Its a bit late but actor Tanaka Kunie passed away on March 24. Long time jdorama fans will know him as the dad from the long running series Kita no Kuni Kara. Tanaka Kunie's role as the simple but warm Goro is one of the most iconic and memorable jdorama characters ever and all I can think about is the theme song and his smile. Rest in peace, Tanaka Kunie.
If you want some old school jdorama about living the simple life in Hokkaido, I recommend Kita no Kuni Kara. It is slow but it will warm you right up, even with all the snow in Hokkaido.