NHK WORLD-JAPAN

Okayama Castle is unique and puzzles visitors. The keep shows a different face, depending on the direction, and each floor is a different shape. We look at how this mysterious castle was built.

Actor Kyle Card hikes the San'in Kaigan Geopark trail. He traces the Earth's memory through Uradome's jagged coast, Tottori's dunes and Genbudo's hexagonal columns.

We visit an Edo-style open-air teahouse, where the townspeople enjoyed refreshments, conversation, and the company of exotic birds. For them, these outings were about more than a good time.

After an earthquake strikes, there's a high risk of fire spreading. In this episode, we'll look at the latest research on how to escape from these fires, and what you can do to stay safe.

Yamanashi / Shibata Fumie (product designer) "Kaiki" is a thin, brightly colored silk fabric. Shibata discovers how threads are arranged to produce a layered effect that resembles a digital image.

Explore the fascinating conventions and traditions of kabuki. Actor Kataoka Ainosuke explains the origins and meanings of kabuki's unique make-up, its onnagata techniques, and stage machinery.

"Kamikaze," explosive-laden ramming attacks, were carried out during World War 2, sacrificing 4,000 lives. Why did the Japanese push forward with this method? We uncover the truth about the kamikaze.

Izumo, known as the "home of the gods," fascinated Lafcadio Hearn, a writer from Ireland. With beautiful time-lapse footage, we introduce his life in Japan and the region that captured his heart.

Criss-cross Japan by rail. Enjoy an amazing diversity of nature and scenery across the four seasons, exploring both well-known and hidden Japan.

Five-minute shows presenting the limitless, kaleidoscopic appeal of Japanese culture, traditions, and lifestyles in sushi-sized helpings. (Digest versions of "Japanology Plus.").

Okayama Castle is unique and puzzles visitors. The keep shows a different face, depending on the direction, and each floor is a different shape. We look at how this mysterious castle was built.

Actor Kyle Card hikes the San'in Kaigan Geopark trail. He traces the Earth's memory through Uradome's jagged coast, Tottori's dunes and Genbudo's hexagonal columns.

We visit an Edo-style open-air teahouse, where the townspeople enjoyed refreshments, conversation, and the company of exotic birds. For them, these outings were about more than a good time.

After an earthquake strikes, there's a high risk of fire spreading. In this episode, we'll look at the latest research on how to escape from these fires, and what you can do to stay safe.

Yamanashi / Shibata Fumie (product designer) "Kaiki" is a thin, brightly colored silk fabric. Shibata discovers how threads are arranged to produce a layered effect that resembles a digital image.

Explore the fascinating conventions and traditions of kabuki. Actor Kataoka Ainosuke explains the origins and meanings of kabuki's unique make-up, its onnagata techniques, and stage machinery.

Using traditional wooden barrels, a soy sauce brewer developed its own original flavor, breathing new life into the world of Japanese soy sauce.

Keiho Junior High School in Nagasaki lost 400 lives to an atomic bomb. Three old core members of the alumni association explore the future of the memorial service, held annually for the past 50 years.

Izumo, known as the "home of the gods," fascinated Lafcadio Hearn, a writer from Ireland. With beautiful time-lapse footage, we introduce his life in Japan and the region that captured his heart.

Little Charo is an animation series about a Japanese dog who got lost in NY. "I want to see my owner again!" Charo starts his adventure back home. Season 1-19.

Fuku-chan is popular with tourists visiting Matsumoto Castle, a National Treasure. Elsewhere, five cats live in a restaurant offering green soba noodles. Mya-chan lives at an inn in a hot spring area.

Somen traditional white noodles that are thin like threads.Test out and savor the hidden strength of Japan's ultra-thin somen noodles!

Design is fun! Design feels good! Cutting-edge images and music guide children to enjoy exploring the ideas and tweaks in the designs all around us. An episode on Escape Routes.

Located in northern Italy, Parma is famous for cheese and Prosciutto. As a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, it offers a rich culinary tradition and the Festival Verdi, celebrating composer Giuseppe Verdi.

Oze National Park contains the largest mountain wetland in Japan. See the beauty of Oze as time-lapse photography makes the flowers and the morning dew come alive.

NHK WORLD-JAPAN presents a wide range of programs from news, current affairs, documentaries, etc. focusing on Japan and Asia.

Students in past editions of Easy Japanese for Work return for a quiz-style business Japanese lesson. This time, the students are Tran Than Tuan (from Vietnam) and Warni Letty Yuhara (from Indonesia).

Uda Etsuko turns fiber from hard-to-process waste pineapple leaves into yarn and fabric for textiles in Okinawa. Expanding her operation to Indonesia, she hopes to take this untapped resource global.

Keiho Junior High School in Nagasaki lost 400 lives to an atomic bomb. Three old core members of the alumni association explore the future of the memorial service, held annually for the past 50 years.

Located in northern Italy, Parma is famous for cheese and Prosciutto. As a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, it offers a rich culinary tradition and the Festival Verdi, celebrating composer Giuseppe Verdi.

Oze National Park contains the largest mountain wetland in Japan. See the beauty of Oze as time-lapse photography makes the flowers and the morning dew come alive.

Akan-Mashu National Park is home to Lake Akan, Lake Kussharo, and Lake Mashu. It provides unique winter sights and the opportunity to experience the indigenous Ainu culture.

Design is fun! Design feels good! Cutting-edge images and music guide children to enjoy exploring the ideas and tweaks in the designs all around us. An episode on Escape Routes.

Tune in to J-MELO for great Japanese music! This week: MADKID, a leading male dance-and-vocal group on the anisong scene; and Yuika, a singer-songwriter with a rapidly growing international fanbase.

Little Charo is an animation series about a Japanese dog who got lost in NY. "I want to see my owner again!" Charo starts his adventure back home. Season 1-19.

In Japan, nostalgia is spreading for the Showa era (1926-1989). We introduce electronics, retro designs, and other elements of a period that many Japanese people consider the "good old days.".

Fuku-chan is popular with tourists visiting Matsumoto Castle, a National Treasure. Elsewhere, five cats live in a restaurant offering green soba noodles. Mya-chan lives at an inn in a hot spring area.

NHK WORLD-JAPAN presents a wide range of programs from news, current affairs, documentaries, etc. focusing on Japan and Asia.

On February 3, the Lunar New Year's Eve, various rites are held to expel calamity and welcome good fortune in the coming year.

Students in past editions of Easy Japanese for Work return for a quiz-style business Japanese lesson. This time, the students are Tran Than Tuan (from Vietnam) and Warni Letty Yuhara (from Indonesia).

Uda Etsuko turns fiber from hard-to-process waste pineapple leaves into yarn and fabric for textiles in Okinawa. Expanding her operation to Indonesia, she hopes to take this untapped resource global.

Keiho Junior High School in Nagasaki lost 400 lives to an atomic bomb. Three old core members of the alumni association explore the future of the memorial service, held annually for the past 50 years.

Design is fun! Design feels good! Cutting-edge images and music guide children to enjoy exploring the ideas and tweaks in the designs all around us. An episode on Escape Routes.

Tune in to J-MELO for great Japanese music! This week: MADKID, a leading male dance-and-vocal group on the anisong scene; and Yuika, a singer-songwriter with a rapidly growing international fanbase.

Little Charo is an animation series about a Japanese dog who got lost in NY. "I want to see my owner again!" Charo starts his adventure back home. Season 1-19.

In Japan, nostalgia is spreading for the Showa era (1926-1989). We introduce electronics, retro designs, and other elements of a period that many Japanese people consider the "good old days.".

Fuku-chan is popular with tourists visiting Matsumoto Castle, a National Treasure. Elsewhere, five cats live in a restaurant offering green soba noodles. Mya-chan lives at an inn in a hot spring area.

Located in northern Italy, Parma is famous for cheese and Prosciutto. As a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, it offers a rich culinary tradition and the Festival Verdi, celebrating composer Giuseppe Verdi.

Oze National Park contains the largest mountain wetland in Japan. See the beauty of Oze as time-lapse photography makes the flowers and the morning dew come alive.

Akan-Mashu National Park is home to Lake Akan, Lake Kussharo, and Lake Mashu. It provides unique winter sights and the opportunity to experience the indigenous Ainu culture.

NHK WORLD-JAPAN presents a wide range of programs from news, current affairs, documentaries, etc. focusing on Japan and Asia.

On February 3, the Lunar New Year's Eve, various rites are held to expel calamity and welcome good fortune in the coming year.

Students in past editions of Easy Japanese for Work return for a quiz-style business Japanese lesson. This time, the students are Tran Than Tuan (from Vietnam) and Warni Letty Yuhara (from Indonesia).

Uda Etsuko turns fiber from hard-to-process waste pineapple leaves into yarn and fabric for textiles in Okinawa. Expanding her operation to Indonesia, she hopes to take this untapped resource global.

Using traditional wooden barrels, a soy sauce brewer developed its own original flavor, breathing new life into the world of Japanese soy sauce.

Keiho Junior High School in Nagasaki lost 400 lives to an atomic bomb. Three old core members of the alumni association explore the future of the memorial service, held annually for the past 50 years.

Design is fun! Design feels good! Cutting-edge images and music guide children to enjoy exploring the ideas and tweaks in the designs all around us. An episode on Escape Routes.

Tune in to J-MELO for great Japanese music! This week: MADKID, a leading male dance-and-vocal group on the anisong scene; and Yuika, a singer-songwriter with a rapidly growing international fanbase.

Little Charo is an animation series about a Japanese dog who got lost in NY. "I want to see my owner again!" Charo starts his adventure back home. Season 1-19.

In Japan, nostalgia is spreading for the Showa era (1926-1989). We introduce electronics, retro designs, and other elements of a period that many Japanese people consider the "good old days.".

Fuku-chan is popular with tourists visiting Matsumoto Castle, a National Treasure. Elsewhere, five cats live in a restaurant offering green soba noodles. Mya-chan lives at an inn in a hot spring area.

NHK WORLD-JAPAN presents a wide range of programs from news, current affairs, documentaries, etc. focusing on Japan and Asia.

On February 3, the Lunar New Year's Eve, various rites are held to expel calamity and welcome good fortune in the coming year.

Students in past editions of Easy Japanese for Work return for a quiz-style business Japanese lesson. This time, the students are Tran Than Tuan (from Vietnam) and Warni Letty Yuhara (from Indonesia).

Uda Etsuko turns fiber from hard-to-process waste pineapple leaves into yarn and fabric for textiles in Okinawa. Expanding her operation to Indonesia, she hopes to take this untapped resource global.

Located in northern Italy, Parma is famous for cheese and Prosciutto. As a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, it offers a rich culinary tradition and the Festival Verdi, celebrating composer Giuseppe Verdi.

Oze National Park contains the largest mountain wetland in Japan. See the beauty of Oze as time-lapse photography makes the flowers and the morning dew come alive.

Akan-Mashu National Park is home to Lake Akan, Lake Kussharo, and Lake Mashu. It provides unique winter sights and the opportunity to experience the indigenous Ainu culture.

Maminata Ouandaogo's passion for African hairstyles has helped hundreds in Japan with their natural hair. But outside her salon, she says social pressure keeps some people from embracing it.

The IUCN lists 48,646 species facing extinction, a figure that has more than quadrupled in 25 years, accelerated by climate change. Has the "Sixth Mass Extinction" begun?

Yamanashi / Shibata Fumie (product designer) "Kaiki" is a thin, brightly colored silk fabric. Shibata discovers how threads are arranged to produce a layered effect that resembles a digital image.

Our team visits a heat-resistant glass factory in Koga, Ibaraki Pref., to witness the skills of the glassblowers and lampworkers, and learn about the secrets that heat-resistant glass holds.

Since ancient times, safflowers grown in Yonezawa have been used to dye fabric a deep red color associated with the sun. Experience its mysterious, vivid beauty through time-lapse footage.

After an earthquake strikes, there's a high risk of fire spreading. In this episode, we'll look at the latest research on how to escape from these fires, and what you can do to stay safe.

The Japanese language is rich in words and expressions influenced by nature, history and culture. This episode looks at words related to wheel. Explore the unique culture behind them.

#33 How long does it take to get in? / To ask how long something takes, say "donokurai" (how long and how much), then a verb like "machimasu" (to wait), and finally add "ka.".

A small bookstore in Tokyo specializes in Vietnamese books. From the reactions of customers living in a foreign land, we can feel how books in their native language serve as spiritual nourishment.

NHK WORLD-JAPAN ran a booth at an event held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of "JICA Global Plaza." We see how JICA and NHK work together to promote kids' interest in international cooperation.

A 15-minute spin-off of the "Somewhere Street" series, "A Short Stroll" explores cities around the world. This episode invites people who love hills to explore Genoa, Italy.

1 in 30 Japanese suffer from mental illness. We follow a woman who finds it hard to do simple tasks due to her illness, as she goes to rehabilitation for returning to work.

Inami Shishimai is a type of lion dance performed in Toyama Prefecture. Adults play the role of the shishi while a child is the shishi-tori, whose job is to pacify the shishi with sacred objects.

Art on Demand: This episode features companies using creative ways to get fine art by undiscovered artists into people's homes and public spaces.

A 15-minute spin-off of the "Somewhere Street" series, "A Short Stroll" explores cities around the world. This episode invites people who love hills to explore Genoa, Italy.

Daniel Moore takes a cinematic journey through Nagano. In springtime he hits the south, experiencing the breathtaking cherry blossoms, and in winter gets lost in magical winter landscapes up north.

Niigata is one of Japan's foremost ramen hotspots. Let's explore the diversity of the city's beloved ramen dishes.

Our team visits a heat-resistant glass factory in Koga, Ibaraki Pref., to witness the skills of the glassblowers and lampworkers, and learn about the secrets that heat-resistant glass holds.

Since ancient times, safflowers grown in Yonezawa have been used to dye fabric a deep red color associated with the sun. Experience its mysterious, vivid beauty through time-lapse footage.

Giving a Spark to the Power Grid: This episode features strategies to maintain Japan's power grid. One company is recruiting climbers, and another created a mobile game for checking power poles.

1 in 30 Japanese suffer from mental illness. We follow a woman who finds it hard to do simple tasks due to her illness, as she goes to rehabilitation for returning to work.

The Japanese language is rich in words and expressions influenced by nature, history and culture. This episode looks at words related to wheel. Explore the unique culture behind them.

#33 How long does it take to get in? / To ask how long something takes, say "donokurai" (how long and how much), then a verb like "machimasu" (to wait), and finally add "ka.".

A small bookstore in Tokyo specializes in Vietnamese books. From the reactions of customers living in a foreign land, we can feel how books in their native language serve as spiritual nourishment.

NHK WORLD-JAPAN ran a booth at an event held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of "JICA Global Plaza." We see how JICA and NHK work together to promote kids' interest in international cooperation.

Tokyo's oldest izakaya, with its traditional fare and lucky cats, surviving war and pandemic, has been a place to feel at ease for over 100 years.

In this episode, we learn about the fall chrysanthemum festival and the autumnal equinox, or shubun. The nuns enjoy sushi, salad, and dumplings made specially for the occasion.

Shibuya is one of Tokyo's largest cities. A piano is placed near a ticket gate at the station, and people stop to play from their heart.

Inami Shishimai is a type of lion dance performed in Toyama Prefecture. Adults play the role of the shishi while a child is the shishi-tori, whose job is to pacify the shishi with sacred objects.

Meet the locals and discover traditions and cultures not usually found in guidebooks! Michael Keida explores the traditional fishing methods still used along the Seto Inland Sea.

Daniel Moore takes a cinematic journey through Nagano. In springtime he hits the south, experiencing the breathtaking cherry blossoms, and in winter gets lost in magical winter landscapes up north.

Our team visits a heat-resistant glass factory in Koga, Ibaraki Pref., to witness the skills of the glassblowers and lampworkers, and learn about the secrets that heat-resistant glass holds.

Since ancient times, safflowers grown in Yonezawa have been used to dye fabric a deep red color associated with the sun. Experience its mysterious, vivid beauty through time-lapse footage.

Giving a Spark to the Power Grid: This episode features strategies to maintain Japan's power grid. One company is recruiting climbers, and another created a mobile game for checking power poles.

Atsuko Okatsuka is a US-based stand-up comedian with fans all over the world. She tells us why she pursues comedy, and talks about finding humor within the hardships of life in a minority group.

A small bookstore in Tokyo specializes in Vietnamese books. From the reactions of customers living in a foreign land, we can feel how books in their native language serve as spiritual nourishment.

NHK WORLD-JAPAN ran a booth at an event held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of "JICA Global Plaza." We see how JICA and NHK work together to promote kids' interest in international cooperation.

Shirakami-Sanchi, or the Shirakami Mountain Range, is home to one of the world's largest beech forests. Its pristine environment hosts a variety of wildlife, as well as a group of hunter-gatherers.

The 8 km-long Meguro River has long supported the lives of people in the southwest of central Tokyo. Come along as we discover how its tumultuous history mirrors the evolution of the city itself.

Inami Shishimai is a type of lion dance performed in Toyama Prefecture. Adults play the role of the shishi while a child is the shishi-tori, whose job is to pacify the shishi with sacred objects.

Tokyo's oldest izakaya, with its traditional fare and lucky cats, surviving war and pandemic, has been a place to feel at ease for over 100 years.

In this episode, we learn about the fall chrysanthemum festival and the autumnal equinox, or shubun. The nuns enjoy sushi, salad, and dumplings made specially for the occasion.

Japanese researchers have uncovered part of the mechanism by which zinc deficiency triggers inflammation linked to a wide range of diseases. We look at why this mineral is so vital to our health.

Daniel Moore takes a cinematic journey through Nagano. In springtime he hits the south, experiencing the breathtaking cherry blossoms, and in winter gets lost in magical winter landscapes up north.

Niigata is one of Japan's foremost ramen hotspots. Let's explore the diversity of the city's beloved ramen dishes.

Our team visits a heat-resistant glass factory in Koga, Ibaraki Pref., to witness the skills of the glassblowers and lampworkers, and learn about the secrets that heat-resistant glass holds.

Since ancient times, safflowers grown in Yonezawa have been used to dye fabric a deep red color associated with the sun. Experience its mysterious, vivid beauty through time-lapse footage.

Shibuya is one of Tokyo's largest cities. A piano is placed near a ticket gate at the station, and people stop to play from their heart.

Inami Shishimai is a type of lion dance performed in Toyama Prefecture. Adults play the role of the shishi while a child is the shishi-tori, whose job is to pacify the shishi with sacred objects.

The Japanese language is rich in words and expressions influenced by nature, history and culture. This episode looks at words related to wheel. Explore the unique culture behind them.

#33 How long does it take to get in? / To ask how long something takes, say "donokurai" (how long and how much), then a verb like "machimasu" (to wait), and finally add "ka.".

A small bookstore in Tokyo specializes in Vietnamese books. From the reactions of customers living in a foreign land, we can feel how books in their native language serve as spiritual nourishment.

NHK WORLD-JAPAN ran a booth at an event held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of "JICA Global Plaza." We see how JICA and NHK work together to promote kids' interest in international cooperation.

Giving a Spark to the Power Grid: This episode features strategies to maintain Japan's power grid. One company is recruiting climbers, and another created a mobile game for checking power poles.

Atsuko Okatsuka is a US-based stand-up comedian with fans all over the world. She tells us why she pursues comedy, and talks about finding humor within the hardships of life in a minority group.

In Japan, one in 25 men now wear makeup daily. This episode follows a web designer in his 30s whose makeup journey began from wanting to hide skin damage, but led to deeper personal changes.

We break down a print that warps space to allow the viewer to be in two places at once: Shinobazu Pond, known for its lotus flowers, and the Sumida River, one of Edo's busiest waterways.

NHK WORLD-JAPAN presents a wide range of programs from news, current affairs, documentaries, etc. focusing on Japan and Asia.

Tokyo's oldest izakaya, with its traditional fare and lucky cats, surviving war and pandemic, has been a place to feel at ease for over 100 years.

In this episode, we learn about the fall chrysanthemum festival and the autumnal equinox, or shubun. The nuns enjoy sushi, salad, and dumplings made specially for the occasion.

Japanese researchers have uncovered part of the mechanism by which zinc deficiency triggers inflammation linked to a wide range of diseases. We look at why this mineral is so vital to our health.

Giving a Spark to the Power Grid: This episode features strategies to maintain Japan's power grid. One company is recruiting climbers, and another created a mobile game for checking power poles.

1 in 30 Japanese suffer from mental illness. We follow a woman who finds it hard to do simple tasks due to her illness, as she goes to rehabilitation for returning to work.

After an earthquake strikes, there's a high risk of fire spreading. In this episode, we'll look at the latest research on how to escape from these fires, and what you can do to stay safe.

The IUCN lists 48,646 species facing extinction, a figure that has more than quadrupled in 25 years, accelerated by climate change. Has the "Sixth Mass Extinction" begun?

A 700-year-old hot spring, Shirabu Onsen, is maintained via daily trips up the slopes of the 2,000-meter mountain where it sits. See the hot spring's guardian at work, in gorgeous time-lapse footage.

Shibuya is one of Tokyo's largest cities. A piano is placed near a ticket gate at the station, and people stop to play from their heart.

The Japanese language is rich in words and expressions influenced by nature, history and culture. This episode looks at words related to wheel. Explore the unique culture behind them.

#33 How long does it take to get in? / To ask how long something takes, say "donokurai" (how long and how much), then a verb like "machimasu" (to wait), and finally add "ka.".

A small bookstore in Tokyo specializes in Vietnamese books. From the reactions of customers living in a foreign land, we can feel how books in their native language serve as spiritual nourishment.

NHK WORLD-JAPAN ran a booth at an event held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of "JICA Global Plaza." We see how JICA and NHK work together to promote kids' interest in international cooperation.

Daniel Moore takes a cinematic journey through Nagano. In springtime he hits the south, experiencing the breathtaking cherry blossoms, and in winter gets lost in magical winter landscapes up north.

Niigata is one of Japan's foremost ramen hotspots. Let's explore the diversity of the city's beloved ramen dishes.