"Kaze, Kaoru": Week 21 Story Update
Listen to the story
"Kaze, Kaoru" is a Japanese morning television drama broadcast by NHK. It follows the daily lives of its characters through weekly story arcs.
In week 21, the main character Rin continues her job as a home-visit nurse, a person who travels to patients' homes to give medical care.
While working, Rin also keeps an eye on Shimaken, a man who has decided to devote himself fully to writing a novel.
This week's episodes are titled "Sayonara," which means "Goodbye" in Japanese, and the theme centers on the character Naomi, played by actress Juri Ueasaka.
According to the show's outlook, or preview, Shimaken cannot simply follow the same path as another character named Goro.
Instead, he must find his own approach to his writing career, even though this brings uncertainty about what will happen next.
The preview also warns that Rin herself will soon face turbulent times, suggesting some emotional or dramatic events ahead for her.
Separately, the summary mentions episode 100 of the drama, in which a character named Ogawa fails to show up at the expected time.
This detail suggests some kind of missed appointment or unexpected delay involving Ogawa, though no further details are given.
The drama is known for combining everyday domestic scenes with larger personal storylines, and week 21 appears to continue this pattern.
Fans of the series often follow these weekly previews to get an idea of what to expect before the episodes air.
As with earlier weeks, the story balances Rin's professional life with the personal ambitions and struggles of the people around her.
Vocabulary6 words
- home-visit nurse
- a nurse who visits patients at home
- outlook
- a short preview of what will happen
- uncertainty
- not knowing what will happen
- turbulent
- full of sudden change or trouble
- appointment
- a planned time to meet someone
- ambitions
- strong wishes to achieve something
Quiz
Answer key
1. Home-visit nurse 2. Simply follow Goro's path 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
"Kaze, Kaoru" is a Japanese morning television drama broadcast by _____.
In week 21, the main character Rin continues her job as a _____.
While working, Rin also keeps an eye on _____, a man devoted to writing a novel.
This week's episodes are titled _____, which means "Goodbye" in Japanese.
The theme centers on the character Naomi, played by actress _____.
According to the show's outlook, Shimaken cannot simply follow the same path as another character named _____.
The preview also warns that Rin herself will soon face _____ times.
The summary mentions episode _____ of the drama.
In that episode, a character named _____ fails to show up at the expected time.
The drama balances Rin's professional life with the personal _____ of the people around her.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think weekly previews like this are popular with TV audiences?
- How might balancing a demanding job and personal relationships create drama in a story?
- What kinds of challenges do you think a character like Shimaken might face while pursuing a creative career?
- Do you enjoy following long-running TV dramas? Why or why not?