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.
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I’m ready for this adventure!!
Hi Jill,
Yay! Good Luck!🙂
Hi Nami, I am so happy to have found your website. I know I will be trying so many of the recipes. I have watched all of the Midnight Diner and the Tokyo series as well. I have the pleasure of living in Japan for 3 months and fell in love with the people, food and culture!
Hi Irene,
Thank you very much! We couldn’t be happier to hear how much joy and excitement Nami’s recipe has brought to you! Please enjoy the stay in Japan!
This is how I found you and your website. I saw the Midnight Diner Tokio StoriesI series time ago and fell in love with it, the food, and the actor (isn’t he gorgeous? – plus a great actor). So one day I wanted to try the recipes and did a search in Google and voila! I found your website..with al the recipes! Thank you so much. Now I receive your e-mails and have tried some of the Japanese recipes and I love them!
Hi Beatriz,
We couldn’t be happier to hear how much joy and excitement Nami’s recipe has brought to you! Thank you very much for your continued support!
Thank you so much for this. I will work my way through the list.
Are there more to match the rest of the seasons.
Here in the UK it’s released as
Midnight Diner seasons 1-2 (real 1-2)
Midnight Diner : Tokyo stories seasons 1-2 ( real 3-4)
I don’t want anyone to miss the real first season.
Boy this makes me want to go to japan and stay there for a little while.
Hi Akash! In the US we have Midnight Diner 1-3, and Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories 1-2. 🙂
I am really enjoying Midnight Diner Tokyo.
Even though I dont speak Japanese. It has some great moral qualities to it as well as some fun actors and of course the food. Really easy to put on when I’m doing the ironing hehehe.
Hi Tresna! Hahaha true! The drama is slow enough, I can actually work and watch too. I’m so glad you like this show. 🙂
This is my favorite show! LOOOOVE. I miss Tokyo so much!
Hi Francis! I’m happy to hear you like this show, too! Have fun cooking all these recipes!
Hello, thanks for your great recipes from Midnight Diner, that’s so awesome!!
One other show I love is Samurai Gourmet which I’m sure you’re familiar with. There is one episode that has a good that’s driving me crazy, I want it so bad. S1:episode 7, Umbrellas at the diner counter. They serve him Kasane, stewed trip and it looks amazing!! I looked up some recipes but nothing looks quite like this preparation. I was hoping maybe you had some insight?
Thanks again for your wonderful work!
🙏🙏🙏
Greg
Hi Greg! Thanks so much! We were watching Samurai Gourmet, too, until we got too busy. Kasane, stewed trip? Tripe? Wonder what it is. I’ll watch it when I get a chance!
Please host a zoom dinner party for all Midnight Diner fans to attend!
I don’t know when it was added, but 3 seasons of Midnight Diner are now on Netflix. It appears as though it takes place before Tokyo Stories. Looking forward to recipes from that as well.
Hi May! Yeah it was added this week! We’re excited to start making those recipes too!
I am rewatching Tokyo Stories (again!) and wondered if you know what Master made Kosuzu for breakfast in “Sweet Rolled Omlet” at about 16:30. Thanks!
Hi May! It’s Yakinasu (grilled eggplant) with miso sauce (a mixture of miso, mirin, sake, sugar).
My husband and I love Midnight Diner and yesterday I made the fried chicken wings, season 2, episode 4. Such simple ingredients and wow, using potato starch really made a difference. The wings looked so delicious coming out of the fryer and the felt so light and had a clean, straightforward wonderful taste.
Hi Barbara! I’m so happy to hear you tried this recipe and liked it. Thank you for your kind feedback. We will be continuing with sharing Season 2 recipes… 3 more to go! 🙂
Nami thank you for sharing your knowledge and recipes. I am so excited to dive into creating a Japanese kitchen!
Hi Esther! Have fun cooking Japanese food at home! Thank you for your kind words!
Well done on replicating the dishes from Season 1! They all look so good, like you were on the set of the show! My favorite is the hot pot for one–so simple and comforting. Looking forward to Season 2 and your recipes. Thanks, Nami!
Hi Donna! Thank you so much for your support all the time. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Hi. I love all of these recipes. Are you planning to cover the ones from the first two seasons, the ones that aren’t on Netflix?
Hi Mack! I won’t be following the order the Japanese drama shared, and will try to stick with Netflix order (because the majority of people can’t watch them) as I blog in English and my readers are people outside of Japan… 🙂
I have made most of the ‘Midnight Diner’ recipes. For the ‘Chicken Fried Rice’ we would use Japanese style ketchup. I think it flavor profile better fits the dish.
Hi Tom! Yeah Kagome is a popular brand if anyone is looking for. 🙂
I enjoy your recipes, but I`m afraid I won`t go to netflix for ANY reason! I have had my credit card hacked twice by someone in their ranks, so I don`t do business with them anymore. I keep getting email from them saying my account is about to be deleted from them, but when I try to communicate with them with a reply to the mail I get a “not a viable mail address”, so I just ignore the whole thing. Have you heard of any other people with similar problems? Thank you for your recipes.
Hi Ken! I’m sorry that you have a problem with them. Have you called them to sort your issue? We’re happy Netflix users so far. 🙂
Hello Nami
Now, that season 2 is on Netflix, are you going to post recipes from it?
Thank you!
Hi Maria! Yes, we started shooting the recipes from Season 2. We’ll start sharing them soon! 🙂