Season 7 (2020)

Osechi: New Year's Food
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January 7, 2020 • 28m

On New Year's Day, Japanese families gather to share a special meal called Osechi. It consists of multiple colorful dishes, often ...Read more

Japanophiles: Thomas Ainsworth
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January 28, 2020 • 28m

In Japan, the craft beer boom is in full swing. One pub in Kyoto Prefecture takes a particularly innovative approach -- they use J...Read more

Sunakku Bars
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February 18, 2020 • 28m

A "Sunakku" is a small bar with counter seating and a friendly host. There are thousands of them spread across the country, and ma...Read more

Tohoku Nine Years On: Living with Ghosts
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March 10, 2020 • 28m

In March 2011, a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami devastated communities on the east coast of Tohoku, northeast Japan. We visit...Read more

Tohoku Nine Years On: Voices of the Deceased
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March 17, 2020 • 28m

In March 2011, a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami devastated communities on the east coast of Tohoku, northeast Japan. We visit...Read more

Japanophiles: Harold George Meij
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March 24, 2020 • 28m

In Japan, professional wrestling has gained popularity as an entertaining combination of entertainment and sport. In recent years,...Read more

Laundry Services
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April 7, 2020 • 28m

There are over 90,000 cleaning establishments in Japan, and a huge number of Japanese use them regularly. Innovative machinery mak...Read more

Miso
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April 21, 2020 • 28m

Miso, a fermented soybean paste, is a bedrock of Japanese cuisine. For many Japanese, it offers a taste of home. It is made using ...Read more

Japanophiles: Johan Nilsson Bjoerk
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August 4, 2020 • 28m

Rakugo is a traditional form of storytelling that emerged in 17th century Japan. Using minimal props, a single performer creates a...Read more

Japan vs. Epidemics
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August 18, 2020 • 28m

Over the centuries, Japan has suffered from repeated outbreaks of diseases like smallpox, measles and cholera. Where did the peopl...Read more

Wasabi
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September 1, 2020 • 28m

Wasabi is a plant that grows natively in Japan's mountain valleys. It's used to make a condiment with a distinctive green color an...Read more

Geisha: A Sunset Trade?
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September 8, 2020 • 28m

Geisha have existed for hundreds of years, but in modern Japan they are declining in number. It's a story that's repeated across m...Read more

Expert Craft Skills
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September 15, 2020 • 28m

Throughout Japanese history, expert craft skills requiring dexterity and judgment have enhanced everyday life. These skills are of...Read more

Japanophiles: Kim Seungbok
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September 29, 2020 • 28m

South Korean film, TV drama and music have been popular in Japan for some time, but more recently there's been a growing appreciat...Read more

Aloha Shirts
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October 6, 2020 • 28m

Aloha shirts are popular symbols of Hawaii, worn by tourists and Hawaiians alike. A look back at their history reveals a Japanese ...Read more

Japanophiles: Gyoei Saile
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October 13, 2020 • 28m

Kohfukuji, a World Heritage Site, is a prominent Buddhist temple in Nara, western Japan. One of its priests is Gyoei Saile, from G...Read more

Rice Snacks
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October 20, 2020 • 28m

Rice crackers and other rice-based snacks have been widely consumed in Japan for hundreds of years. Each region of the country has...Read more

Urban Workshops
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November 3, 2020 • 28m

A significant portion of Japan's manufacturing industry is handled by small factories known as "urban workshops," with less than 3...Read more

Tokyo Rooftops
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November 10, 2020 • 28m

Tokyo is a crowded city. Its rooftops represent valuable space, and they're used in some very creative ways. This time on Japanolo...Read more

Tokyo Stories #1: Josh Grisdale
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November 17, 2020 • 28m

The city of Tokyo is normally crowded with tourists, but the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the city's sightseeing spots. In a ...Read more

Tokyo Stories #2: Mateusz Urbanowicz
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November 24, 2020 • 28m

The city of Tokyo is normally crowded with tourists at all times of the year, but the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed it. In a s...Read more

Japanophiles: Anna Bugaeva
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December 1, 2020 • 28m

The Ainu people are indigenous to Japan, and the Ainu community is now concentrated in Hokkaido Prefecture, the northernmost main ...Read more

Mushrooms
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December 22, 2020 • 28m

Japan is home to thousands of different mushroom species. Some can be found lining the supermarket shelves, but others serve as na...Read more

Kamishibai: Paper Theater
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December 29, 2020 • 28m

Kamishibai, or paper theater, is a form of storytelling that uses large picture cards. It was wildly popular throughout Japan in t...Read more