PRESS CONFERENCE
"The Solitary Gourmet"
Yutaka Matsushige, Actor, Director & Screenwriter
11:00-12:00 Thursday, April 16, 2026
The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.
A traveling salesman named Goro Inokashira has just finished a morning of client meetings somewhere in Tokyo or another Japanese city. Having worked up an appetite, he is drawn by curiosity as well as hunger to try a local eatery. Slipping inside, he orders his customary glass of cold oolong tea and proceeds to explore the menu, savoring each dish with almost reverential delight.
This simple ritual forms the backbone of Kodoku no Gurume, or The Solitary Gourmet, a television drama series that first aired in 2012. Based on a manga of the same name, it became a hit, running for ten seasons in which Goro follows the same, simple routine in episode after episode. Audiences have been captivated by his acts of solitary dining, which become quiet, almost meditative celebrations of Japanese cuisine.
The FCCJ is pleased to welcome the series' star, Yutaka Matsushige, who has brought Goro to life on the screen. Matsushige will speak to us about the appeal of the series and why it resonates with Japanese today as well as a new, eleventh season set to premiere on TV Tokyo later this month. Please join us for a chance to hear from a popular and influential actor.
How to attend:
Please register by emailing front@fccj.or.jp with your name and the name of your media outlet. FCCJ members should also include their membership number. Doors will open 15 minutes before the event.
How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live
How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/jDhPegShWVSduCTw9
TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event. FCCJ will limit live-streaming of FCCJ-hosted press conferences to Club members only. Non-members will no longer be permitted to live-stream these events. However, non-members may still film for reporting purposes and use footage after the press conference.
Professional Activities Committee