January 14, 2022
The 200 students at a nursing college in Nara Prefecture, Japan, range from new high school graduates to people seeking a change in career. Among the students were a woman inspired by nurses who treated her in hospital; a woman who felt nursing would be more rewarding than her sales job; and first-year students preparing for a test they must pass before starting clinical training. For 3 days, we asked why nursing appealed to them as a career, especially while the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect society.
Episode 3
Seeking a Sweet Finish to Another Busy Year
January 28, 2022
As 2021 draws to a close, workers in Tokyo's Shimbashi business district flock to a long-established western-style sweets shop famous for its cream puffs and other tasty delights. Among the customers were a boss buying treats for his hard-working subordinates; a construction worker treating himself after an exhausting day on the job; and a father buying a gift of appreciation for his family. For 3 days, we asked customers seeking a sweet treat if 2021 had been bitter or sweet for them.
Episode 4
Bidding Farewell to an Amusement Park
February 25, 2022
Kashiikaen, an amusement park in Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan, closed at the end of 2021 after 65 years of operation. News of the closing prompted a wave of visitors, including a local woman who brought along her neighbor, and a family of 3 generations determined to ride their favorite attraction. Some even came after the gates were closed, just to see the park from the outside. What made them come to bid farewell? In the park’s final 3 days, we listened as visitors shared their stories and memories.
Episode 5
Tsugaru Railway: A Midwinter Lifeline
March 18, 2022
The Tsugaru Railway runs through a remote and snowy part of Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan. As well as being a vital mode of transport for locals, especially in winter, the train has a potbelly stove and views of magical wintry landscapes that attract visitors from afar. Among the passengers are a high school student poised to move to Tokyo, and a man who returned here to his hometown after several decades away. For 3 days in midwinter, we hopped aboard the rustic train and asked the passengers what this railway means to them.
Episode 6
The Supermarket on Wheels
April 8, 2022
A small truck loaded with vegetables, meat, snacks and other items – a mobile supermarket – is a lifeline for residents in remote communities in northern Kyoto Prefecture. Among the customers were an elderly couple buying a week's worth of ready-prepared dishes; and a woman wanting snacks to eat while she chats with a friend. What is life like in these small communities with falling populations? For 3 days near the end of winter, we talked to people buying groceries from the supermarket on wheels.
Episode 7
Heartfelt Flowers from a Miyagi Florist
April 15, 2022
The Yuriage district in Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture, was devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami that occurred in March 2011. March is also a season of new starts and farewells in Japan, so this month is especially busy for a florist in a new commercial complex in the district. Customers included a teacher buying flowers for graduating students, residents mourning loved ones who died in the tsunami, and people adding a splash of color to their lives. For 3 days around the disaster's 11th anniversary, we asked customers what flowers mean to them.
Episode 8
A Shinjuku Cell Phone Store
April 22, 2022
Smartphones have become a vital part of modern-day life. Many people flock to a large cell phone store in Tokyo's Shinjuku district to buy the latest phone models, get their gadgets repaired and seek advice on other services. Among the customers in mid-March, a time for new beginnings in Japan, were an elderly couple fond of watching videos on their smartphones, a man struggling to spend less time glued to his phone, and people starting a new job or school year. What do phones mean to these customers? For 3 days, we asked them.
Episode 9
Capturing Happy Moments in a Photo Booth
May 13, 2022
Photo sticker booths are a magnet for teenagers at a video arcade in Tokyo. Over 3 days in mid-March, we met 2 friends about to graduate from high school; a teen applying makeup to create the appearance she craves; 2 best friends who attend different schools; and a couple in their 20s. The booths have added many new features since they first appeared in 1995. Why are they still so popular? We asked youngsters at the arcade why these stickers mean so much to them.
Episode 11
Plastic Model Shop: A Hobby Making Worlds Come Alive
May 27, 2022
A large plastic model kit store in Osaka Prefecture sells models, miniature trains, diorama supplies and other items. The model market has grown while people of all ages spent more time at home during the coronavirus pandemic. The store's customers include a man who makes model buses to relieve stress; a middle-aged woman crazy about making dollhouses; and a woman making a diorama as a birthday gift for her mother-in-law. For three days, we asked customers why this hobby is special to them.
Episode 14
Nature's Treasure Hunt on a Niigata Beach
June 17, 2022
A pebbly beach on Niigata Prefecture's Sea of Japan coast contains pieces of real jade. Some people who come here for a natural treasure hunt find jade right away, others have no luck despite picking through the stones all day. Among the visitors were a family on a trip; regulars who come from far and wide; and a woman whose visits here helped her become more socially outgoing. What is it that lures them so much to this beach? For three days in early summer, we asked the people hunting for treasure at the water's edge.
Episode 15
The Vegetable "Vending Machine" in Tokyo
June 24, 2022
An unmanned stall in a residential area of Tokyo's Nerima Ward uses coin-operated lockers to sell locally grown vegetables including cabbage, radishes and spinach. The customers at this down-to-earth stall include a mother buying lettuce harvested from a field right in front of her house; and a keen jogger who frequently buys fresh veggies to stay in his wife's good books. For three days in early summer, we asked customers why they choose to shop at this stall that resembles a large vending machine.
Episode 16
Asakusa's Rakugo Theater: Filling Lives with Laughs
July 15, 2022
A theater for rakugo comic storytelling in Tokyo's Asakusa district has been tickling funny bones for decades. Visitors to the theater include comedy fans from across Japan, and an admirer of a storyteller being promoted to rakugo's highest rank. Backstage, a teenager new to the industry completes a myriad of tasks, and a seasoned storyteller of more than 30 years prepares to go on stage. For three days, we peeked into the various lives of people in the audience and behind the scenes, and asked them about the appeal of this traditional performing art.
Episode 17
Fluttering Yellow Handkerchiefs at a Seaside Station
July 22, 2022
Rows of yellow handkerchiefs fly in the breeze at a small train station in the Shimabara Peninsula, Nagasaki Prefecture. Right behind the platform lies the Ariake Sea. The unmanned station attracts a stream of visitors who come to enjoy the view and write their wishes on the handkerchiefs. Among the visitors were a couple wearing matching outfits, and a railway photographer who drove all the way from Tokyo. The locals, too, are charmed by the station and wish for the railway to continue in the years to come. For three days, we listen to the stories of the people who've come from near and far to visit this remote station.
Episode 20
Doronko Park" Children Running in the Rain
September 2, 2022
Children enjoy playing with mud, making fire, and water slides. The setting is a playground called “Play Park” in Kawasaki City. It is a municipal facility and admission is free. With the support of adult staff, what children want to do is respected. There is a boy absorbed in woodworking, parents and children playing while soaking wet, and children who cannot find a place at school. How are these children living in this day and age? We will listen carefully to their voices during the three days of rain
Episode 21
Osaka Shaved Ice Shop: Midsummer Memories
September 9, 2022
Kakigori, shaved ice drizzled with flavored syrup, is a summer staple in Japan. An ice shop in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, has been popular for decades thanks to its light, fluffy ice made of "pure ice" that has been slowly frozen. Among the customers were a regular for over 40 years and his children; two university students who will soon graduate and move away; and a mother and son reminiscing about a father who adored kakigori. For three days in summer, we asked customers about what this sweet treat means to them.
Episode 22
The Lure of a 24-Hour Fishing Shop
September 16, 2022
A 24-hour fishing gear shop in southern Chiba Prefecture is a haven for anglers stocking up before heading to the coast to try their luck. The shop sells about 6,000 items such as bait, rods and lures. The customers include a man looking forward to fishing for squid with his grandson; a couple whose self-designed boat fits on the roof of their car; and a mother taking a break from her hectic daily life. Why are they so hooked on fishing? For three days, we asked the people stopping by this shop.
Episode 23
Udon Vending Machines on Route 9: An Oasis for Drivers
September 30, 2022
Why are no-frills udon noodle vending machines irresistible for drivers passing by a small rest area on a busy national road in western Shimane Prefecture? People stop here around the clock for a cheap bowl of noodles. The customers included a couple returning from a trip to their hometown; a boy and his parents who drove all the way from Fukuoka Prefecture just to try these noodles; and a man about to start his shift delivering milk. For three days around the Bon Festival period, we asked what makes these noodles so special.
Episode 24
Korokke Pan Shop: Happiness in a Bun
October 7, 2022
Korokke pan, or bread rolls filled with deep-fried potato croquettes, topped with sauce are a specialty of a family-run shop in Minamisenju, a down-to-earth Tokyo suburb. Among the customers craving this cheap, filling snack made at the shop were a regular who has been coming here for over 50 years; a man buying some for himself and his friends; and a man currently between jobs. Why have locals become so fond of a snack made exactly the same way it was decades ago? For three days, we asked them.
Episode 28
Gunma-Brazil Presidential Election
November 11, 2022
A new type of documentary program by the “72 Hours” production team, in which the camera is not stationed at a single site, but rather at multiple sites, filming an event simultaneously. This time, the Brazilian presidential election. Four cameras started shooting at the same time at a polling station for Brazilians living in Japan in Oizumi-cho, Gunma, a supermarket selling Brazilian food, a church, and a bar in Rio de Janeiro. What kind of drama will be spun out?
Episode 29
A Cat Temple: Soothing the Mind and Soul
November 18, 2022
Ohta-kun, Futa, Elf, Cowcow... are four of the sixteen cats that live on the grounds of a temple at the foot of the mountains of Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture. The former head priest began providing care for abandoned cats, and today, the temple is visited by many cat lovers from near and far. Among the visitors was a man who comes to get away from the stress of his job, and a former cat owner who overcame the death of his cat by coming to this temple. There's a story behind not only the people who come to visit but the cats that have made their way to this temple. For three days, we listened to their stories.
Episode 30
Lifting Spirits in a Tokyo Liquor Store
December 16, 2022
A small back space of a liquor store in Tokyo's Asagaya neighborhood is a no-frills standing bar where customers can drink their purchases. Patrons dropping in for a tipple come from all walks of life, including a company employee on his way home from work and a married couple able to spend more time together now that the husband has retired. For three days, we asked customers drinking in this liquor shop's back room about why they come here and raise a glass.
Episode 31
Year-End Special 2022 Viewer Vote #2 On Location Special
December 30, 2022
A live broadcast of a scene from the show, as well as information on what happened to the characters after the show!
Episode 32
Year-End Special 2022 Viewer Vote #1 On Location Special
December 30, 2022
A live broadcast of a scene from the show, as well as information on what happened to the characters after the show!
