January 12, 2012 • 28m
Ekiden is a long-distance relay race. Instead of a baton, a sash is handed off. This sash is the secret to ekiden's widespread app...Read more
January 19, 2012 • 28m
Batteries... We use them so often that we hardly even think about it. Mobile phones, cameras, portable audio players - even your c...Read more
January 26, 2012 • 28m
People the world over love to enjoy a cup of coffee in a cafe. Japan is no different. Cafes first appeared in Japan in the late 19...Read more
February 2, 2012 • 28m
Hot water bottles and pocket warmers are just the thing for Japan's cold winters. Hot water bottles first came to Japan from China...Read more
February 9, 2012 • 28m
Ikebana: the traditional Japanese art of flower arranging. Each elegant arrangement is made with seasonal flowers and plants cut t...Read more
February 16, 2012 • 28m
Today, 80% of the world's excavators are built from Japanese designs. There's hardly a country in the world where Japanese excavat...Read more
February 23, 2012 • 28m
Forests have covered Japan since ancient times, and today they make up about 70% of the country's land area. Forests have long bee...Read more
March 1, 2012 • 28m
This month, we present a special talk-show series called Japanophiles, featuring lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan...Read more
March 8, 2012 • 28m
This month, we present a special talk-show series called Japanophiles, featuring lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan...Read more
March 15, 2012 • 28m
This month, we present a special talk-show series called Japanophiles, featuring lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan...Read more
March 29, 2012 • 28m
This month, we present a special talk-show series called Japanophiles, featuring lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan...Read more
April 5, 2012 • 28m
Kabuki is one of Japan's best-known traditional performing arts. It combines elements of theater, dance, and music. In 2009, it wa...Read more
April 12, 2012 • 28m
Wild vegetables have long been served at the Japanese dining table. With their great variety and low calorie count, they have rece...Read more
April 19, 2012 • 28m
Since ancient times, there has been a belief in Japan that horses are messengers of the gods, or even gods themselves. Samurai sha...Read more
April 26, 2012 • 28m
In Japan, stress is a part of life. Giving and receiving massages, particularly shoulder massages, is a Japanese institution. And ...Read more
May 3, 2012 • 28m
The Shikoku Pilgrimage involves visiting 88 Buddhist temples spread across Shikoku, the smallest of Japan's four main islands. The...Read more
May 10, 2012 • 28m
When you think of regional Japanese food with a long history, you might think high prices and refined presentation. But Japanese "...Read more
May 17, 2012 • 28m
The first department store appeared in Japan about 110 years ago. It evolved from a kimono shop. With their world-class goods, dep...Read more
May 24, 2012 • 28m
The kimono is the traditional costume of Japan. Yet even the most sumptuous kimono is constructed quite simply: just a few strips ...Read more
June 7, 2012 • 28m
Japan is home to 20% of the world's public aquariums. And it has all kinds, from places specializing in one kind of sea life - lik...Read more
June 14, 2012 • 28m
Various sweets first came to Japan from the West, but the Japanese put their own distinctive stamp on them. Today, this "Western-s...Read more
June 21, 2012 • 28m
From ritual charm to children's toy, from star of the stage to life companion, dolls play a wide range of roles in Japanese societ...Read more
July 5, 2012 • 28m
Mosses are some of the most primitive terrestrial plants. They have no roots - only leaves and stems. But moss is deeply embedded ...Read more
July 12, 2012 • 28m
Each summer, Hanshin Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture, becomes the stage for a drama that grips the entire na...Read more
July 19, 2012 • 28m
Today, there are about 400 planetariums in Japan. That's the second largest number in the world, after the US. The world's largest...Read more
August 16, 2012 • 28m
Adam Booth is an English-born master of Nihonga, a kind of painting that uses traditional Japanese methods and styles. Nihonga req...Read more
August 23, 2012 • 28m
Just about everyone in Japan knows Dave Spector. It's been almost 30 years since this American first appeared on Japanese televisi...Read more
August 30, 2012 • 28m
Australian-born potter Euan Craig is a master of Mashiko ware. Mashiko ware originated in the town of Mashiko. Most Mashiko-ware c...Read more
September 6, 2012 • 28m
The shamisen is a traditional three-stringed Japanese musical instrument. Its unique sound has been enjoyed in Japan for centuries...Read more
September 13, 2012 • 28m
The crested ibis (scientific name Nipponia nippon) has beautiful pale rosy feathers that have been loved in Japan for centuries. T...Read more
September 20, 2012 • 28m
The abalone is a shellfish found along Japan's rocky coastline. Abalone have shallow, spiral shells that look like dishes, and the...Read more
October 4, 2012 • 28m
Tokyo Station's 100th anniversary is approaching. With 28 tracks, and 3,000 trains arriving and departing each day, it is Japan's ...Read more
October 11, 2012 • 28m
Tokyo Skytree, completed this year, rises 634 meters. The world's tallest broadcasting tower, it's packed with the finest in Japan...Read more
October 18, 2012 • 28m
Right on the doorstep of Japan's capital is Tokyo Bay. The shores of the bay are packed with industrial complexes and some of the ...Read more
November 1, 2012 • 28m
Potatoes, sweet potatoes, taros, yams - these are just some of Japan's imo, a word that describes starchy vegetables with enlarged...Read more
November 8, 2012 • 28m
Many countries require signatures on contracts. But in Japan, name seals are used instead. From marriage registrations to car regi...Read more
November 15, 2012 • 28m
About 5,000 species of mushroom can be found in Japan, a quarter of the world's known species. The matsutake is the gold standard ...Read more
November 22, 2012 • 28m
Japan is a nation of vending machines - 5.2 million of them! You find them everywhere, selling all sorts of products. And many ven...Read more
December 6, 2012 • 28m
Scissors were first created in Europe and reached Japan in the 6th century. Japan has scissors for making kimonos and for preparin...Read more
December 13, 2012 • 28m
The satsuma mandarin is a citrus fruit grown in Japan's warmer regions. Its perfect blend of sweet and sharp is loved by the Japan...Read more
December 20, 2012 • 28m
In summer and winter, seasonal gifts are sent to friends. At the New Year, young people receive envelopes with money inside. These...Read more