The Best Japanese Shows To Get A Sense Of Tokyo

Have you ever wanted to travel to Tokyo without actually traveling to Tokyo? These Japanese web shows will offer you a free tour of the city!

Although seeing Tokyo in person is an unforgettable experience, web series today capture the city’s essence well. Through the lens of the characters, you will not only get a virtual tour of Tokyo but will also get to see a raw and unfiltered side to it. From comedies to dramas and thrillers, this list of Japanese web shows set in Tokyo has a little something for everyone.

Tokyo Girl

Japanese actress, Asami Mizukawa, plays the role of Aya in Tokyo Girl. In the story, a young woman in her 20s moves from a small town in Akita to Tokyo to find her place in the world. As she slowly adapts to her new life in Tokyo, she encounters challenging situations in her professional and personal life. This Tokyo web show mixes drama, romance and comedy with a bittersweet tone.

• Japanese title: 東京女子図鑑 / Tokyo Joshi Zukan
• Genre: Drama
• English Subtitles: Yes
• Watch Here: Amazon Prime

Why you will love it:

• Aya’s story is relatable to most single and career-driven women.
• You will explore popular places in Tokyo like Harajuku, Roppongi Hills, Ebisu district, Ginza, Toyosu and Yoyogi Uehara.
• You get a perspective on how dating and romantic relationships work in Japan.

Modern Love Tokyo

Modern Love Tokyo is a seven-episode web series that explores love in various forms and touches on sensitive topics about relationships, life and work issues that Tokyo residents face. From the struggles of a working mother juggling work and motherhood to the journey of an understanding husband helping his wife overcome depression—there is a wholesome story for everyone.

• Japanese title: モダンラブ・東京 / Modanrabu Tokyo
• Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
• English Subtitles: Yes
• Watch Here: Amazon Prime 

Why you will love it:

© Photo by Amazon Prime

• Each episode is fresh and tells a unique love story unconnected to the other.
• It brings up topics rarely discussed in Japanese society—mental health, affairs, relationship failures and work issues.
• Making it unique to Japan, there’s also an anime episode at the end of the series.

Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo

Another show based on a manga series is Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo. It is about a female high school student, Kotoko Aihara, who falls in love with the most popular boy in school, Naoki Irie. Initially, it’s a one-sided love story, but in the later episodes, Naoki falls in love with Kotoko.

• Japanese title: イタズラなKiss-Love in Tokyo / Itazurana Kiss-Love in Tokyo
• Genre: Comedy, Drama and Romance.
• English Subtitles: Yes
• Watch Here: Amazon

Why you will love it:

• Expect to be entertained with lots of fun dialogues and high school drama. 
• You will learn about Japanese kokuhaku (love confessions) and high school romance in Japan.

Alice in Borderland

Like Midnight Diner, Alice in Borderland started as a manga series and became a live-action web series. The story revolves around a group of youngsters who battle for their lives by winning sadistic games in a parallel world. It explores themes of survival and strategy while the main characters navigate their way back to the real world.

• Japanese title: 今際の国のアリス / Imawa no kuni no Arisu
• Genre: Thriller
• English Subtitles: Yes
• Watch Here: Netflix

Why you will love it:

© Photo by Netflix

• The plot is thrilling and will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. 
• A rare opportunity to see Tokyo in a different light—empty roads, large outdoor spaces and quiet surroundings. Almost abandoned and soulless. 
• Viewers will be impressed by the visual effects and action sequences.

Sanctuary

Based in Tokyo, this show is about a young, rowdy sumo wrestler who gains a following by going against the industry’s traditional ways. It is an eight-episode series packed with action, drama and soul. The first and middle part of the series is about the main character, Enno, struggling to find his place in the sumo world. As the series progresses, he evolves and becomes more proficient in his skill set and spirit.

• Japanese title: サンクチュアリ-聖域  / Sankuchuari: Seiiki
• Genre: Drama
• Subtitles: Yes
• Watch Here: Netflix

Why you will love it:

• You get to dive deep into the world of a sumo wrestler. Witness their highs and lows and learn that it is always not as easy as it looks.
• Watchers will learn uncommon slang Japanese words seldom heard in society.

Aggretsuko

A Sanrio original, Aggretsuko is a Japanese anime series on Netflix. The show revolves around Retsuko Chan, a 25-year-old red panda living in Tokyo. She works in the accounting department of a traditional Japanese trading firm. It highlights the challenges young women experience in the Japanese corporate world, office politics and societal expectations. After work, Retsuko often visits a Karaoke booth to jam to Death Metal beats to blow off steam.

• Japanese title: アグレッシブ烈子 / Aggresshibu Retsuko  
• Genre: Anime
• English Subtitles: Yes
• Watch Here: Netflix

Why you will love it:

© Photo by Netflix

• The show addresses real-life workplace issues like burnout, micromanagement, hierarchy and office politics that only a few openly discuss.
• This anime perfectly captures Tokyo’s hustle and bustle energy—with the neon lights, crowded trains, nomikai (drinking party) nights, futuristic skyscrapers and photogenic food. 
• Death metal fans will be thrilled to share the same passion with this Sanrio character.

Tokyo Vice

Based on a true story, Tokyo Vice is a crime drama that shows a realistic side of Japan’s criminal world. Jake Adelstein, an American crime journalist, investigates Tokyo’s underworld with the help of a police detective.

• Japanese title: トウキョウ・バイス  / Tokyo Baisu
• Genre: Drama
• Subtitles: Yes
• Watch Here: Netflix

Why you will love it:

• It’s one of the few Japanese web shows about Tokyo with a foreign lead actor. 
• It brings up the unglamorous side of Tokyo where crime is involved. 
• You will witness the hardships most foreigners initially face at a Japanese company.

What Did You Eat Yesterday?

This Japanese drama series is about the daily life and struggles of a gay couple living in Tokyo. One of the main characters, Shiro Kakei, is a lawyer, and the other, Kenji Yabuki, is a hairdresser. While the couple have different professions and personalities, they share a common love for food.

• Japanese title: きのう何食べた？/ Kinou nani tabeta? 
• Genre: Drama
• Subtitles: Yes
• Watch Here: Netflix

Why you will love it:

• This is one of the few web shows in Japan that shines a light on the LGBTQ+ community. It’s fresh, different and offers an honest depiction of queer life in Tokyo.
• Food has a big emphasis in the series. Not only will viewers get a glimpse of Japanese cooking, but also learn the importance of food bringing people together.

Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories

Based on the manga series “Shinya Shokudo”, this show is set in Shinjuku and tells the stories of a chef and his customers. The diner is a safe space for customers from all walks of life to enjoy a meal and share their problems, successes and life experiences. For those who enjoy storytelling, originality, emotions and character development, this one will not disappoint.

• Japanese title: 深夜食堂  / Shinya Shokudo
• Genre: Drama
• Subtitles: Yes
• Watch Here: Netflix

Why you will love it:

© Photo by Netflix

• You will get an idea of the Izakaya culture and nightlife in Tokyo.
• In each episode, the chef shares a new food recipe. If you are interested in Japanese food and cooking, you will learn plenty from the chef.
• The chef often offers valuable life advice to his customers (which can also benefit the viewers).

Solitary Gourmet

Solitary Gourmet is about a Japanese businessman who visits local restaurants all over Japan (but mainly in Tokyo) after his work meetings. Most of the time, he visits a variety of niche neighborhoods alone and samples various delicacies. While eating, he mentally describes the food’s taste and texture poetically.

• Japanese title:  孤独のグルメ / Kodoku no Gurume
• Genre: Drama
• English Subtitles: No
• Watch Here: Netflix

Why you will love it:

• You can virtually explore local restaurants and niche neighborhoods in Tokyo.
• You get introduced to a variety of cuisines not only native to Japan but all around the world.   
• His expressions are neutral, but his mental comments are dramatic.

Which one of these Japanese shows based in Tokyo will you be binge-watching over the weekend?

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