Innocence in Bloom

The older sister who had set backs in Tokyo, and her younger sister who wants nothing more than to move there. The two sisters, who were born and raised in a teahouse called Juicchome Chaya halfway up Mt. Takao on the outskirts of Tokyo, seek for happiness while living in a beautiful natural setting and experiencing different love affairs in this pure and heartfelt story. But one thing they can't get around in their search for happiness is the family. First there's the father, a pigheaded guy with an artisan spirit who pushes his weight around as father, and then the mother who's a tricky customer in her own right. And it's not only the family, the whole village seems to be following the love complications of our two heroines with bated breath and spreading the word around.

Directed by Takao Kinoshita, Junichi Tsuzuki, Miho Nakazono, Innocence in Bloom leans on a strong ensemble — Kyoko Fukada, Naoko Iijima, Karen Miyama — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2003.