On the morning of April 4, 1983, a 15-minute drama quietly appeared on television screens across Japan. Few people could have imagined that this modest morning series would become one of the most beloved dramas in Japanese television history.
Oshin was produced by NHK, Japan’s national public broadcaster, to mark the 30th anniversary of its television broadcasts. Airing from April 1983 to March 1984, the series ran for 297 episodes, each only 15 minutes long. During its original broadcast in Japan, it achieved an average audience share of 52.6%, a figure that remains almost unimaginable today.
Yet the true legend of Oshin was not limited to Japan. The series later reached audiences across Asia, the Middle East, and beyond, airing in dozens of countries and regions. It was shown in places as different as Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iran, and Egypt. In Iran, reports say viewership reached extraordinary levels, and for a time, “Oshin” became one of the words most closely associated with Japan.
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