Kenji is overjoyed when his usually thrifty boyfriend takes him on a trip to Kyoto for his birthday, but the trip ends up uncovering a painful topic.
Mikami, an ex-yakuza of middle age with most of his life in prison, gets released after serving 13 years of sentence for murder. Hoping to find his long lost mother, from whom he was separated as a child, he applies for a TV show and meets a young TV director Tsunoda. Meanwhile, he struggles to get a proper job and fit into society. His impulsive, adamant nature and ingrained beliefs cause friction in his relationship with Tsunoda and those who want to help him.
Eiji Akutsu is a newspaper reporter. He is working on unsolved case that took place 30 years ago. The case involved a group of people extorting several companies for money. The group sent cassette tapes to the companies. Eiji Akutsu comes across a mysterious cassette tape. Meanwhile, Toshiya Sone lives in Kyoto and runs a tailor shop. He discovers a cassette tape among his late father's possessions. He plays the cassette tape and hears his voice from his childhood days.
Sawaki Tatsuya is a fledgling photographer. He returns to his hometown Fukuoka to take care of his sick father Hideo, but is rejected by his father. Tatsuya meets Jinbo and Yui, who work as mediators between Japan and Nepal. He joins the Nepalese community through them, and while his world expands through these encounters, he also learns of the difficulties of foreigners living in Japan. Shot in the town where many Nepalese actually live, this drama casted authentic epalese as actors. The title “Masala” refers to a mixed spice, and is also used as a metaphor here for the diverse society.
Kakei Shiro is a lawyer who works at a small law firm. He is a good cook and a meticulous and thrifty person who keeps the monthly food budget to 25,000 yen. Shiro’s daily routine is to leave work on time and head to a discount supermarket nearby. His partner Yabuki Kenji is the affable hairdresser. The two of them share a two-bedroom apartment and the finer points of two men living together comes up at the dining table every day.
Kamiwatari Kotone is a geisha in Kyoto. While she is sleeping after a night of drinking, her fellow geisha is killed. Kotone Kamiwatari is falsely accused of her murder and is sent to prison. There, she is bullied by other prisoners, but Kotone relies on her training from senior geishas to persevere. She also learns why she was framed for murder and sent to prison.
"Kekkon Shinai" follows the lives of single people in their 30's and 40's.
Meiko Kaji , born Masako Ôta, is a Japanese actress and enka singer.