Matsuura Aya in drama Sakura to Satsuki

Matsuura Aya (24) is starring in a drama special called “Sakura to Satsuki,” scheduled to air late at night on April 1 on the local Kansai station ABC TV.

The drama was shot in the Kansai area and features an all-Kansai cast. Matsuura – who is originally from Himeji, Hyogo – will play a truck driver and former yankee named Sakura, speaking in Banshu-ben (a regional dialect of Kansai-ben). Trouble arises when she finds out that her good friend and former co-worker Satsuki (Hamaguchi Junko) is engaged to her ex-boyfriend Yuji (Hashimoto Jun).

The cast is rounded out by comedian Kobayashi Kotaro (of Choplin), Ina Kenji, Tokuda Naomi, and Oura Ai.

Matsuura will also sing in Banshu-ben for the theme song, titled “Futari Osaka,” which she wrote specifically for the show.

The official website has a trailer and will be updated with 5 “spin-off drama” episodes. Viewers can put together the Japanese characters shown at the end of each episode to form a keyword, qualifying them to enter in a lottery to win one of five 10,000 yen gift certificates. Those episodes are planned to start on the morning of March 25.