Interpreting Oshin – War, History and Women in Modern Japan

In terms of television drama in Japan, Oshin (1983–4), ¹ produced by the Japanese national broadcasting corporation Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (NHK – the Japanese BBC), was the success story of the 1980s. It achieved the highest levels of popularity since NHK began television broadcasting in 1953, and was the first Japanese television serial drama to achieve a global coverage, being seen in more than 40 different countries by 1993. The importance of Oshin is indicated in a full page article at the beginning of 1994, ‘Onnatachi no ōenka: NHK asa no rendora 50 saku’ (Cheering on women: 50 years of asadora), where it is given the largest photo space (Yomiuri Shinbun, January 1, 1994, New Year’s day supplement, p.l).