Unveil the finest storytelling Japan has to offer with the best Japanese dramas 2023 list. Journey through our curated selection of top Jdramas 2023. Explore the must-watch Jdramas of the year and immerse yourself in the world of Japanese drama!

BEST JAPANESE DRAMAS of 2023

Ayaka Haneda (Kanna Hashimoto)’s family is battling financial difficulties. When she takes a job at a wedding planning firm, the firm’s CEO Togo Nitta (Ryosuke Yamada) makes her a bold proposal: he will help solve her family’s problems if she agrees to marry him and help revive the firm. Faced with a choice between integrity and a loveless marriage of convenience, which will she choose? And if she says “I do,” might love unexpectedly blossom? This 2023 Japanese romantic comedy drama was based on a manga by Shiho Watanabe and was directed by Toshio Tsuboi and Masahide Izumi.

Kissing the Ring Finger

Marriage here, Love there

The handsome TV weather forecaster Segasaki Mizuki (Higuchi Kouhei) is a hit with viewers, who love his calm and mild-mannered personality. Little do they know, it’s all an act! He secretly lives with a penniless manga artist Yoh Tanada (Mashiko Atsuki) – on the condition that his every whim and command is obeyed! When fan Manju (Matsumura Sayuri) learns of the two men’s secret, their “relationship” is put to the test. Will the weather forecaster’s tyranny come to an end – and could it give way to love? This 2023 Japanese drama series was directed by Kato Ayaka.

My Personal Weatherman

Cloudy With Chance of Romance

Fuji TV

As a standup paddleboard instructor, summer is unquestionably Natsumi Aoi’s (Nana Mori) busiest season. Living and working at a popular seaside destination, it’s only natural for Natsumi to meet people from all walks of life. Little did she know that this summer, those people would ultimately change her life forever.

As Natsumi’s childhood friend, Takumi Makino (Fuju Kamio) has always been by her side. Never leaving his seaside home, Takumi is now a carpenter who still has a knack for being around anytime Natsumi needs him. Kento Mizushima (Shotaro Mamiya), on the other hand, is an out-of-towner who also works in construction. But his major company ties and degree from a prestigious university set him miles apart from Takumi. Joining him on this seaside adventure is Osamu Sasaki (Riku Hagiwara), a second-year clinical resident and Kento’s high school best friend. Enjoying a little seaside escape of their own are Airi Takigawa (Ai Yoshikawa), Mamoru Yamauchi (Alan Shirahama), Lisa Ogura (Sawa Nimura), and Sosuke Hayakawa (Koji Mizukami).

Coming from all walks of life, this group of young people finds their fates slowly entwining during their seaside adventures. Eventually forced to confront their complex feelings and bottled-up emotions, will any of them find the one thing they’re all so desperately searching for?

Everything a seaside summer romance should be, “Cinderellas of Midsummer” is a 2023 Japanese romance drama directed by Ryo Tanaka.

Cinderellas of Midsummer

⛱️ Summer Guys Team🌞

Tokyo MX

Shinohara Kanon (Okamoto Rei) is 33 years old. She works hard in her job as a home designer, but she has come to a crossroads in her life. She realizes that she is now entering her mid-thirties and spends her downtime drinking and generally being slovenly at home. She has had romantic experiences in the past, but is nowhere near marriage. Her financial situation leaves also leaves much to be desired... Life, it seems, is passing her by.

But one day, at an event organized by a friend, she bumps into a younger, handsome, well-dressed man. She learns that his name is Shirosaki Makoto (Nagatsuma Reo), that he is 28, and that he is the CEO of a company president. Later, he springs a surprise on her, asking her to marry him – on certain conditions. Unsure if this is a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to turn her life around or a situation she should leave well alone, she hesitates. But Shirosaki Makoto is insistent – and as her 34th birthday approaches, could marriage really be in the cards for her?

“Marriage with Me? Seriously?” is a 2023 Japanese drama series that was directed by Hirokazu Fujisawa.

Marriage with Me? Seriously?

Asagi Soramame (Suzu Hirose), an energetic and bright young woman from rural Kyushu, follows her childhood friend and fiancé to Tokyo. There, she has a fateful encounter with Umino Oto (Ren Nagase), a man she never expected to meet again. After her fiancé breaks up with her, Asagi starts to find herself. Now, at 23, she and Umino find themselves living in the same boarding house. Asagi discovers a passion for fashion, while Umino struggles to make it as a composer. Despite his parents’ disapproval, he works part-time at a café to make ends meet. Meeting Asagi reignites Umino’s dream, and together, they inspire each other to pursue their passions. This is a 2023 Japanese romance drama directed by Ko Kanai.

Hold my hand at Twilight

Love in the twilight 

Once high school sweethearts, Kazunari Hira (Riku Hagiwara) and Sou Kiyoi (Yusei Yagi) now live in bliss as adults. As they live together, they are able to support each other through life’s ups and downs, but not everything is perfect. As graduation approaches, Hira's lack of job experience leaves him feeling lost, while Kiyoi’s acting career is soaring. Will their love withstand the pressures of adulthood, or will cracks appear in their once-perfect relationship? Released in 2023, this is the second season of My Beautiful Man, also directed by Mai Sakai.

My Beautiful Man Season 2

🥂The Ginger Ale 🥂 Team

As one of the top sales employees for a major consumer electronics company, Honoka Hayami (Haru) is well respected by her colleagues. Always organized and well put together, Honoka has earned a reputation among her co-workers for being practically perfect in every way. Little do they know that Honoka’s private life is anything but perfect.

While Honoka puts up a front as a perfectionist and clean freak at work, at home she’s exactly the opposite. Dirty and unorganized, her house is always a mess and with all of her energy going into appearing perfect at work, it seems as if things at home will stay that way indefinitely. But when Chihiro Yamamoto (Takasugi Mahiro), Honoka’s clean-freak co-worker stumbles upon her dirty little secret, Honoka’s life is turned upside down in an instant.

An absolute wiz when it comes to cleaning, Chihiro decides the only way to get Honoka to clean up her act is to do the housework himself. Happy to let Chihiro take over the household chores, Honoka invites him over almost daily but quickly realizes she needs him full-time. Inviting Chihiro to move in with her, Honoka is certain this is the best way to keep her house clean. But what happens when the man cleaning her house slowly begins to sweep her off her feet?

Adapted from the manga series “My Bride” by Shiba Natsumi, “Mr. Bride” is a 2023 Japanese romantic comedy drama directed by Joho Hidenori.

Mr. Bride

🍛mysexyhousekeeper team💞

When news breaks that a massive meteorite is on a collision course with Earth, the entire planet plunges into chaos. With only 10 days until humanity's extinction, Masumi Nishina (Toshiki Seto) quits his dead-end office job, choosing to spend his final days immersed in books at his alma mater’s campus library. To his surprise, his ex, Ritsu Kusakabe (Nakata Keisuke), has also returned to their college. Their reunion is tense, as they parted on bad terms, but as the end of the world looms, they begin to reconsider their past and whether it's the perfect time to reignite their long-dormant passion. Based on the hit manga series of the same name, this 2023 Japanese series was directed by Koichiro Miki.

The End Of The World With You

 Till a (big) bang do us part

Mikoto Ochiai (Akari Takaishi) is a female high school student who regularly gets high grades. But affairs of the heart have left her close to suicide. She attempted to make a love confession to the boy she loved, but the move backfired – and she has been left heartbroken. Utterly dejected, she heads up to the rooftop of the school and contemplates jumping off to her death.

But when she gets there, she runs into Jin Haiba (Hashimoto Ryo), a young physics teacher. Most of the students consider Jin Haiba to be something of a walking joke. He is obviously a penniless slacker, and is also addicted to gambling. His life is going nowhere fast. But as she explains why she wants to die, he interjects by asking her if she would consider entering into a romance with him before she dies. She is unsure what to make of this strange suggestion. But when Jin Haiba intervenes to save her from a river, she begins to wonder if his proposal was actually heartfelt...

This drama was based on a manga series by Sora.

“Falling high school girl and Irresponsible teacher” is a 2023 Japanese drama series that was directed by Takahashi Natsuki.

Falling high school girl and Irresponsible teacher

Sensei, please seduce me! Team

TV Asahi

Some two years ago, Kokoro Yamihara (Takahata Mitsuki), now a leading news reporter for a weekly entertainment magazine, met police officer Toramatsu Asada (Tanaka Kei) when she came across him one night, drunk and incoherent. His behavior caused her to miss out on a scoop. But soon, a spark of romance ignited between them, and they became lovers. Now they both dream of marriage – but there is something holding each of them back…

Toramatsu Asada’s past love life is still causing him issues, while Kokoro Yamihara is concealing a dark secret about her family. The duo wants nothing more than to come clean with one another so they can finally ie the knot. But things are complicated by a series of gruesome – and particular – murders whereby the victims’ blood appears to have been drained away. Who is behind the killings – and will Kokoro Yamihara and Toramatsu Asada ever reveal the truth to one another?

“Unknown” is a 2023 Japanese drama series that was directed by Toichiro Ruto and Ko Kanai.

Unknown

Love at first bite Team

Kazuha Ono (Rin Takanashi) is a 35 years old. She has been working as an editor for a leading women’s fashion magazine named Zeal for over a dozen years. Her life is turned upside down when she discovers that her husband has been having an affair with a younger woman at work. She divorces him and tries to put on a brave face at work, but – at a staff meeting – suddenly blurts out that her marriage has ended.

Kento Mitsui (Keito Tsuna), meanwhile, is a new employee at the company. He is 22 years old, and athletic. And he had hoped to work on a comic-related magazine title, but eventually ended up working at Zeal. He has no genuine interest in fashion. He ends up gravitating toward Kazuha Ono, who becomes his mentor. He starts to feel attracted to Kazuha Ono. But Kazuha Ono finds herself in a quandary when her husband’s new relationship starts to break down...and he decides to try to win back her heart. Could true love come calling in the office – or could she end up reconciling with her unfaithful husband?

“My Happy Divorced Life” is a 2023 Japanese drama series that was directed by Nomura Nao and Yamaguchi Yuuya.

My Happy Divorced Life

🕺My status: single again

Suzu Yukimiya (Yuriko Yoshitaka) is a 35-year-old woman who works as an obstetrician and gynecologist. She had to put every ounce of her heart into her studies – only for everything to end in disappointment. She was forced to leave her first big job at a major hospital because of a lawsuit. Now she has come to a small seaside town to work in a local clinic. Her days quickly become mundane, and she becomes frustrated with her life.

To escape the drudgery, one day she decides to go camping – alone. She is enjoying drinking alone and looking at the stars in the night sky when she notices a handsome young man named Issei Hiiragi (Takumi Kitamura). The man takes pictures of her, drinks her sake – and then kisses her. She later learns that Issei Hiiragi is deaf, and they part. But fate brings them together again a few days later. Could love bloom between this despondent doctor and a man 10 years her junior?

“On A Starry Night” is a 2023 Japanese drama series that was directed by Fukagawa Yoshihiro and Yamamoto Daisuke.

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