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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Mari Yamaguchi

Star of Japanese hit series 'The Solitary Gourmet' hopes to share its joy of eating

Japan
Japan Solitary Gourmet - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Japanese TV program “The Solitary Gourmet” quietly started in a late-night slot 14 years ago featuring a suit-clad, middle-aged man’s joy of solitary dining at a local eatery after finishing a day's work.

Yutaka Matsushige, the actor who plays main character Goro Inogashira, expected the show to end quietly in a short time. It didn't. “Kodoku no Gurume,” the show's title in Japanese, steadily gained popularity across Japan and beyond and just began its 11th season this month.

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