NHK drama ‘Kaze, Kaoru’ explores nursing in the Meiji era

The NHK morning drama series ‘Kaze, Kaoru’ continues its depiction of women navigating the nursing profession during the Meiji era. In recent episodes, the narrative focuses on the character Rin (played by Ai Mikami) and Naomi, who decide to train TSUYA to become a nurse after she expresses a strong desire to join the profession.

As the story progresses, the plot also touches upon the movement to establish nursing regulations in the Tokyo Prefecture. The series, based on the book ‘Meiji no Nightingale’ by Hikaru Tanaka, explores the adventures of nurses working across Tochigi, Tokyo, and Niigata.

Recent character developments have highlighted the emotional pressures faced by the younger generation. Specifically, the character Tamaki expresses the struggle of living in the shadow of an exemplary mother, ultimately deciding to pursue a path in art rather than following her mother's footsteps in nursing.