A scene from ‘The Makanai: Cooking for the Mako House’
In the first few lines of his Booker International Prize-winning novel, sand tomb, Gitanjali Shree writes, “Once you have a woman and a range, a story can write itself.” The same thing can be said for the stories on our screens; Could make for an engaging television show unto itself once you get to explore the women and their friendship.
In his Netflix show, Makanai: Cooking for Mako House, Hirokazu Kore-eda tells the story of an old friendship between two teenagers. However, by also expanding the lens to other female characters at different stages in their lives, Kore-eda expands the show’s scope to include a deeper understanding of women’s relationships with each other.
On a particularly snowy day, Kiyo (Nana Mori) and his best friend Sumire (Natsuki Deguchi) board a bus from their small town of Aomori to Kyoto, where they want to train to become maikos. A miko can be described as a gecko, an apprentice in training. While Sumire quickly learns the skills needed to become a maiko (which includes everything from playing instruments to dancing and even flower arranging), Kiyo stands out among the rest of her peers. Slightly less delicate in her dancing, and more forthcoming than shy, Kiyo is soon told that she does not have ambitions to become a maiko. The audience, and Kiyo himself, later realize that he is not beyond learning the intricacies, only that his talents lie elsewhere. After one night when Kiyo gets to cook for the residents, he is immediately designated the cook ‘Maknai’ for Mako House.
Makanai: Cooking for the Maco House (Japanese)
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
mould: Nana Mori, Natsuki Deguchi, Takako Tokiwa, Ai Hashimoto, Mayu Matsuoka, and others
Episode: 9
Story: Best friends Sumire and Kiyo move from their small town of Aomori to Kyoto to train to become maiko. However, Kiyo soon learns that she may not be Maiko.
The rest of the nine-episode show wraps up on a gentler note, ending the whole affair in the second episode.
Along with its focus on the friendship between Kiyo and Sumire, Kore-eda also adds other characters to its story. As Sumire begins her training as a maiko, and Kiyo settles into her role as Makanai, other aspects of this exclusive way of life come to light. Viewers get a glimpse of life as a maiko, where you are not allowed to use a cell phone, cannot go to convenience stores because of how your hair is done, and are required to maintain makeup. Should eat specific portion sizes. The final step in becoming a maiko (or geiko) involves donning a delicately designed kimono, which is complimented by traditional hairstyle and distinctive makeup. A maiko’s professional life is a performance—it is marked by a device that is employed—so Kore-eda’s decision to spend more time behind the device pays off.
A scene from ‘The Makanai: Cooking for the Mako House’
We see the maiko trainees wrapped up in their pyjamas, eating a meal prepared by Kiyo, and lamenting about hairstyles getting in the way of a good night’s sleep. In later episodes, Sumire is assigned to train under Momoko (Ai Hashimoto), a jiko who is at the peak of her profession and contemplating future steps. Meanwhile, Yoshino (Mayu Matsuoka), a former geiko who left after getting married, returns to Myōko House to try again. By depicting these women at various points in their maiko journey, Kore-eda allows for exploration of these characters beyond their profession.
The joint story shared by Sumire and Kiyo and the food they love lead to many different stories of Maiko. Between the baked sweet potatoes they share from Aomori on their backseat, and the karaage chicken that Kiyo prepares for Sumire before their first night together, their friendship grows into something that serves as a source of comfort for both of them away from home. Works in As they both fit into roles more suited to their inner selves, they come to the conclusion that being Maiko was always Sumire’s dream, which Kyo came up with and eventually found her individual path.
In Makanai, Kore-eda offers us many stories of the women of the maiko house in Kyoto, and the way these women, at various points in their lives, make new beginnings and embrace old friendships. However, one major aspect of this life remains largely absent from the show, and is barely touched upon. Only small mention is given to the difficult times these women and teenagers go through training as maiko, while interacting and performing with an audience of mostly men. When 16-year-old Sumire’s father expresses concern about her being part of the job, which involves serving alcohol, he is quickly relieved by the promise that this particular maiko house does not offer this service. Although Kore-eda wanted to create a show that focused more on personal aspects, including a more serious discussion about the safety and well-being of young women would give the show a more immersive effect.
Through slow episodes, Maknai home cooked for a whole year and served with warmth while sharing peeled oranges with your grandmother, Kore-eda offers a delightfully relaxing watch about female companionship.
Makanai: Cooking for Makanai House is currently streaming on Netflix