shigaraki. However, initially Kimiko goes to school, takes care of her sisters and helps her mother with the housework. Joji found work in the transport industry, but the Kawahara family was still poor. Because of this, Joji brings a young man named Soichiro Kusama (played by Ryuta Sato) to board in the household. Kimiko finds inspiration from Kusama, who in turn praises her drawing work.[1]
Eventually, the debt collectors trace Joji to Shigaraki...
As an adult, Kimiko marries another ceramicist and has one son (that later died of leukemia) but continues to pursue her dreams of working in ceramics and seeks to create her own unique style.