NHK morning drama Blossom production and broadcast

In September 2026, it was announced that the musical duo YOASOBI would perform ‘Sakihokore’, the theme song for the NHK morning drama series ‘Blossom’. The song was intended to reflect the resilience of the protagonist, Juha Yano. The series is inspired by the life of writer Chiyo Uno and features an original novel by Risa Wataya.

Following its premiere in late September, the drama began depicting the life of Tamu Hayano, a character modeled after Chiyo Uno, as she moves from Yamaguchi to Tokyo across the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa eras. A public viewing event was held in Yamaguchi City to celebrate the launch, attended by cast members Ryoko Kuninaka and Ran Murakami. As the series progressed into its second week, the plot focused on Tamu’s adolescence during the Taisho era, specifically her struggles with educational restrictions and family decisions regarding her marriage.

As the 115th continuous morning drama series, ‘Blossom’ stars Shizuka Ishibashi. Recent plot developments include the formation of a literary circle by Tama and her classmates, which has gained unexpected attention. Concurrently, the character Seiji, played by Atsuro Watabe, is depicted facing financial pressure from his family head. To encourage viewership, NHK On Demand announced a limited-time free streaming period for the series’ first week.

On October 14, 2026, YOASOBI is scheduled to release the digital single ‘Sakihokore’. To prepare the track, YOASOBI member Ayase visited Chiyo Uno’s hometown in Yamaguchi Prefecture for inspiration. The production marks the group’s first orchestral recording, featuring arrangements by Yuya Namidachi and performances by Ensemble FOVE, alongside live recordings of chorus, stomps, and claps by the acoustic session unit ‘Plasonica’. An NHK special program will feature a discussion between lead actress Shizuka Ishibashi and YOASOBI regarding the song’s production and the title sequence, which includes choreography by Tomohiko Tsujimoto.