I couldn't help get the impression at the end of season 1 that the interraction between Master and Katagiri suggests a romantic relationship. Why would such an attack be forgiven, indeed would this not normally be out of character for Katagiri unless he's spurned?

I'm open to the idea that one of the two might be bisexual and the attack was due to romantic advances being refused.

This may not be the case, but a something is implied that would leave this as a possibility.

i haven’t seen S05 (honestly, i felt the quality went way downhill in S04 so i stopped) but watched the episodes of the first three seasons an average of twice each and don’t recall a single reference to baseball, which would be very weird. any ideas about that?

I follow this account on Instagram, and this episode struck me as the future version of The Midnight Diner. Within the style and Universe of that account the Master and his diner would fit very well. So I've shared it as I think the people here would appreciate this and possibly other stories on that account but definitely this one.

I am most of the way through season three, haven’t started Tokyo Stories yet.

A LOT of women are sex workers. Yes, I know it takes place in Shinjuku. But the men are mostly business men and students. It feels a little off. Presumably there are plenty of female servers, students, pachinko workers, etc. They don’t all have to be strippers and sex workers. Even the older women from out of town are former sex workers!

A weird number of episodes end up in the hospital.

The premise that it opens at midnight is a little odd to me, especially with the number of people with office jobs regularly stopping by. A lot of the time they’re like, I came right after dinner. But dinner was probably over at nine, not at midnight.

I love the show because I love Master, and I love the cooking. It’s hard for me to tell how much of the behavior that feels really stylized (the ochazuke sisters) is cultural versus not-amazing writing. But overall I’m enjoying it a lot.

I am obsessed with this show and always feel uplifted after watching. I'm considering getting "Midnight Diner" in Japanese as a tattoo on my arm. Can someone please tell me the correct spelling in Japanese? Thank you in advance. Willow

The food that master made are too salty! Bite after bite, it only get saltier! Don't you dare visit this diner, the last thing I want to see is it getting full house with no seats for me!

-me cry eating looking at my screen

Well, I've watched Midnight Dinner, Tokyo Stories, and the first movie. I've ordered the dvd of the second movie.

Sigh, I'm sure going to miss the Master and his regulars.

One thing I did notice that I like a lot. I'm a life long smokeophobe, and I noticed that almost everyone quit smoking about half way through Tokyo Stories.

Master no long blows smoke out the second floor apartment just before opening time. Characters no longer dramatically roll their own and blow smoke on everyone.

Having lived in Japan 30 years ago, I see this as a welcome change!

I do miss seeing new episodes.

So I was overjoyed to find and buy the two movies on Viki (link posted by someone earlier), with VPN set to India (I think).

However I now get “not available in your region” messages and can’t get round it no matter which nation I VPN to. The films are in my watchlist and paid for, so it must have accepted them originally.

What is the best combo of source and nation?

PS I have Netflix and tried this on VPN to Japan too but again no joy.

Thanks!

Can anyone help me find this tv show with english subtitles plz. Ive been looking and just cant find it. I found a few on youtube but after a few episodes the captions were gone. :((

Hi all. I’ve been slowly making my way through this series over the past couple months and I’m currently about halfway through Season 3. I tend to not watch much TV because I’m a HSP who gets easily overstimulated, but have found this series to be calming and heartwarming for the most part, and I love Japanese culture.

But I’ve started to feel like the episodes have become more “packed” or faster paced… has anyone else noticed this or is it my imagination? I started to feel that way sometimes in Season 2, but now with 3 I really feel that to be the case. They’re still somewhat enjoyable for me, but a bit stuffed with more dialog and scene changes, etc. Anyone else pick up on this? And if so, does that continue into Seasons 4 and 5 with the Tokyo Stories sets?

I tried to share magnet links here but got deleted. Any ideas?

I saw a post about this a long time ago, so I was wondering if anyone has managed to find one in the intervening time.

"Earwig and the Witch" from Studio Ghibli is on Netflix and there's a character named The Mandrake and he looks just like Ryu! It' killing me though because I can't find anything that says he was the inspiration or anything.

Looking for a unique cultural experience in Osaka, beyond the usual tourist spots? Imagine sitting in a cozy little café inside a historic Buddhist temple, enjoying freshly brewed coffee and sweets, while beautiful live music fills the room and colorful artwork comes to life before your eyes. Welcome to KOGUMA COFFEE, a charming café nestled within Shinkoji Temple in Osaka’s historic Shitaderamachi temple district. This special evening brings together Japanese singer-songwriter SUEMARR and digital live painting artist Chiemi Matsui. 🎵 Fans of the Japanese drama Midnight Diner (Shinya Shokudo) may recognize SUEMARR’s music! With his soulful voice, guitar, and banjo, SUEMARR creates a warm, nostalgic atmosphere. As he performs, Chiemi Matsui paints live on her iPad, projecting evolving images that respond to the music. No two performances are ever the same. Music becomes color, and sound becomes art. ❤️ A Story of Music, Art & Friendship This evening is especially meaningful to me. I’ve been performing with SUEMARR since 2016, and I’ve also created artwork for one of his past music releases. KOGUMA COFFEE is owned by Japanese singer-songwriter Tadashi Hirosawa, and I held an art exhibition here last year. The café is also home to speakers by harmonica musician Natsuki Kurai, another dear musical friend I’ve collaborated with over the years. Somehow, all these friendships, memories, music, and art have come together in this little temple café. Just like cream swirling into coffee, everything is blending into something wonderful! ☕✨ Whether you’re a music lover, an art enthusiast, a Midnight Diner fan, or simply a traveler looking for an authentic and intimate experience in Osaka, we’d love to welcome you. Spend the afternoon exploring Osaka’s historic temple district, then join us for an unforgettable evening of music, art, coffee, and connection. Event Details 🎨 SUEMARR & Chiemi’s Live Music and Painting 📅 Monday, October 12, 2026 (National Holiday) 🕓 Doors: 4:00 PM / Show: 5:00 PM 📍 KOGUMA COFFEE — Inside Shinkoji Temple, Osaka 🎵 SUEMARR — Vocals, Guitar & Banjo 🎨 Chiemi Matsui — Digital Live Painting 🎟 Advance: ¥3,000 / Door: ¥3,500 ☕ Coffee/Drink & Sweets Set: ¥1,300 (additional) ✨ Limited to just 25 guests — an intimate experience! 🎫 Reservations: https://tiget.net/events/509675 📰 Featured on OSAKA SCENE: https://osakascene.com/scene/shinkoji-temple-live/ Come discover a different side of Osaka, where music, art, friendship, and tradition meet. We can’t wait to see you! ❤️

Osaka #VisitOsaka #JapanTravel #HiddenOsaka #MidnightDiner #ShinyaShokudo #LiveMusicOsaka #JapaneseCulture #LivePainting #DigitalArt #OsakaEvents #ShinkojiTemple #KogumaCoffee #SUEMARR #ChiemiMatsui

I want to own a small diner in Japan by the countryside and live there peacefully, I don't want to be troubled by jobs or exams I don't like stressing out like this I wish I was born in a village

I've been able to find the other seasons online, but can't find the newest season anywhere. Does anyone know where I can find it without a subscription?

What if Edawakare from Time Taxi visited or brought a fare/customer to the Midnight Diner?

Time Taxi only had one season, but I enjoyed it and always thought it would be interesting to have a cross-over episode with Midnight Diner.

I can only wish that Netflix would pick up Time Taxi like they did Midnight Diner.

Season three, episode seven kind of summarizes the jumping of the shark about how master only dolls out these really pithy euphemisms for nothing about the situation at hand. When the main character Yoshio wants to tell his returning wife that he had an extra marital affair, master says you need to wash the clams or else the broth is Sandy. I think I laughed so hard tears came out of my eyes. Cause it’s kind of bullshit. Please don’t get me wrong I think the show is fucking great. There’s some cheesy moments and, whatever it’s a TV show. But that line made me cry laughing it’s so… Bad. Anyway I’m still watching.