is a Japanese manga series by Akira Oze. It was adapted into a live-action television series in 1994. The story centers around Natsuko Saeki, a young woman trying to break into sake making, a business that's traditionally carried out by men. A prequel to the story by the same author, Natsu no Kura, tells the story of Natsuko's grandmother, Natsu. Plot Natsuko Saeki, a young woman working for an advertising company in Tokyo, returns to her family's home in the countryside. There she finds her brother, Yasuo, searching for a "phantom" rice seed called tatsunishiki, rumored to create a new form of sake. He finds the seeds, but after he passes away suddenly, Natsuko quits her job and begins working at the sake brewery to realize Yasuo's dream of making the best sake in Japan. Characters Natsuko Saeki Played by Emi Wakui Wataru Kusakabe Played by Masato Hagiwara Saeko Hashimoto Played by Yuki Matsushita Kazuko Saeki Played by Mayumi Wakamura Gen Played by Hatsuo Yamaya Araki Played by Ken Ishiguro Shizue Tanaka Played by Mayumi Hasegawa Yasuo Saeki Played by Kiichi Nakai References External links 1994 Japanese television series debuts 1994 Japanese television series endings Japanese television dramas based on manga 1988 manga Alcohol in popular culture Seinen manga Fuji TV dramas