Gastronomic Delights & Heartwarming Stories | Midnight Diner

Shinya Shokudō

Midnight Diner Based on the manga of the same name by Yarō Abe Starring: Kaoru Kobayashi

The setting of Midnight Diner is a small 12 seat Izakaya called "Meshiya" in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Despite the restaurant's strange opening hours, 12 am to 7 am, it is popular with the busy nightlife of Shinjuku. The Shinjuku setting, and the hours of operation, mean that much of the Midnight Diner story takes place at night.

Every time we have our sms marathons, I would ask for TV series and movies that she liked and would recommend to me. When I asked a friend what she was into watching nowadays, she said she embraced the god that is Netflix. She knows what my tastes are in visual entertainment, being a victim of my anime gushing in younger years.

Midnight Diner is one of those gems hidden behind the more popular Netflix fare. In fact, the one available in the international distribution is just a reproduction of the three seasons already in Netflix Japan.

Shinya Shokudō tells of an izakaya which is open only from midnight to seven in the morning. It’s owner, known only as Master, serves customers who are coming for a bite to eat after a long day (and night) at work.

It reads as an anthology. Instead of the Master(whose background remains anonymous), he becomes a focal point from which the individual stories of the customers who came to eat launch.

Each episode named after a dish ordered by a customer.

Reflecting the characters, some of the stories are lighthearted and a source of laughter; while some are more emotional and focus on issues.

Reflecting the unassuming and unpretentious of its culture origin, it is a simple, slice of life storytelling that is rare in shows nowadays.

It is for that reason that after I devoured a movie and the one(!) season available in Netflix INT, I sought the three seasons that were already shown in Japan. And it remains one of my best viewing decisions ever!

So, if you ever want to seek out a lighter but with a substantial depth, then watch Midnight Diner - it's a feast for the eyes and the heart.