• What makes ‘The Makanai’ an enjoyable, easy watch

One of the biggest advantages of streaming services such as Netflix is that they expose users to TV and cinema from different countries and languages. A recent addition from Japan is The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House, a TV series with one season consisting of nine episodes. The show is based on Aiko Koyama’s graphic novel Maiko-San Chi No Makanai-San, and premiered on Netflix on 12 January.

The Makanai is produced by Genki Kawamura, with Hirokazu Kore-eda, Megumi Tsuno, Hiroshi Okuyama, and Takuma Sato credited as directors. The show is set in the geisha district of Kyoto, and follows best friends Sumire (played by Natsuki Deguchi) and Kiyo (played by Nana Mori), who leave their hometown Aomori at the age of 16 after graduating from junior high school to become maikos, or apprentice geishas, in the geiko district of Kyoto.

Once they reach Kyoto, they are welcomed by Mother Azusa and Mother Chiyo, who guide the girls through the duties and responsibilities of trainees. While Sumire trains hard and is noticed by the seniors for her skills and dedication, Kiyo is soon told that she is not suitable to become a maiko, and is required to leave the maiko house in two weeks and return to her hometown. This is a moment that threatens to pull the childhood friends apart, and they are tearful as they deal with this possibility.

Mother Azusa shares her worries about Kiyo with her friend Tanabe, who explains that some people thrive in a different environment than others. This comment proves true as the story progresses, since, as luck would have it, the makanai, or cook for the maiko house, falls sick and is unable to cook for the residents, who are then forced to order takeout. They soon tire of the food and attempt to cook themselves. When this attempt results in disaster, Kiyo steps in and offers to cook a meal for them. The food she makes is simple but delicious and the others love it.

Kiyo is then made makanai of the maiko house, which means that she need not go back to Aomari, and she and Sumire are delighted. As the story goes on, we see how much joy Kiyo gets out of cooking for the apprentices, putting together meals that suit their moods. When Sumire falls ill, for instance, Kiyo decides to make Udon, and the care she takes when sourcing, preparing and cooking the ingredients makes one crave a nice, warm meal.

The way Kiyo cooks has a homely feel to it, which is what sets the tone for the entire TV series. There is no chaos or anger or frustration. Kiyo is more than happy to cook, not only for Sumire, but the rest of the residents as well, and we see how the others derive joy from Kiyo’s cooking as well. Whenever she is asked about this, whether she never tires of cooking for others, Kiyo looks like she hasn’t even considered the possibility of feeling unsatisfied or unhappy about the way her life turned out.

And when Sumire shines as a maiko and makes her way in the world, Kiyo is always supportive and happy about her friend’s achievements. In turn, Sumire never lets her achievements stop her from noticing or appreciating Kiyo’s efforts to cook the food she loves, from bread crust rusks to bite-sized sandwiches.

And as we see the two girls learn their separate crafts while supporting each other in their separate journeys, we are also taken back to their childhood, as well as the family and friends they leave behind.

Through Sumire, who is able to make her maiko debut within a short period due to her skill, we learn more about maiko and geiko traditions and Japanese culture. We see how the maikos are expected to behave, the limitations set upon them, and what their training and lives are like. Later on, as one of the maiko apprentices leaves the practice, saying she doesn’t love it, we see how the mothers support her decision, instead of lashing out or discouraging her.

In fact, this mostly quiet but sometimes overt support and encouragement is something that The Makanai portrays well, giving us a simple and joyful tale of food and friendship, instead of a more dramatic and chaotic story, like The Bear, for instance. Both tales, although based in different cultures and countries, talk about a sense of belonging and family through food, but where one is loud and energetic, the other is calm and quiet and soft. Comparisons do not do either justice, however, and should be avoided.

It must be said that The Makanai’s use of food to talk about emotional topics in a way that is heart-warming must be commended. When asked if they are going back to their village for the new year, both Sumire and Kiyu say they don’t need to because the only reason they would want to do so is for each other, but in this case, they were both in Kyoto, together.

There is much to discuss about The Makanai, but one key moment involving Kiyo’s grandmother is when, towards the end of episode nine, she says, “Every single one of us gets a choice of our own. We can either cook, or be the one who eats it. We can be the ones who up and go or stay. And none of those choices are better or worse than the other ones.”

These words sum up the entire season of The Makanai, as it shows that Kiyo’s journey as a makanai and Sumire’s journey as a maiko were meant to be, and while being separate, the friendship between the two need not hold one back or stop the other from achieving what they desire. The TV series, while giving us a glimpse of Japan’s geiko culture, also shows us how pure and genuine friendship can be. It thus makes a lovely, easy watch, especially as a weekend binge.