Are you ready to join us for an exciting cooking project? It’s about discovering Japanese comfort food through Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories, a Japanese TV series that is centered around food and bonding. There will be ramen, savory rice dish, hot pot, sweet plum wine, and even a Japanese version of corn dog to cook and savor together.

As we’re anticipating the arrival of the cooler months and pre-holiday season, it means there will be a lot of cooking and eating for many of us. How about making it fun and fulfilling by tackling a cooking project together? We’ve pulled together every dish that is featured in Midnight Diner: Tokyo Series (Season 1) for you to follow through.
All the recipes are representative of Japanese home-cooked recipes that you will not typically find on Japanese restaurant menus in the US. So this cooking project is about sharing Japanese culture, a few delicious dishes, a new experience, and ultimately a good time.
For those who have yet to watch the show, Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories is a Japanese TV series inspired by a best-selling manga that focuses on a chef, known as “The Master” who runs a small diner in Tokyo and his connections with his customers from all walks of life. Each episode starts with The Master preparing a specific dish upon the request of his customer and there we learn about their life story. It is essentially a show about human connections and the healing powers of food – in the case of Midnight Diner, Japanese comfort food.
Since Midnight Diner is all about bonding, you should really invite your family or a few good friends or neighbors or even potential new friends to tackle this project together. Watch the show at the weekend and cook each recipe right after. If you like, you can even do the shopping together. We think you’re going to enjoy this!
Looking for Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories Season 2 recipes, click here.
Episode 1 – Tan-Men タンメン

Forget about instant ramen in a cup, and mark this ramen recipe down instead! Easily one of the quickest ramen you can pull off at home, Tan-Men is ramen noodle soup topped with stir-fried pork and vegetables. It’s light, comforting, and filling enough to fuel your hunger any time of the day.
Episode 2 – Corn Dogs アメリカンドッグ

Never thought of making corn dogs at home before? Time to give this Japanese version of American corn dogs a try! The homemade corn dog recipe takes just minutes to make, and they make a fun snack for parties.
Episode 3 – Tonteki トンテキ
A regional food from Mie Prefecture in central Japan, Tonteki (トンテキ) is a Japanese pork loin steak dish cooked with thick garlic soy sauce and served with steamed rice and shredded cabbage. A delicious dinner that can be done under 30 minutes.
Episode 4 – Omurice (Omelette Rice) オムライス

Sweet and savory tomato-based fried rice encased in a golden omelet pillow, Omurice (オムライス) or Omelette Rice is one of the most popular yoshoku (western-style Japanese foods) for over a century. It’s a favorite among Japanese people of all ages and we think you should really keep this comforting dish in your family dinner rotation too.
Episode 5 – Egg Tofu (Tamago Tofu) on Rice 玉子豆腐

If you have access to these 3 Japanese ingredients – packaged egg tofu, kamaage shirasu (boiled baby anchovy/sardine), and ooba (shiso leaves), making this Egg Tofu on Rice is literally a breeze. The only work you need to do is to cook up some steamed rice. The rest is about assembling the tofu, kamaage shirasu, and thinly shredded shiso leaves on top of the cooked rice, and you’ll have some refreshing rice dish ready to go. This recipe also shows you how to make soft and silken egg tofu from scratch. It is much easier than you think! You could enjoy the egg tofu as an appetizer or as a side dish to your meal.
Episode 6 – Plum Wine (Umeshu) 梅酒

Plum Wine or Umeshu (梅酒) is a traditional Japanese liqueur made by steeping fresh Japanese plum (ume) in shochu/white liquor and sugar. The sweet and sour flavors and its fruity aroma makes Umeshu a very appealing and versatile liqueur. You can mix so many different drinks with it. Enjoy the plum wine at different temperatures; chilled or with ice, room temperature, or even hot in the winter.
Episode 7 – Hot Pot for One 白菜と豚バラの一人鍋

There are times when we need something hot and comforting just for ourselves. This Hot Pot for One, or more descriptively, Napa Cabbage and Pork Belly Hot Pot for One, will come to the rescue. In this recipe, tender pork belly is cooked in a delicious and savory katsuo dashi with napa cabbage and enoki mushrooms. For the cooking project, you can make this hot pot with your spouse or with 1-2 good friends together.
Episode 8 – Sauteed Yam 長芋のソテー
This crunchy and toasty Sautéed Yam dish is a simple yet authentic Japanese home cooked dish you can tackle. Look for nagaimo (長芋), a type of Japanese mountain yam, at your local Asian or Japanese grocery stores.
Episode 9 –Ham Katsu ハムカツ

Crispy panko on the outside and delicious black forest ham on the inside, Ham Katsu is a delicious cutlet you can make with easy-to-get ingredients. Serve this as an appetizer with plenty of cold beer.
Episode 10 – Toshikoshi Soba (New Year’s Eve Noodles) 年越しそば

How about sharing a new tradition by making and eating a hot bowl of soba noodle soup on this New Year’s Eve? Called the Toshikoshi Soba, or year-crossing noodle, it’s a simple Japanese noodle dish to melt away any hardship of the past year and welcome the new beginning.
Stream, Eat & Cook with Us – Midnight Diner: Tokyo Series Recipes

Will you be taking on this Midnight Diner cooking project or challenge? Who do you have in mind in sharing this fun project with? Whether you’re planning on cooking each recipe all by yourself or with different groups of people, we hope you have fun watching the TV series and discovering the comfort of these Japanese home-cooked dishes.
Looking for Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories Season 2 recipes, click here.
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
These recipes don’t seem to line up with the dishes in the Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories season 1 (which is also referred to as season 3 as a reboot). Episode 6 (26) featured stuffed cabbage soup, which is what I was looking for.
My mistake. The stuffed cabbage soup is actually S3E6 (26). I hope this cookbook completes the recipes for all seasons.
I am very disappointed that the original two seasons titled simply Midnight Diner were dropped from Netflix. This is my all-time favorite series of any genre that I’ve watched.
Hello, Peter! Thank you for taking the time to read Nami’s post and try her recipes.
Season 2 recipes are available here. We hope you like them! 🤗
https://www.justonecookbook.com/netflix-midnight-diner-tokyo-stories-season-2-recipes/
I love the show. Very poingiant at times. Thank you for this
Hi Missy, We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the show and post.
You may also like this one, please check it out!😊
https://www.justonecookbook.com/netflix-the-makanai-recipes/
I loved season one. I watched twice. It would be nice to show more seasons even from other midnight dinners. I am very excited to try his recipes. Thank you for sharing them
Hi Timothy! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
We hope you enjoy Season two recipes too. https://www.justonecookbook.com/netflix-midnight-diner-tokyo-stories-season-2-recipes/
Happy Cooking!
I loved this series – I’ve actually watched it three times from start to finish lol. Thank you for sharing the recipes with us!
Hi Dianne! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and for your kind feedback! Happy Cooking!
I love this series and the movies too. And your Tan Men recipe has become a regular dish for me. I was wondering, in one episode (or movie) the police officer woman eats a dish which seems to be made of liver, bean sprouts and some greens. Do you have a recipe for that too by chance?
Hi Andreas! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and for your kind feedback!
The dish you mentioned is probably called “Reba Nira” in Japanese. We currently don’t have the recipe on the site. But we’ll make sure to add the recipe to Nami’s list. Thanks for your request!
Thanks for the food!
Hi Wanda! We are glad to hear you enjoy Season 1 recipes!
Thank you for reading Nami’s post!
When I look for an authentic recipe, I always come to JOCB and say out loud “I love this site”. But today finding you have the recipes from MIDNIGHT DINER!? This is my favorite site ever. Thank you so much. This really made my day.
Hi Marc! We are so happy to hear you enjoy many recipes from our site!
Yes! Nami posted the recipes for Midnight Diner seasons 1 and 2. Please enjoy!
Love the show. Thank for the recipes. When the patron leave they tell the master “thank you for the food” I would love to say that but I can’t find the proper translation. Can you point me in the right direction? ありがとう
Hi Mike, Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post. We hope you enjoy many recipes from our website!
The words the patron used in the show is “Gochiso- sama” or “Gochiso- sama deshita” ごちそうさまでした
We hope this helps and you can use the word when you visit Japan or a Japanese restaurant next time!
On Midnight Diner: at the beginning of season one, episode 10, What is the grey gelatin looking rectangular thing he breaks up to put in his cooking/dish?
Hi Joyce, Hum…. we have to look up the show closely again.🧐
Thanks, Naomi!
It is the episode about New Year’s Eve.
I haven’t seen it before, and tried to google it to find out what the grey gelatinous looking stuff is, but don’t see any answers.
Hi Joyce, You are welcome! It looks like Mochi. At 17:30, boiling Kiri Mochi for the Kanto style Ozoni. (Mochi can be boiled or baked for Ozoni) https://www.justonecookbook.com/ozoni/ We hope this helps!
Thanks!
I just wondered, because it looks grey!
I want to know too. It’s in the intro. To every episode.
It is konnyaku, gelatin made of konjac yam. It looks grey because it has seaweed powder in it.
https://misosoup.site/konjac-miso-soup-recipe/
I am loving this TV series and all the personalities. The Master is such a cool and calm, kind man! I am cooking all the things I can and it’s so much fun! Thanks for the recipes and tell the Master to keep ’em coming! Your North Carolina fan!
Hi Beverly, We are glad to hear you enjoyed this series! Thank you for trying many recipes!
My husband and I love Midnight Diner. So excited to be able to cook the dishes Mastuh serves his guests.
Hi Jonima!
Thank you very much for your kind feedback!
We couldn’t be happier to hear how much joy and excitement Nami’s recipe has brought to you!
We also have Season 2 recipes too: https://www.justonecookbook.com/netflix-midnight-diner-tokyo-stories-season-2-recipes/.
Enjoy!🙂