Hey buddies! I recently watched Tokyo Holiday, a Japanese romance series featuring a Thai male protagonist, and there were many things I genuinely enjoyed about it and Ι want to share with you. So here we go:

Tokyo Holiday (2025)
Country: Japan
Episodes: 12 (~30’ each)
Genres: Romance, Life
My Rating: 8/10

Main Cast

Gulf Kanawut as Arthit
Takimoto Miori as Ishida Sakurako

Plot
Arthit is a successful Thai actor who travels to Japan for the promotion of a Thai–Japanese movie. Feeling overwhelmed by his busy schedule, he sneaks out to wander around the streets of Japan and eventually ends up entering a cute, traditional dango shop.

The shop owner is the lively Sakurako, a woman a few years older than him, carrying many unfulfilled dreams.

As they start spending time together, they help each other figure out what truly matters in life and whether it’s worth continuing the life they currently live or taking a step forward.

Storytelling

I found the protagonists very well-written, with the seriousness, cuteness, and the realistic problems that true characters could have. Both of them go on a journey to find themselves and chase their dreams. They appreciate and support each other’s choices unconditionally.

As always, the love-triangle concept didn’t excite me, but I understood its importance this time, as it represented a part of Sakurako’s predetermined life.

Her father also played a very important role in the plot. He’s the kind of parent who wants you to follow their dreams and discourages any effort toward things they can’t understand.

The Actors

The acting was very good, and the cast did a great job portraying two people with different personalities and cultural backgrounds.

Gulf Kanawut feels incredibly fresh in this series, and he honestly surprised me. He did his best portraying a young, world-famous actor dealing with the pressure and struggles that come with this life path.

Takimoto Miori also did a wonderful job as Sakurako, bringing her to life in a cute and realistic way. At 31, her life already feels planned out for her, but she doesn’t seem to want to follow the “usual” path. Meeting Arthit awakens her real desires, and she finally feels ready to make her own choices.

Language

One thing I appreciated a lot was the communication aspect. The two of them simply spoke in English, which I found both cute and realistic. I really valued the effort, because in other series with a similar setup, communication is often handled in unrealistic ways. It was also adorable watching them try to speak each other’s language.

Conclusion

I found Tokyo Holiday refreshing. Everyone, from production to actors, seems to have put real effort into the series. I truly felt the appreciation and support the couple had for each other, and I found them really cute together. If you ask me, I just wanted to see a little more of them.

The series highlights the importance of being yourself and how meeting someone can completely shift your perspective on life. It reminds you how important it is to take a break every now and then — even if you like the life you’ve chosen.

I really recommend it if you want something both cute and realistic, with not much drama but a lot of sincerity.

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! And if you want, feel free to subscribe for more!

Thanks for reading,

Utaku