Solitary Gourmet poster

TV series

Solitary Gourmet

201211 seasons8.9 / 10

Centered around typical Japanese food, a solitary salesman travelling through the country for business purposes, eats at its various establishments and experiences the various delicacies of Japanese cuisine.

Availability

Not streaming in United States

Solitary Gourmet premiered January 4, 2012. We don't have a confirmed streaming, rental or purchase option yet.

Synopsis

Centered around typical Japanese food, a solitary salesman travelling through the country for business purposes, eats at its various establishments and experiences the various delicacies of Japanese cuisine.

Season 1 episodes

Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.

Episode 1

Yakitori and Yaki Meshi of Monzen-Nakacho, Koto Ward

24m10.0 / 10

Inogashira Goro (Matsushige Yutaka) gets a call from a female client who runs a cafe in Monzen-Nakacho. He sets up a meeting with her at her cafe, delighted with the prospect of visiting the town which he hadn't seen since he was a student. Afterwards, he visits an antique store located in that neighborhood as well. Feeling the pangs of hunger, he looks around for a place to eat until he pauses in front of a yakitori shop called 'Shosuke..."

Episode credits

Directed by Kenji MizoguchiWritten by Yoshihiro TaguchiGuest stars Matsumi Fuku, Junko Miyauchi, Michi Yamamura, Yukimi Sôma, Mika Yoshinaga

Where to watch Solitary Gourmet

Episode 2

Boiled Fish Set of Komagome, Toshima Ward

24m8.0 / 10

Inogashira-san travels to Komagome as requested by an old-time customer of his, a gallery owner. Having finished early with his appointment, he decides to have an early supper. He looks around in an unfamiliar neighborhood and even gets distracted by a group of old men playing shogi. Finally, he stops before "Washoku-tei," a home-cooked style restaurant that serves set meals...

Episode credits

Directed by Kenji MizoguchiWritten by Yoshihiro TaguchiGuest stars Makoto Inamori, Takayuki Kinoshita, Satoshi Nakajima

Where to watch Solitary Gourmet

Episode 3

Dan Dan Noodles Without Soup of Ikebukuro, Toshima Ward

24m10.0 / 10

Inogashira-san visits the bustling commercial town of Ikebukuro to meet with a client from a model room company, and to scout for a possible new office location. He also buys from his favorite store. He notices many Chinese restaurants that have sprouted in the streets, and decides to have Chinese food for his lunch. Later, a sign catches his eye and it reads, 'Chinese Home-Cooking Yan...'

Episode credits

Directed by Tadaaki HoraiWritten by Yoshihiro TaguchiGuest stars Ryoji Ando, Satsuki Ariga, Rihoko Shimomiya, Takahiro Iida

Where to watch Solitary Gourmet

Episode 4

Shizuoka Oden of Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture

24m9.0 / 10

Our solitary protagonist travels outside Tokyo, this time to Chiba where he has an appointment with a staff from a popular wedding venue. Inogashira-san arrives in Shin-Urayasu, and marvels at the Western American-style lay-out of the town. Later on, his tour of the wedding facilities brings up certain memories for him... the time when he was in Paris with a famous actress. He ponders whether he has regrets about not ending up with her, and yet gets distracted by feelings of hunger. He goes in search for a place to eat and ends up in a stylish restaurant known as "Loco Dish..."

Episode credits

Directed by Tadaaki HoraiWritten by Yoshihiro TaguchiGuest stars Maki Meguro, Kiyori Miyamae

Where to watch Solitary Gourmet

Episode 5

Oyako-Don and Yaki-Udon of Eifuku, Suginami Ward

24m10.0 / 10

It had been a bad week for Inogashira-san. The lone merchant is in the doldrums after experiencing several set-backs in his dry goods business. He travels to Eifuku, Suginami to get some fresh air and to meet with an old friend. However, his meeting fails to push through and so he ends up whiling away his time fishing alone at "Musashino-en Fishing Pond." He experiences a sudden need to eat, and decides to try out the fishing facilities' own canteen...

Episode credits

Directed by Tadaaki HoraiWritten by Yoshihiro TaguchiGuest stars Yukijiro Hotaru, Hiroshi Sakai, Shojiro Yokoi, Ryuji Tsukada

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Episode 6

Grilled Garlic Porkloin of Saginomiya, Nakano Ward

24m10.0 / 10

Inogashira-san is in Saginomiya, Nakano to see a client who owns a hair salon. After a bizarre meeting with her, he goes off to visit a long-time friend and confidante. But before that, he gets sidetracked by a store that sells confectioneries. Then, finally, he arrives at his friend's store but is taken aback by what he sees. Later on, he seeks for a place to satisfy his hunger. So he decides to partake on a heavy-duty pork meal at a tonkatsu shop called "Miyako-ya"...

Episode credits

Directed by Kenji MizoguchiWritten by Katsui ItazakaGuest stars Yoshihiro Nozoe, Yoji Tanaka

Where to watch Solitary Gourmet

Episode 7

A Cafe's Neapolitan Pasta in Kichijoji, Musashino City

24m9.0 / 10

The lone merchant who says he can "eat anything," has had a sudden attack of indecision. His inability to decide on what and where to eat begins when he arrives in the casual, vibrant town of Kichijoji. This made him late for his meeting with a client - an owner of a jazz cafe. Afterwards, Inogashira-san finds himself back to his dilemma as he goes around town deciding where to eat. Finally, an odd feeling made him stop in front of a restaurant called "Kayashima." He steps inside and looks over the menu, only to get lost in the maze of varied dishes being offered...

Episode credits

Directed by Tadaaki HoraiWritten by Yoshihiro TaguchiGuest stars Naomi Oroji, Tsuyoshi Ujiki, Yoshiaki Umegaki

Where to watch Solitary Gourmet

Episode 8

Hitori Yakiniku (Grilled Meat For One) of Hatcho-nawate, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture

24m10.0 / 10

After seeing off a client/friend at the airport, Inogashira-san passes through the Keihin Industrial Zone. Before embarking on a long drive back home, he stops and idly watches the view of steel infrastructure frameworks of the zone's steel mills and oil refineries from a distance. He is hypnotized and impressed by their immense size, towering smokestacks and complex design. And yet, it also somehow, reminds him of... well, food, most particularly, yakiniku. He goes in search of a yakiniku eatery in Hatcho-nawate, Kawasaki and settles for "Tsuruya" which offers solitary dining for individual customers. It's perfect for a ravenous lone wolf like Inogashira-san!

Episode credits

Directed by Kenji MizoguchiWritten by Yoshihiro TaguchiGuest stars Hiroyuki Amada, Allen Kibum, Yoshifumi Sakamoto, Kiyoshi Takayama

Where to watch Solitary Gourmet

Episode 9

Hiroshima-Style Okonomi-yaki of Shimokitazawa, Setagaya Ward

24m10.0 / 10

Inogashira-san spends a day-off watching his friend's play in Shimokitazawa. Somehow, he falls asleep towards the end of the play. Later, he learns that the lead actress had run off. He finds her afterwards wandering in the streets and decides to follow her, while tasting the street food along the way. He ends up introducing himself to the young lady, who in turn opens up to him about her troubles. Inogashira-san may not be able to offer words of comfort but at least he was able to give her his take-out food, hoping it would be enough to console her. He leaves and realizes he has yet one more thing to console... his own tummy. He goes off and stumbles upon "Hiroki," a shop that serves teppan-yaki and Hiroshima-style okonomi-yaki...

Episode credits

Directed by Tadaaki HoraiWritten by Yoshihiro TaguchiGuest stars Aki Asakura, Masahiro Sato

Where to watch Solitary Gourmet

Episode 10

Ginger Pork Rice Bowl with Fried Egg of Higashi-Nagasaki, Toshima Ward

24m10.0 / 10

For his next appointment, Inogashira-san goes to Toshima Ward. He stops and buys from a cheerful fruit vendor who has a knack for telling puns. Then, he meets up with his client from the movie industry who in turn has a propensity to talk using mimetic words. Afterwards, Inogashira-san takes a stroll through a park and happily gazes at hard-working students from a nearby arts college, practicing their required routines. His growling tummy reminds him that it's time to eat so he goes back to a place where a diner had earlier caught his eye. It was "Dining Sekizawa," an eatery that offers a myriad of home-made, affordable set meals...

Episode credits

Directed by Kenji MizoguchiWritten by Yoshihiro TaguchiGuest stars Ryuji Kubo, Naomi Matsui

Where to watch Solitary Gourmet

Episode 11

Extra Spicy Curry Rice at a Nomiya (Tavern) in Nezu, Bunkyo Ward

24m10.0 / 10

It's been three years since a friend of Inogashira, a weaving teacher, opened a French goods shop. He visits her and her shop in Nezu, Bunkyo, and was delighted to find her adjusting well. He notices that she is suited to her neighborhood with its warmth and laid-back atmosphere. After he takes his leave, he realizes he needs to go to the bathroom. A bit embarrassed, he had no choice but to use the facility of the nearest shop he could find, a nomiya or a drinking/eating establishment called "Sumire." Since he is feeling hungry, he decides to stay after finding out that not only drinks are being served but real meals as well. But then, an unruly drunk steps inside the shop...

Episode credits

Directed by Kenji MizoguchiWritten by Yoshihiro TaguchiGuest stars Fuyuki Moto, Chieko Ichikawa, Jun Miho, Maju Ozawa

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Episode 12

Okinawa Soki-Soba and Agu Pork Broiled in Natural Salt of Nakameguro, Meguro Ward

24m10.0 / 10finale

For the last episode, Inogashira-san meets an unusual-looking married couple on his way to an appointment. However, he realizes that he had missed his lunch so he grabs a quick bite along the way. He then goes to meet with the young pretty owner of a pre-used clothes shop in Nakameguro. Afterwards while strolling around town, he winds up in a street filled with restaurants offering varied menus. He decides to try out an Okinawa-themed restaurant called "SokaBokka..." for a delightful tropical island feast.

Episode credits

Directed by Tadaaki HoraiWritten by Yoshihiro TaguchiGuest stars Masami Hisamoto, Nao Minamisawa, Rio Tomita, Diamond Yukai

Where to watch Solitary Gourmet

Episode information updated Jul 24, 2026

More about Solitary Gourmet

Cast

Yutaka MatsushigeGoro Inogashira
Tomoki UekusaNarration
Masayuki KusumiHimself
Matsumi Fuku
Junko Miyauchi
Michi Yamamura
Makoto Inamori
Takayuki Kinoshita

Credits

Written by
Masayuki Kusumi, Yoshihiro Taguchi, Katsui Itazaka, Kodama Yoriko, Yoshihiro Taguchi

Production details

Status
Ended
Series type
Scripted
Episodes
132
Original language
Japanese
Original title
孤独のグルメ

Networks & production

  • TV TokyoJapan
  • LINE TVTaiwan
  • Hami VideoTaiwan
  • TV TokyoJapan
  • Kyodo TelevisionJapan

Themes

based on mangafoodgastronomygourmetgourmet foodjapanjapanese cuisinelocal food