In Japan, which is surrounded by the sea, it takes time, but it is a ferry that can be moved cheaply. In particular, the route between Nagoya and Sendai and Hokkaido boasts two hundred thousand users per year. In the spring when people start a new life, the ship is filled with a variety of "facts" such as workers moving to Nagoya, which is booming, university students who complete a graduation trip in a cheap and easy country, and a group of dispatched employees who boarded in search of "a relaxing time". What is the current situation in Japan that emerges from the encounter on the ship for three days?

The economy is on the upswing, and the job offer rate for university students has exceeded eighty percent this spring. However, in Shibuya, Tokyo Wakamono Hello Work = so-called "Wakahalo", more than two hundred young people seeking jobs flock to each day. The popular "regular employee who is rewarding, not dispatch". In addition, the 30s of the Ice Age generation who are trying to change jobs with the driving force of the booming economy .... It is said that a third of university graduates quit within three years of joining the company, and they are closely connected to the consultation desk specialized for under-35s, which is rare in Japan. I looked at the work of young people today.

ShareHelped TwitterFacebook "Utsuya Station" has the fewest passengers on the JR Yamanote Line. During the day, the streets are sparse, but at night, the atmosphere changes completely, and the neon lights of countless love hotels and sex shops shine out. The stage is a popular restaurant that has been open for more than thirty years in the Tokudani. A man and a woman with various circumstances come to the restaurant where you can eat a warm set meal at any time for twenty-four hours to satisfy a small belly and taste the humane. In this city, which has quietly accepted the desires of the people, you can see the drama of adults.

The trunk room is rapidly increasing throughout Japan, saying, "You can store things that cannot be placed at home." It is close to one of the largest stores in the Kansai region near Shin-Osaka Station for three days. In the store, which is lined with rooms of various sizes, people who secretly deposit "secret items that can not be said to anyone" visit every time for twenty-four hours. However, it is difficult to interview only in the hidden world.

With oldies playing on the jukebox, a Japanese woman enjoys a steak while American soldiers down plates of fried rice. This is the classic drive-in restaurant just off the main road on Okinawa Prefecture. Opened when Okinawa were still under the U.S. rule, it retains the flavor of 1960s America. In this episode, we meet a man who came from Taiwan over 30 years ago, the bride of an American soldier, young Okinawans looking for work, and others who come to taste the soul food of Okinawa.

For crimes ranging from drugs to murder, the number of women being sent to prison has multiplied in Japan over the last 20 years. How do they spend their days? What is on their minds? In this program, we take a close look inside Wakayama Women's Prison, one of Japan's largest. Inmates do menial labor in a workshop in the day and watch TV during evening recess. And what do model prisoners say when they learn they'll be released on parole? Witness 3 days of life behind the giant prison walls.

From reasonable breakfasts to ice cream sodas to sweet bean paste on toast, our stage this time is a Nagoya café. Tea culture has thrived in Nagoya from the days of old, and cafés now make up 40% of its dining establishments. It's not unusual for families to spend mornings here, or even for customers to come multiple times a day. Sit and relax on a dark red sofa, and your heart will belong here. We spend 3 days in an old café in Nagoya, surrendering ourselves to the nostalgic retro atmosphere.

For crimes ranging from drugs to murder, the number of women being sent to prison has multiplied in Japan over the last 20 years. How do they spend their days? What is on their minds? In this program, we take a close look inside Wakayama Women's Prison, one of Japan's largest. Inmates do menial labor in a workshop in the day and watch TV during evening recess. And what do model prisoners say when they learn they'll be released on parole? Witness 3 days of life behind the giant prison walls.

In the streets of Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, the air is filled with a dozen foreign languages as people dance the samba and hula in the "Worldwide Uchinanchu (Okinawan) Festival." Around 7,300 Okinawan descendants have returned home from around the world to participate. They are those who went abroad for various reasons, some to find work and some driven from their homes after WWII. Others are 2nd and 3rd generations of Okinawans, and have come to learn more about their ancestral roots. We pay a visit to Kokusai Street, the heart of the festival, to listen to their voices.

Is this a restaurant or an amusement park? When the mountains in western Japan are enveloped by the darkness of night, this unique restaurant shines with vibrant colors. The restaurant which is modeled on a bandit hideout appeals to diners of all ages with its seasonal events, hearty portions and welcoming atmosphere. For many local young people, this is their first destination after they get a driver's license. For 3 days, we spoke to the customers who came to dine at this restaurant.

It's said that a man's shoes reflect his pride. This time, we spend 3 days in a street side shoeshine shop, a rare sight in modern-day Tokyo. The customers here are particular about polished shoes: from a man getting into the spirit for an important meeting; to a young businessman using stylish shoes to make an impression; to a man taking care of the precious shoes his wife gave him. We take a look at the lives these men lead, from the shoes up.

Riding a motorcycle might be hot in summer and cold in winter, but many riders would never consider any other mode of transport. Some even cut back on buying a daily coffee to save money for their bike. There is a large parts store in Tokyo where riders come to seek new accessories or simply to show off their prized vehicle. Among the steady stream of riders drawn to this store are a 75-year-old man who started a part-time job to buy a new bike, a hydroelectric power plant engineer whose career was inspired by a bike, and a man who liked bikes so much he became a courier on 2 wheels. For 3 days, we spoke to these people about why they can't get enough of their motorcycles.

Could you get by if your smartphone stopped working? Our stage this time is a smartphone repair shop in Shibuya, Tokyo. The customers range from a young man wanting to restore precious photos of a summer spent with friends, to a female student worried about being unable to contact anyone. Their phones are filled with personal connections and the memories of daily life. What do they choose to save? What connections are most valuable to them? We spend 3 days filming this repair shop to catch a glimpse of what people keep on their phones.

In this age where the shift toward digitization and going paperless seems irresistible, one business in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district still goes through more than 10,000 sheets of paper each day. This 24-hour printing and photocopying shop attracts customers around the clock by offering services such as making posters, bookbinding and printing bulk volumes of beautiful, intricate images that only professionals can deliver. The shop's customers include a company employee desperate to print out materials for an important presentation, and an elderly man who has written his life story and wants it printed so he can leave copies for his family to remember him. What messages do customers want to convey or leave behind on paper? For 3 days, we spoke to people about their personal stories behind the pages copied and printed here.

When the herring season starts and winter's icy grip tightens on northern Japan, the locals in the fishing town of Nemuro turn to a convenience store offering warming, satisfying meals with a difference. The 24-hour store close to the port is busy day and night as customers are seduced by its freshly baked bread and extensive range of handmade bento meals. It even sells 150 servings of its signature grilled meat "yakitori" bento each day. Nemuro boasts Japan's largest catches of saury, but the 2017 season was hit by a record-breaking poor haul. What are customers thinking about as they reach for a piping-hot bento at this convenience store? For 3 days, we listened to their personal stories at a store that warms the hearts of many people in Nemuro.

In a residential area in Koto Ward, Tokyo, is a bakery open 24 hours a day. Their Danish Bread, rich with butter and fresh cream, sells over 1,000 loaves each day. Many people come to buy this bread not only for themselves, but as gifts for others as well. From people sending it as a casual present to friends and family, to businessmen buying it as a thank-you gift, we spend 3 days looking at who buys this sweet, delicious bread.

It's midwinter at Tsugaru Strait, where a huge ferry connects the 120 kilometers between Aomori Prefecture and Hakodate, Hokkaido. With showers, a game center and even suite rooms with beds, the spacious ferry can carry 600 passengers. At the end of each year, crowds of people head back to their hometowns on this boat. From a father living away from his family for work, to a couple excited about their new life together, everyone has a different reason for crossing the strait. We spend 3 days traveling between Aomori and Hakodate, and take a look at the stories of the people we meet.

Located near Narita International Airport, Sakuranoyama Park offers visitors close-up views of planes arriving at and taking off from this major gateway to Japan. At times, several hundred people visit the park each day to catch awe-inspiring glimpses of huge aircraft flying overhead. Among the visitors were avid photographers, an elderly man who has never been on a plane, and a man fondly recalling the days when he flew all over the country on business trips. People at the park superimpose their own lives and dreams on the planes flying to distant corners of the world. For 3 days in early spring, a season for new beginnings, we listened to the stories of park visitors gazing at the planes up in the sky.

Route 45, a national highway that snakes along the Pacific coast of the Tohoku region, is a vital link between areas devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Starting on the disaster's 7th anniversary, we travel from south to north to meet people living near this road. Over 3 days, we talk to people including an elderly woman taking a break near the spot where her house once stood, and a researcher who moved from Tokyo to study Tohoku's natural environment. Reconstruction is progressing well in some areas, but not so in others. As signs of the long-awaited spring appear, what thoughts are on the minds of residents here?

For 3 days, we follow a library truck stocked with 2,800 books. In Matsuyama City, a public truck service has been delivering books to the surrounding mountains and islands for 45 years. Many locals use this service, including a retired couple looking for new hobbies, elderly islanders full of curiosity to keep learning, and a pair of friends reunited by the truck who now meet there regularly. We explore how books have touched the lives of the people who gather at the library truck.

For a few days in spring, the normally quiet fishing town of Toyama Prefecture becomes festive as people gather from throughout the country. Their goal: to await the firefly squid. Around the new moon, when conditions are right, the squid will inundate the coast in massive numbers, covering the nighttime shore in their dazzling pale blue light. With baskets and nets in hand, young and old alike wait in the darkness with determination. Will they see the miraculous sight of the squid? We spend 3 spring days with them, waiting for the arrival of the squid.

Sales at department stores have been sluggish in recent years, but the stores' cosmetics sections are providing a ray of light with their robust growth. In 2017, sales at these sections jumped 17% from the previous year and topped 500 billion yen. Each day, about 2,000 customers buy their preferred makeup products at one long-established department store in Nagoya offering an array of famous brands. These customers include an 88-year-old company executive who never goes without makeup, a young woman setting on a new path in life by changing her job and her makeup, and an art dealer who considers cosmetics to be a vital part of her "combat uniform" worn during business battles. How do women want to present themselves and to be seen? For 3 days, we watched the customers quietly – but excitedly – finding their ideal makeup.

The Japanese Derby is an annual race that draws over 100,000 spectators. Many fans start lining up near the entrances to Tokyo Racecourse several days – the first ones more than a week – before the race, which lasts just two and a half minutes. Among those lining up are a man for whom the racetrack brings back happy memories of his late wife, and a man who recently quit his job due to office politics. As the clock ticks down to the race, a special sense of unity develops among those waiting in line. What do they think about, and how do they spend their time, during the tremendously long wait?

We cover an old hospital, built in the year of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, as it moves to a new building. The new hospital is only 250 meters away, but to ensure treatment is uninterrupted, all patients must be moved in a single day. What's more, the movement of beds and medical machines must also follow a tight schedule, transferred to the new building one truckload at a time. In preparation for this day, the doctors and nurses started holding meetings over 6 months before. Just how will this massive project turn out?

In a corner of a major industrial zone on Tokyo Bay sits a park from which people can fish at any time of the day or night. More than 20 kinds of fish, including horse mackerel and sea bass, can be caught from the waterfront park, which attracts fishing fans around the clock. Among the people who come to drop a line in the water are a shipyard worker from the Philippines, a freelance illustrator hoping to catch a big fish with her brand-new fishing rod, and a young man who has worked in construction since he was a teenager to support his family and dreams of becoming a photographer. For 3 days in July, as Tokyo sweltered in record-breaking heat, we asked the people at this park about why they went fishing there.

It is 780 meters long, dead straight and has few distinguishing features, but the undersea pedestrian tunnel running 60 meters underneath the Kanmon Straits in southwestern Japan attracts a steady stream of visitors. Many people use the tunnel to travel between Fukuoka Pref. and Yamaguchi Pref., but others have different purposes in mind. The visitors are diverse: from a woman in her 20's who brought her boyfriend to the tunnel that is filled with childhood memories, a man who comes to secretly train for a marathon, to a woman who walks there every week with old friends no matter how busy she is. What draws them to this nondescript tunnel that remains unchanged, day after day? We spend 3 days looking at who walks through this underground passage.

Shimbashi, Tokyo, where office workers thrive. When they need refreshment, they head to a local, long-running juice stand. Ingredients range from peach and watermelon, to turmeric and aloe. Over 150 customers come each day, seeking colorful juice made with seasonal fruits and vegetables. A businessman rushes in before a negotiation, a woman in her 30's comes by to care hungover. Another man, in his 70's, has been a regular customer since before he retired. We spend 3 days in this oasis, listening to the thoughts of people who come here for a break.

Our stage this time is a remittance office in Okubo, Tokyo, where 40% of the population is international. Foreign workers visit this office in an endless stream, where money can be sent to 150 different countries for a fee of about 1,000 yen. An Indonesian woman sends tuition money for her sister's children, while a man from Africa transfers money to fly his son in to live with him. We listen to customers' stories as they send money, and love, to the people they hold dear.

About 5 million people visit Hakodate in Hokkaido Prefecture, but in recent years this picturesque northern city has become known for another down-to-earth attraction: a hamburger restaurant that offers huge servings. Its unique hamburgers include fillings such as deep-fried chicken and crumbed pork cutlets. Many customers who come for a hearty lunch get so full that they do not need to eat dinner. Although Hakodate often tops surveys of attractive places to visit, the city also suffers from a falling population and high unemployment rate. For 3 days, we asked customers at this restaurant that has been loved by locals for decades about what they define as happiness.

Each day, more than 1.8 million people pass through Tokyo Station. For 50 years, the Gin-no-suzu (silver bell) waiting area inside the station has been a popular landmark and a favorite spot to meet up with others. Countless reunions and farewells take place under this huge bell that adorns the center of the waiting area. The people waiting there include a group of elderly men who meet there on each other's birthdays before heading off to celebrate, and far-flung fans of a pop band who met online and are going to a concert together. But for some, finding Gin-no-suzu inside the sprawling station is not so easy and rendezvous plans do not work out as expected. For 3 days, we talked to the people waiting at this iconic spot -- and to the people they were meeting.

In a quiet mountain town in Kumamoto Prefecture, there's a flight of 3,333 stone steps. Measuring 2.1 kilometers, it's the longest in Japan and takes the average adult about 90 minutes to climb. The steps attract people who want to put themselves through a strenuous challenge for various reasons. One group of university students makes the climb knowing they will go their separate ways after graduation. An elderly beautician takes on the steps with apprentices who are like sons to him. Some visitors go up and down several times a day. With anguished looks and trembling legs, they test their limits. We spent 3 days meeting people going up and down the 3,333 steps.

Our stage this time is one of the largest home centers in Japan, located in a suburb east of Tokyo. From daily necessities to building and gardening materials, every product imaginable can be found here. A couple with a shared love of DIY (Do It Yourself) pick out lumber to rebuild a fence destroyed in a typhoon. Meanwhile, a woman working in rehabilitation looks for materials to make a device to help a patient. We listen to the stories of these people as they attempt to improve their lives through DIY.

About 5 million people visit Hakodate in Hokkaido Prefecture, but in recent years this picturesque northern city has become known for another down-to-earth attraction: a hamburger restaurant that offers huge servings. Its unique hamburgers include fillings such as deep-fried chicken and crumbed pork cutlets. Many customers who come for a hearty lunch get so full that they do not need to eat dinner. Although Hakodate often tops surveys of attractive places to visit, the city also suffers from a falling population and high unemployment rate. For 3 days, we asked customers at this restaurant that has been loved by locals for decades about what they define as happiness.

Each day, more than 1.8 million people pass through Tokyo Station. For 50 years, the Gin-no-suzu (silver bell) waiting area inside the station has been a popular landmark and a favorite spot to meet up with others. Countless reunions and farewells take place under this huge bell that adorns the center of the waiting area. The people waiting there include a group of elderly men who meet there on each other's birthdays before heading off to celebrate, and far-flung fans of a pop band who met online and are going to a concert together. But for some, finding Gin-no-suzu inside the sprawling station is not so easy and rendezvous plans do not work out as expected. For 3 days, we talked to the people waiting at this iconic spot -- and to the people they were meeting.

In a quiet mountain town in Kumamoto Prefecture, there's a flight of 3,333 stone steps. Measuring 2.1 kilometers, it's the longest in Japan and takes the average adult about 90 minutes to climb. The steps attract people who want to put themselves through a strenuous challenge for various reasons. One group of university students makes the climb knowing they will go their separate ways after graduation. An elderly beautician takes on the steps with apprentices who are like sons to him. Some visitors go up and down several times a day. With anguished looks and trembling legs, they test their limits. We spent 3 days meeting people going up and down the 3,333 steps.

Our stage this time is one of the largest home centers in Japan, located in a suburb east of Tokyo. From daily necessities to building and gardening materials, every product imaginable can be found here. A couple with a shared love of DIY (Do It Yourself) pick out lumber to rebuild a fence destroyed in a typhoon. Meanwhile, a woman working in rehabilitation looks for materials to make a device to help a patient. We listen to the stories of these people as they attempt to improve their lives through DIY.

In this episode, the scene takes place at a so-called table-sharing lounge in Sendai City, where men and women of all ages and backgrounds come in the hope of finding someone special while they are matched with random strangers. The customers we encounter include a group of young women who say that there's a lack of men in their town, a hairstylist trying to get over a difficult breakup, and a 23-year-old farmer who wants to get married. The spread of social media has made it simple to contact someone in an instant, but many people we spoke to say they hardly meet anyone new in person. Who are they hoping to meet at this lounge? For 3 days around Christmas 2018, we follow the men and women trying to give Cupid a helping hand.

Since opening in 2015, Narita Airport's Terminal 3 for low-cost carriers has attracted more passengers each year as travelers swoop on the cheap airfares these airlines offer. Even though it lies about 600 meters from the nearest train station -- a bit of a challenge for people carrying bulky luggage -- around 20,000 people use this terminal every day. For 3 days in late December 2018, we spoke to people at this airport, including its 24-hour departure lobby and adjoining food court. As the year draws to a close, where will travelers fly off to?

If you start with a charm that supposedly brings good luck and offer to barter it with passersby on a bridge in Osaka Prefecture's Dotonbori district, what sort of trades will happen and people will you meet? For 3 days, we put this question to the test. The people who swapped items with us included a Frenchman who fell in love with Osaka and decided to live there, a women's soccer team visiting the city on a university graduation trip, and an elementary school student traveling with his father after participating in a national karate tournament. Through a series of trades, a connection gradually forms among strangers who otherwise would have no link with each other. When 72 hours are up, what has the "bringer of good luck" turned into?

This episode focuses on a small real estate agency near Fukuoka Prefecture's Nakasu entertainment district, the biggest in Kyushu. Despite being tucked away on the 3rd floor of a multitenant building and displaying no signage, this agency receives a steady stream of customers who have seen its online listings. This agency offers everything from dirt-cheap apartments where monthly rent costs less than 20,000 yen (about US $180) to commercial properties seeking new tenants. The growing range of properties handled by this real estate agency reflects the recent increase in Fukuoka's population. Moving to a new apartment or home can herald the start of a new chapter in life. What sort of people come to this real estate agency, and why do they want to rent a place?

A gym in a residential area of Tokyo offers classes for a slightly unusual activity where going backward is actually a sign of progress - doing backflips. These lessons are becoming increasingly popular among children, housewives, and company employees who drop by to master their technique after work. Among the people at this gym are a man in his 40's who has long admired Jackie Chan and a young woman who hopes doing backflips might give her cosplay photos a stylish edge. For 3 days, we spoke to people determined to find out if doing a complete backflip will also help their lives take a turn for the better.

Spring in Japan is a time of new beginnings and also goodbyes. On Fukue Island, the largest of the Goto Islands in the far west of Japan, locals have made sending off people moving away an intrinsic part of life. In the closing days of March, when many people move for work, education, marriage, or other reasons, the terminal building at the island's ferry port - and its wharf - fills with relatives, colleagues, classmates, former students, and friends who come to bid farewell. These high-spirited goodbyes feature a mixture of hugs, tearful messages, songs, and signs. For 3 days, we watched the people embarking on the next chapter of their lives away from Fukue, and the locals ensuring they get a farewell to remember.

At a large cemetery in a Tokyo suburb, cherry trees grow in between rows of traditional gravestones. The trees themselves are also graves - a form of tree burial called "jumokuso" gaining popularity across Japan as more people express their wish to return to nature after they die. For 3 days during cherry blossom season, we meet people flocking to the cemetery to pay their respects, including a man on his weekly visit to the grave of his late wife, who stood by him through difficult times; 3 brothers who always visit their father's grave together around this time of the year; and a woman who talks to her late husband as she sips on a beer, as they used to enjoy doing together.

Takadanobaba is home to dozens of universities, university preparatory schools, and vocational colleges, making it one of Tokyo's most popular student districts. An ordinary open space inside the rotary in front of the station is a regular meeting spot for students going to parties or club activities at all times of the day and night. Among the people we meet assembling at this hive of activity are university students going out for a few drinks after their soccer training, and a group of middle-aged men who have come for a reunion to take a walk down memory lane in a district where they spent a several years of their youth. For 3 days straddling the end of one academic year and the start of a new one, we asked the students, past and present, about why this iconic location holds a special place in their hearts.

A few minutes' walk from the famous intersection in Shibuya, Tokyo, is a 24-hour post office. In recent years, this post office has handled an increasing volume of packages for delivery, mainly due to the popularity of online flea market apps among people of all ages. In late April and early May 2019, Shibuya was abuzz as people celebrated the dawn of the Reiwa era. For 3 days spanning this period, we spoke to customers around the clock at Shibuya Post Office, including a woman sending clothes she sold online, an elderly man who has collected stamps for over 60 years, and a woman sending heartfelt messages to her 3 adult children. What else were people posting? And what sentiments were being delivered along with their postcards and packages?

Amid the ongoing health boom, many people have been tempted to try "short-term fasting" to improve their physical and mental condition. Visitors to a facility in Izu Kogen in Shizuoka Prefecture, willingly fast for several days not only to become healthier, but also to shake off feelings of gloom and unhappiness. The visitors include a man who manages a real estate agency who says that the fasting has given him a whole different perspective on life, a woman needing a break from caring for her elderly father, and a woman who took over her husband's design company after he died of cancer 10 years ago. During their stay, they eat only a rice porridge and a bland bowl of miso soup each morning and night. What do these people want to change, and what do they hope to achieve by fasting at this facility?

A few minutes' walk from Asagaya Station, Tokyo, is a traditional goldfish fishing pond that has been operating in a quiet residential area for more than 90 years. Anybody can casually stop by and drop a line in the pond, which is popular with adults and children alike. The customers we encountered included a man who has been regularly fishing there for more than 50 years, a man who drives for 3 hours every weekend to try his luck at the pond, and a woman who catches up to 200 goldfish in just one day. What are they thinking about as they sit around this pond richly stocked with various varieties of goldfish?

For some people, a wig is a "secret item" that dramatically transforms their appearance and mood. An underground shopping mall in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is home to a wig shop that has been providing all manner of wigs to men and women, young and old, for more than 40 years. Some of the customers we meet include a woman in her 40's worried about her thinning hair, a fitness instructor seeking a wig that would suit her costume for a dance performance, and a middle-aged man who enjoys cross-dressing. Each customer carefully selects a wig that matches their needs. What are they hoping to change about themselves, and who do they want to become?

A huge footwear store in Kobe attracts customers from far and wide. About 100,000 pairs of shoes, sandals, and boots fill the shelves of this store, which covers over 3,000 square meters. But the biggest surprise inside the store is the prices. Sandals are priced from just 499 yen (less than $5), pumps start at 980 yen, and 2 pairs of business leather shoes cost a total of 5,000 yen. Every day, customers seeking a bargain on footwear are drawn to this store. But for many of them, shoes are more than just something worn on their feet. For 3 days in early summer, we listened to the personal stories of the customers who come here to save money for the next step in their life.

Japan's population continues to gravitate to the Tokyo area, but some people long to move from the capital to different corners of the nation. A consultation center in Tokyo's Yurakucho district is a magnet for anyone considering such a shift. At the center, consultants from 39 prefectures offer free advice, information, and handy tips about housing, employment, and any other aspect of daily life that awaits new residents. About 70% of people who come seeking for advice are aged 40 or younger. Among the visitors we met over 3 days was a man in his 60's looking for a new place to live after a recent divorce, and a man who took early retirement so he could return to Kyushu and spend more time with his children. Why do people want to move from Tokyo? And what do they hope to find after moving to their new home?

As Japan's society continues to gray, the nation's hospitals are facing a chronic shortage of beds. At the same time, a growing number of people want to spend their final days at home rather than in a hospital, and others would rather care for ill relatives in their own home. Home care nurses provide invaluable support for people who choose to receive medical treatment at home. For 3 days, we followed the home care nurses that look after more than 190 patients living in Higashikurume in western Tokyo. What do these visits mean to the patients, who ranged from young children with cerebral palsy to the city's increasingly elderly residents?

We follow a blood donation bus on its journey from town to town in Hokkaido Prefecture. Japan as a whole faces a chronic shortage of blood donors, but Hokkaido has the highest donor rate in the nation. In a prefecture where the population density is low, this bus is what makes it possible to collect everyone's blood donation by traveling from one town to another. Some of the donors we meet are: a man who has donated blood 289 times, a woman who is donating blood as an act of gratitude and a nursery school teacher who feels refreshed by having blood drawn. We spend 3 days visiting small towns in Hokkaido, on a mission of compassion.

Working styles are changing with the times. People no longer have to be physically present at their office at a certain time, and not everyone wants to be an "employee" at a company. In this episode, we visit a shared office space in Nagatacho - home to the National Diet Building and the center of national politics. In this place, which resembles a cafe more than an office, there are several co-working spaces and rental offices. A variety of people spend their day here - from freelancers and entrepreneurs, to people who have an office elsewhere but who use the space as a satellite office. We spent 3 days following them, as they search for their own unique work styles and chase their dreams.

A dentist's office in Fukuoka, southern Japan, has people streaming in around the clock to be relieved of their pain or to improve their smile. Some of the patients include: a man who lost 3 of his front teeth in a fight back in high school; an older man who has had dentures since he was in his 40's; and a university student who says that getting her teeth fixed gave her a more positive outlook on life. Each chip, crack, cavity and missing tooth has a story behind it. For 3 days, we hear about some of the drama in these patients' lives.

A liquor store in Ginza, Tokyo, boasts a selection of over 3,000 types of mainly wine and whiskey from around the world, including a bottle that costs over 18,000 US dollars. Their tastings attract many drink lovers: customers can choose from over 1,000 bottles, with each sample glass costing just a few dollars. There, we meet a man who has a collection of over 100 types of whiskey at home and a proprietress of a bar who has survived 40 years of fierce competition. A Chinese company president-cum-sake sommelier who exports sake shares a nugget of wisdom: if you like it, it's a good drink, regardless of the price. For 3 days, we asked liquor store customers about their drink of choice.

A store in Akihabara, Japan's biggest electronics town, sells over 100,000 electronics parts, including resistors, capacitors and circuit boards. Around 1,000 people come to the store every day, from professional engineers to people who like to build their own electronics for fun. Among the people we meet are a musician who makes his own effects units; a graduate student who makes drones to take a break from job hunting; and a man whose hobby of fixing car audio systems has turned into a job. For 3 days, we peeked inside the store to find out what it is people come to buy and what they hope to create with it.

Every winter, anglers from across the country flock to one of Japan's most popular surf spots - Ishizakihama, in Miyazaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan. They all come in the hopes of catching the mulloway, a fish that approaches the shore around this time of year and can measure well over a meter in length. However, the chances of catching one is said to be as slim as winning the lottery. For 3 days, we spoke to the avid anglers who make every effort to capture these elusive creatures, and forge new friendships in the process.

2 brothers in their 70's operate this unpretentious street stall that has only 1 item on the menu - coffee. The stall is set up each evening in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture, and has been a popular haunt for locals and visitors for almost half a century. Among the customers we met were: a successful psychiatrist who runs several hospitals; a company employee who always ends his week here; and a man who has been coming here since he was a little boy. For 3 days, we asked the customers about what makes this stall so special, and why they keep coming back.

For junior high or high school graduates, or drop-outs struggling to find their place in society, landing a well-paid, steady job can be almost impossible. But one training center in Tokyo teaches these disaffected youngsters practical skills during a six-month internship and transforms them into workers that companies need. About 400 people have completed this program at the center, and many of them have found excellent jobs at major IT firms and other companies. For 3 days, we closely watched the youngsters determined to turn their lives around and start climbing the career ladder.

In August 2019, more than 2,000 motorcycle fans from across Japan assembled at a remote parking area in the volcanic Mount Aso, Kumamoto Prefecture. They came to be photographed with their prized two-wheelers for an album produced at an event held only once every 10 years. Many attendees have been to all of the event's 5 editions since it started in 1979. How have the participants' lives changed over the decade since the previous event? And what has stayed the same? For 3 days, we spoke to the motorcyclists who made this journey that was also a trip down memory lane.

Every autumn, people from across Japan flock to a large observation area about 1,600 meters above sea level in the mountainous village of Achi, Nagano Prefecture. The picture-postcard views include forests of vibrant autumn leaves, starry skies and a sea of clouds. Many visitors arrive in the wee hours so they can reach the summit and watch the morning sunrise above the horizon - often making a wish as the new day dawns. For 3 days, we asked people why they come here and what is going through their minds as they soak up the views.

An indoor climbing gym in Kawasaki City, near Tokyo, gives climbers a venue to test their physical limit and improve their skills while experiencing thrills - and a sense of achievement - not often found in daily life. The facility's 4-meter-tall bouldering wall and towering climbing walls more than 10 meters high provide challenging obstacles for enthusiasts of all ages and abilities, ranging from novices to some of Japan's finest climbers. For 3 days, we spoke to the climbers determined to reach the top of these walls - and to overcome other challenges they face in life along the way.

Tokyo Freight Terminal is Japan's largest distribution hub, with goods from across the nation arriving and being shipped out 24 hours a day. Train drivers, engineers, truck drivers and forklift operators are among the army of workers who keep this vital facility running smoothly. The volume of freight shipped by rail in Japan is growing annually due to the rise in online shopping and a shortage of truck drivers. For 3 days, we spoke to the men and women making sure these cargoes reach their destinations - safely and on time.

Osaka Castle, which stands in the heart of Osaka City, western Japan, is surrounded by a park covering more than 100 hectares. Each year, over 2.7 million people visit this urban park famous for its castle, gardens and multipurpose hall. This green oasis is open 24 hours a day, so people come here around the clock. For some, it is a place to do exercise; for others, a place to relax or sightsee. For 3 days, we asked visitors what makes the Osaka Castle Park special and why it holds a place in their hearts.

By late June, about 1 month after Japan's coronavirus state of emergency had been lifted, people had gradually returned to Tokyo's Inokashira Park. Among the visitors to the popular park's lush greenery and large pond were friends catching up after a long time being unable to meet; a comedy duo practicing to achieve their goal of finding fame; and a company employee leisurely reading a book and enjoying the outdoors after being stuck inside during the previous months. What inspired these people to come here? For 3 days, we asked visitors about what the park means to them.

Many people in Japan celebrate the Tanabata Star Festival -- a tradition marked each July 7 -- by writing a wish on a thin sheet of colored paper and tying it to a bamboo branch. Zojoji Temple, which stands near the base of Tokyo Tower, holds an annual festival during which visitors write their deepest wish in the hope it will come true. Among the visitors to the temple in the days leading up to Tanabata were a woman longing to meet a man she has had a crush on for 10 years, a couple worried that the coronavirus pandemic might jeopardize their bonuses and an Australian woman who comes every year with a message for her deceased father. For 3 days, we asked people at the temple about the wishes -- ranging from the modest to the extravagant -- they penned and the stories behind them.

A large 24-hour sports gym in Tokyo's Harajuku district has members of all ages, sizes and strength levels. Among the people who come to lift weights are a man who started training to impress women; a woman finally spending time doing what she wants; and a man who used to be bullied in school but who is now a professional personal trainer. For 3 days, we asked members about what motivates them to continue coming to this gym. (This episode was filmed in mid-February 2020.)

In this episode, the stage is a low-budget wedding hall in Tokyo, where 30-40 couples shuffle through every day for affordable, small-scale, short notice wedding arrangements. For many of the couples, the simple weddings are a display of best effort in the face of the demands of work and family. Some skip the ceremony altogether, opting to just have pictures taken to commemorate a turning point in their lives. For all the couples, the weddings represent a profound triumph over adversity, and celebration of a new life together. People from all walks of life, and their small wedding stories.

A road near Tokyo's Roppongi district is an oasis for taxi drivers who are allowed to park here for as long as they like. There, the drivers can relax, eat and even sleep on a break. As the coronavirus pandemic rumbles on, how do drivers feel about their jobs? The drivers we met included one who started this career after the pandemic erupted, one thinking of quitting because his income has plunged and another who cannot quit because he has a family to support. For 3 days, we asked drivers who parked along this road about their job and what the future holds.

Runners have 72 hours to complete a 400-km "Survival Run" around the main island of Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan. The 68 participants from across Japan complain that the race is exhausting and torturous, yet they continue to push themselves, day and night. Some say that running allows them to forget all their worries and stress, others say they enjoy increasing their distance. We spent 3 days chasing after them to find out what motivates them to continue running.

The Great East Japan Earthquake and the ensuing Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 forced all the residents of Namie Town to evacuate. When the evacuation order was partially lifted in 2017, some residents began returning to their hometown. In the summer of 2019, a large supermarket opened its doors to eager shoppers. In this episode, we spent 3 days at the supermarket during the busiest time of the year - around New Year's - and asked customers how their lives have changed since the disaster, and how they will be spending the holidays, 9 years on.

The closure of Tokyo's Toshimaen amusement park in August 2020 marked the end of an era. For decades, El Dorado, the park's wooden carousel, was a popular attraction with visitors young and old. In the days before the park closed, visitors flocked to the carousel for a final ride, including an elderly couple who came on dates here before they married; a young man reminiscing about happier times with his family; and a woman who wants her late mother to see that she is back on her feet. For 3 days, we asked why this ride held such a special place in the hearts of so many people.

As many people have spent more time at home during the coronavirus pandemic, gardening has become a popular hobby. Tokyo's garden megastore with over 100,000 varieties of plants is the go-to place for people wanting flowers, vegetables, bonsai trees or rare shrubs. The center's customers include a man inspired by a cactus' power to survive, a woman who buys weakened plants so she can help them recover and a woman who feels most relaxed when she tends to her plants. For 3 days, we asked what plants mean to them.

A Tokyo store selling cheap, good-quality kitchen equipment is a boon for restaurant owners, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. The store sells over 9,000 kinds of products, ranging from fridges to pots and pans to cutlery. Among customers we met were an owner of a Japanese-style bar who started meal deliveries; and a couple opening their dream café. The store also receives a steady stream of requests to buy equipment from restaurants that have shut their doors. For 3 days, we asked operators who shop here about what's on their minds as they search for their new equipment.

It's small and has only a few large animals, but a hilltop zoological park in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, has captured the heart of locals for decades. It is home to about 60 different species and is frequented by many, especially since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic which has made it difficult to travel far. Among the visitors to this free admission zoo are people on family outings; a woman who comes on various milestones in her life; and a young couple who come at night to find nocturnal creatures in the park. For 3 days, we asked visitors why this seemingly ordinary zoo has become a special place for so many people.

With over 40 kinds of handmade sandwiches including egg, mince cutlet and even fruit available, it could be the wide selection that draws customers to this small shop near Sapporo's Susukino entertainment district. However, this shop has another major attraction: it is open 24 hours a day. Among the customers we met, include a female owner of a nearby bar; a mother preparing breakfast for her family at 4 AM; and a nightclub host needing a snack before work. For 3 days, we spoke to the customers dropping by this shop that never sleeps.

A major furniture outlet store in Chiba Prefecture boasts a stock of roughly 1,400 items from beds, sofas to tables. Customers are increasing since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic as people are staying in more and seeking to make their homes more comfortable. Among the customers we met were a man searching for a dining table hoping to spend quality time with his family, and a woman who is replacing all her furniture to surround herself with only the things she loves. The choices they make tell us something about who they are, and the changes and challenges they face in life. How do they picture their future? For 3 days, we listened to their stories.

The 70-kilometer Shimanami Kaido cycling route, which links Honshu and Shikoku via a chain of bridges and islands, is a magnet for cyclists from across Japan - and even further afield. Among the people we met pedaling along this route were a father and son who come every year; a farmer reliving his youthful days on 2 wheels; and a middle-aged couple now able to spend more time together. Why is this route so special to them? For 3 days, we spoke to cyclists riding the Shimanami Kaido, come rain or shine.

Tanga Market, a century-old market of 120 shops in western Japan, is known as the "kitchen of Kitakyushu." Although the market will soon be redeveloped, its old-fashioned charm keeps pulling in shoppers. Among the customers there were a man who feels at home at the market, even if he does not buy anything; an elderly woman grumbling about having to cook her son's meals; and a young couple bewitched by the variety of foods sold there. For 3 days in late December, we explored why this market remains so popular.

The Umihotaru parking area in the heart of Tokyo Bay offers 360-degree views of the surrounding area. Among the visitors we met over 3 days at the end of 2020 were a married couple who dropped plans to visit their distant hometowns over the New Year; a man who listens to pilots flying overhead communicating with air traffic controllers; and a couple who have been dating for less than a week braving the gale. At the end of a year dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, we asked visitors what is on their minds as they take in the ocean scenery.

It has been 10 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami occurred, and nuclear meltdowns forced the town of Namie to evacuate. Work to decontaminate and rebuild this part of Fukushima Prefecture is still ongoing. For many workers here, a bento shop is a vital source of cheap, hearty food. The customers at the shop included a dump truck driver who says that the town still feels empty; a man who has been engaged in decontamination work for a decade; and an elderly woman who says that she prefers to be in Namie even if there's nobody around. For 3 days, we asked what this shop means to the customers - and this town.

In Japan, spring is a time when many people move for school or work. A highway bus terminal linking Osaka Prefecture with over 60 cities is a magnet for people starting the next chapter in life. Among those we met at this terminal were a couple visiting their hometown for the first time in a year; a woman getting engaged to her long-distance boyfriend; and a newly grad moving out of his mother's home to start a new job far away. For 3 days in mid-March, soon after the COVID state of emergency was lifted, we asked people at the terminal where they were going, and why.

A convenience store inside a major hospital in Kamakura City, just south of Tokyo, is open around the clock for doctors, nurses, patients and their families. Among the customers were a nurse buying herself a sweet treat after finishing an emergency operation; a patient who bought more than 10 books to read and pass the time; and an on-duty doctor needing an energy boost in the wee hours. Even though many people are staying home during the state of emergency, the hospital remains as busy as ever. For 3 days, we asked the customers what they were buying and why they were there.

A small dry cleaner in a western Tokyo commuter town is known for removing stubborn stains from garments and items that are precious to the owner. Among the customers are a woman who skipped getting her winter clothes cleaned during the coronavirus state of emergency; a nightclub waiter who gets his tailor-made suit cleaned monthly; and a woman who has taken it upon herself to raise her granddaughter. For 3 days, we asked customers about the tale behind each item getting carefully cleaned.

For the approximately 1,100 residents of Kakeroma Island in southern Japan, water taxis that travel to Amami Oshima, a nearby larger island, are a vital mode of transport for going shopping or to work. Among the people using these boats during 3 days in late March were a woman who had stocked up at a supermarket; a family who had moved here from Tokyo; and a teacher being transferred after completing his post at a school with 18 students. We explored the role these boats play in daily life here and in keeping community ties strong.

Near the towering apartment buildings in Tokyo's Tsukuda area is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it alley. But tucked away down the narrow passage is a stone carving of a Buddhist guardian deity and a centuries-old ginkgo tree. Some people come to this small, secluded site to pray for good health, others for business prosperity or a better relationship with their spouse. Some just drop by to clear their mind. For 3 days, we asked visitors why they come to this unique spot loved by locals for almost 300 years.

A uniform specialty store in Shinjuku, Tokyo, sells an exhaustive range of attire for medical staff, chefs, security guards and various other workers. What does a brand-new uniform mean to these workers? For 3 days in mid-March, we asked that question to customers including a dentist expanding their wardrobe; a restaurant part-time worker buying new shoes; and the owner of a traditional Japanese restaurant desperately trying to keep her business afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

Meeting in person isn't easy these days, so sending a written message is a personal way to stay in touch. A stationery shop in Ginza, Tokyo, has over 5,000 items in a two-floor card and letter pad section. The customers included a man writing to his wife on their wedding anniversary for the first time; a company worker sending messages to clients she cannot meet due to coronavirus restrictions; and a woman cheered by handwritten letters from her grandmother. For 3 days, we asked what messages they would write.

A small, unmanned train station on the Noto Peninsula facing the Sea of Japan, is quiet for most of the year. But each spring, the station comes to life as about 100 cherry blossom trees flanking the tracks burst into bloom. The visitors included a woman and her elderly mother admiring the view of the petals, trains and nearby ocean; a man reminiscing about an inspiring high school teacher; and an elderly couple who helped plant some of the trees and who volunteer to keep the station clean. For 3 days, we asked people what the blossoms at this station mean to them.

On a cold winter day in Japan, a piping-hot sweet potato baked so a natural sweet syrup oozes from its skin is hard to beat. An old-fashioned, no-frills shop in Ibaraki Prefecture sells these potatoes that warm the body and heart. Customers there include a woman sending potatoes as a gift; a mother buying a treat for her young daughter; and newlyweds sharing a potato and enjoying the simple things in life. For 3 days at the end of a year in which life was turned upside-down, we ask people about why they crave this simple, warming snack.

From handheld sparklers to skyrockets and novelty fireworks, a small shop in Yamanashi Prefecture sells over 400 kinds of fireworks. Locals and visitors flock to this shop during a summer when many large fireworks displays were canceled. Customers included a family buying fireworks with a curry fragrance; an elderly couple buying an assortment for their grandchildren; and a worker at an elderly care facility hoping to give the residents a colorful thrill. For 3 days, we asked people why fireworks were special to them.

A store in a Tokyo suburb selling short-dated, surplus or imperfect yet edible food items cheaply is a magnet for thrifty shoppers. They can find vegetables costing just 27 US cents, a bottle of beer for 30 cents, and a pack of meat costing less than 1 dollar. The customers included a young woman trying to stretch the food budget for her family of 9; a woman and daughter who drive for an hour to buy meat; and a man thrilled by finding an unexpected bargain. Why do people come to this store that also reflects the huge volume of food discarded in Japan? For 3 days, we talked to customers hunting a bargain while filling their shopping baskets.

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.

Musashino Art University, a prestigious art university of art. This autumn, the once-a-year "art festival" was held with an audience for the first time in three years. Students devote themselves to creative activities such as paintings, sculptures, and crafts. A group that recruits friends and creates a huge object. A puppet show circle that wants to overcome the crisis of the ruins. Some students are worried about the future, but they are always facing paintings. What are you trying to make so far? Young people who are passionate about art for the three days before the start of the art festival.

Three old apartment buildings lined up near the Port of Osaka. Built in 1965, when the shipbuilding industry was thriving, about 70 households still live in these buildings. The apartments have a hangout where residents gather, and some even drink alcohol in the morning. An elderly woman who lost her husband and moved here a few years ago. A man chooses to live here alone so that his son and his family will not be troubled. There are couples who have lived here for more than 30 years because they feel comfortable here. In the midst of the changing times, we will spend three days looking at the days in the apartment, which continues to remain unchanged.

Pork and egg okonomiyaki: 430 yen. Beef yakisoba 450 yen. The setting is a small okonomiyaki shop in a shopping street in Kobe. It is well-liked by locals from children to the elderly. People come to eat with friends or buy okonomiyaki for their families. Many people also come to enjoy conversation with the store staff. Nagata Ward was severely damaged in the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. This store also collapsed, but was quick to reopen. For three days, we set up our camera here to look at the current state of the community, which has been recovering from the disaster.

On a sandy beach in Minami-Boso, Chiba, there is a rather unusual pier. It juts out 160 meters straight into Tokyo Bay with nothing around it. It was originally built in the Taisho era (1912-1926) for landing fish, but the fishing port was relocated about 50 years ago and the pier's role ended. Now it has become a hidden and popular spot. Some locals come here every day to walk their dogs, and a group of three visited on a farewell trip with a colleague who was leaving his workplace. Some couples have moved to the area because they like it so much. The mysterious pier attracts people. What are they thinking as they gaze out to sea?

Ugaminshoran, Hagee" - the language of the island, heard from the radio. The setting for this issue is a small FM radio station on Amami Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture. People from the island appear one after another, and many programs are hosted by ordinary people. The program personalities who read out the news in the island language are people in their 70s and 80s. Listen to the radio for three days and observe the daily life of the island.

A 60-year-old mountain lodge located 1,350 meters above sea level on Mount Adatara in Fukushima Prefecture. Adatara at 1,350 meters above sea level in Fukushima Prefecture. Climbers aiming for the summit spend time here to rest their bodies and release tension. The lodge has a hot spring and overnight accommodations are available. A group of four climbers prepare their gear after taking a break, and then set out to reach the summit. A man brings in food from the base of the mountain and enjoys cooking for himself. Some groups hold year-end parties here every year. People who dare to climb the severe snow-covered mountains and visit here at the end of 2022. For three days, we will listen to their hearts.

Buses running at the end of the year. The setting is an express bus terminal in downtown Fukuoka, where more than 1,000 buses come and go each day. A woman goes to Nagasaki to see her father, saying it is cheaper than taking the train. Early in the morning, she comes to see off her boyfriend who is going home to Miyazaki. A couple who came to Fukuoka to look for a house to make a name for themselves. Others took an overnight bus for 15 hours to Tokyo. People boarded the bus for various reasons. For three days during the year-end and New Year's holidays, we look at the lives of those who come and go at the terminal.

Outside in winter. People sipping ramen in the bitter cold. This time, a ramen stall on a street corner in Osu, Nagoya, attracts many people to its four seats for a bowl of ramen for 500 yen. Regular businessmen bring souvenirs from their business trips. Many of them have known the 75-year-old stall owner for a long time. What exactly does eating ramen under the cold weather satisfy?

Judicial scrivener, condominium manager, state civil servant, social insurance worker labor consultant ... Lots of qualification exams. The stage is a major preparatory school where people who aim to pass the pass go. Looking to the future, I am in my 30s who take a course of judicial scrivener while working. A child-rearing woman who is aiming for a career consultant qualification for re-employment. Some people quit their jobs to get out of non-regular employment. In the early days when it was difficult to see the future, how did everyone feel when they went to their desks? Listen to your heart for three days.

A small village in a snowstorm. Hatsuyamabetsu Village is located in the northwestern part of Hokkaido with a population of about 1,000. The setting is a convenience store, the only one in the village. The selection of goods is normal, except for a large amount of fresh food. During the snowy season, there is a woman who carries her goods home on a sled, and an octopus fisherman who visits the village three times a day. A hairdresser who knows everyone in the village, a young man who moved to the village to work here, and many other people come to the village. For three days in the depths of snow in the middle of winter, we set up our camera in a convenience store in the village to observe the lifestyle of the community.

Beautiful eyes so elaborate that they could be mistaken for human eyes. The market for dolls is said to be worth as much as 10 billion yen. In Akihabara, there are several stores specializing in dolls in commercial buildings, and many people visit them. Some office workers are looking for a doll to heal them after a hard day's work, and some women are looking for a doll to do what they cannot do. Some people come all the way from overseas to buy dolls. They are neither people nor things, but mysterious beings. For three days, we will take a peek into the fascinating world of dolls.

From hormone udon to stamina set meals, pork cutlet bowls, ramen noodles, and yakiniku (grilled meat). The setting is a 24-hour drive-in restaurant in Bizen City, Okayama. Located along Route 2 connecting Osaka and Kitakyushu, it is a favorite stop for drivers passing by. A truck driver on his way back from delivering goods to Hiroshima. A couple of colleagues from the company who came here after working the night shift. For three days, we set up our camera and listened to the voices of the visitors.

Ofunato, Iwate, faces the calm sea. The setting is a small newspaper company with 30 employees. The company has been in business for 65 years and is well-loved by the local people, many of whom drop by the office on a whim. In this three-day program, we will closely follow the production of this newspaper company's pages. Every year on March 11, the company publishes a special issue, and seven reporters are working day and night on the frontlines. Many of them are from the area, and many of them were affected by the disaster themselves. We take a look behind the scenes to find out how they deal with the local community and what kind of newspaper they produce. Let us take a look behind the scenes.

Hofu Tenmangu Shrine is located in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Once a year, the shrine holds a “Doll Thanksgiving Festival,” where dolls are taken in and purged. During the festival, people come one after another to drop off their dolls and stuffed animals. A father brings in his daughter's dolls after she leaves home for marriage; an old man comes to deliver his grandson's May dolls, which he has displayed for 30 years. Some people say goodbye to dolls they made themselves as part of their training to become a bride. Each doll is filled with wishes and thoughts. What thoughts do they have when they say goodbye? We listen to their voices.

Takeshita Street in Harajuku, a trend-setting area. The stage is set at a 100-yen store along the street. The shop sells 18,000 items, including daily necessities, cosmetics, and miscellaneous goods. A high school student comes to the shop to buy materials to make goods to cheer up his favorite character. A 21-year-old man who moved to Tokyo to find a job said he buys all his daily necessities here. Many of those who used to go to Takeshita-dori when they were young are now parents and visit the street with their children. We look at the realities of young people over three days in spring.

In spring, an island of cherry blossoms appears in the Seto Inland Sea. Iwakijima Island in Kamijima-cho, Ehime Prefecture, is decorated with as many as 4,000 cherry trees, and is also called “Tennyo no Hagoromo” (the angel's robe of feathers) for the sight of the cherry trees reflected on Mt. The only way to reach the island is by ferry, but many visitors come from Hiroshima, Matsuyama, and other cities, and locals also enjoy the cherry blossoms scattered here and there in their own ways. Why are there so many cherry trees on the island? What kind of existence do the cherry trees have for the islanders? We will ask them while touring the island for three days when the cherry trees are in full bloom.

Rush documents overseas. Packages to my family at home. Moving procedures. This time, the setting is a post office on a street corner in Minami, downtown Osaka. Every day, many people visit the post office for various purposes. An American struggles to send a tourist souvenir to his home country. A parent and child sending a package for their daughter who is moving to Tokyo. Some people sell their precious items on the Internet auction and come to send them. In spring, the season of new milestones, who do people send and what do they send? For three days, we will look at the circumstances of each person who sends things.

The petrel gets its name from its cat-like cry. From spring to summer, they gather around shrines along the coast of Hachinohe, Aomori, to breed. There are about 30,000 of them. Many people come to catch a glimpse of the large flock that covers the sky. An American resident of Aomori Prefecture brought his family to Japan. A man who enjoys talking with the petrels. Locals say that every year when the petrels return, they feel the arrival of spring. We will listen to their voices for three days to find out what people think when they see the large flock of petrels.

A 24-hour bento store in Ginowan City, Okinawa, serving everything from 120 yen per bowl of Okinawa soba noodles to taco rice, pork cutlet bowls, tebichi, and sataa and ghee. Locals come here from early in the morning until late at night. An auto mechanic stops by after working late. A college student studying to become a nurse on a remote island. Some men change their jobs for family reasons and come to eat at 4:00 am. For three days throughout the night at this location, where the Futenma Air Base is located nearby, we looked at the real Okinawa.

Look up and you will see a big sky. Surrounded by seasonal flowers and lush greenery. The setting for this project is the rooftop garden of a hospital near Ochanomizu Station in Tokyo. The hospital has 800 beds, and patients and their families visit the garden. Families bring their hospitalized children. A man on a crutch who wants to breathe the fresh air. A man in his 70s who has just finished surgery for lung cancer comes here to soak up the sunshine. What kind of time do people spend in this corner of the hospital where they face life? We listen to the voices of the visitors.

It is approximately 130 centimeters high and so narrow that people cannot pass through it. This time, the setting is a small tunnel that crosses under the railway tracks in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. When passing through, one has to bend forward. Even so, people are constantly coming and going, earning it the nickname “Mambo Tunnel” among locals. Some people go through it because it is the shortest way to go shopping, while others go through it because it is a bit thrilling and fun. For three days, we set up our cameras in this mysterious tunnel and listened to the voices of those who passed by.

A stone-paved road with sunlight streaming through the trees from green trees. The setting is Kisoji, a mountain road that straddles Nagano and Gifu. It was one of the most important highways in the Edo period (1603-1867), and even today, in 2025, many people from Japan and abroad come to walk it. A group of three families hiking 8 km between inns. A man practicing trail running on a dirt road. Some people are confronting themselves as they walk. What kind of encounters will we have along the way during the three days in early summer when we come and go between the inns?

Izakaya (Japanese-style pubs), snack bars, small restaurants, and bars. In August 2023, the curtain will come down on 70 years of history of “Drinking Alley” in the back alleys of Tateishi, Katsushika-ku. After the decision to redevelop the area, the number of stores has been gradually decreasing, and now only about 10 stores are in business. A man who has been a regular customer for 30 years sings karaoke enthusiastically. A young man says he comes here five times a week to visit his parents. There is even a mother of a tavern that has been here for 40 years and has yet to decide on a new location. For three days, we set up our cameras to find out how they are feeling in their final days.

About 300 yen per cup. Warm udon noodles from an old machine. This is a trip to visit the dwindling number of “udon vending machines” throughout Japan. This time, we will visit the eight remaining udon vending machines in Gunma, Japan, where we will have 72 hours to visit all of them. A man who has been a regular customer at a drive-in restaurant for 30 years. At a 24-hour store, young people and couples who love cars can be seen even late at night. What kind of drama will you encounter when you visit the udon vending machines born in the Showa period?

It is full of Korean gourmet food and sweets stores. The setting for this year's event is Osaka Korea Town in Osaka's Ikuno Ward. It is a popular spot visited by 2 million people a year due to the Korean boom. Originally a marketplace where many people with roots in the Korean peninsula came, it now attracts a wide variety of customers. A group of three nurses came to buy cosmetics. A man who lives nearby but came here for the first time at the invitation of his grandchildren. There is even a Korean resident of Japan who came to shop. What kind of people will we meet in this shopping street where different cultures intermingle?

This time, the setting is a long-established insect specialty store in Tokyo. The store carries 100 species of beetles and stag beetles collected from Japan and abroad. The store also has insect nets and beautiful butterfly specimens. The store is visited by a variety of people, including a father who is working alone and is addicted to insects with his son, a working adult who enjoys raising insects from larvae, and a woman who has loved insects since she was a child. Why are people attracted to insects? We asked them for three days to find out the answer.

A showy welcome, singing and dancing by all. The setting is a somewhat unusual youth hostel on the island of Rebun in Hokkaido. During the four-month summer season when the hostel is open, many people from all over Japan come to visit. Some are regulars who come several times a year, while others enjoy trekking through the wilderness. Others come here to stop at a crossroads in their lives. The number of youth hostels is decreasing nationwide. For three days, we set up our cameras to find out what it is about this hostel that attracts people.

It depicts various thoughts that cross the day of destiny. A new documentary program sent by the "72h" production team, which shoots an event at the same time with multiple cameras. This time, Koshien is a high school with a regular communication system. It is also called another Koshien, and ball children in a different situation from the full-time system fight for the top. During the day, students who had transferred to the communication system due to their work and the situation. If you turn the camera around at the same time on the bench or stand, what kind of drama you'll encounter?

A large rock in the midst of lush nature. At first glance, it does not appear to be a special place, but it is visited by people, little by little. The setting for this story is “Yomotsuhirasaka” in the mountains of Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture. It is said to be the boundary between this world and the next, and is mentioned in the Kojiki, the oldest extant chronicle of Japan. A person says he has come to see his best friend who has passed away. A visitor from far away who is interested in the world of myths. Others write letters to their late fathers. What do people come to this mysterious place for?

The world of the game, where the voices of joy and disappointment resound. The setting is a standing bar right in front of the Fukuoka Boat Racecourse. Inside the bar, there is a monitor showing a live boat race broadcast, and people who have bought boat tickets, with drinks in their hands, watch the race as if they were devouring it. A woman who visits on weekends to enjoy time with her regular friends. A man says it reminds him of his late father, who used to bring him here when he was a child. Some people compare their own circumstances to those of young racers. What will we see after three days of winning and losing here?

Kabukicho, Shinjuku, a nighttime district of glittering neon lights. The story takes place in a 24-hour beauty parlor located in a corner of the town. The town is regaining its pre-Corona vitality, and a variety of customers come to get their hair done. A male host dyes his hair to improve his mental health. A woman who became a gym trainer after working at a cabaret club comes to the salon late at night. An office worker who has been coming to the salon for more than 15 years since he was a host also comes. A room in a building in Kabukicho. We look at the real face of the town that never sleeps through the true feelings that spill out.

Shirakaba Pass is located in the western part of Nagano Prefecture at the foot of the Northern Alps. Many people gather on the slopes of the cut mountain. The purpose is to see hawks flying in the sky. Migratory hawks pass through this pass every autumn on their way to Southeast Asia in search of food. It is an excellent spot to watch them. A man stays here for weeks, bringing his telephoto camera. Female classmates reunite here once a year. Some people see themselves in the hawks as they fly without a flock. What is it about hawks that fascinates people? Listening to their hearts

Slowly climbing up the mountain while admiring the autumn leaves. This time, the stage is a little old lift over Mt. Myoken, Hyogo. It has been popular with families for many years, but this December, the lift, cable car, and the entire plaza will be closed. A local woman who says she has been riding the lift for three generations. The elderly woman, a former teacher, says that coming here brings back memories of the days when she used to take her children. The last of the lifts is filled with various memories. How do people feel when they ride the lift?

Ramen, dumplings, nira-reba set menus, and more. The stage is set at a Chinese restaurant that sells large portions. It is open 24 hours a day on the roadside in the suburbs of Tokyo where many cars pass by. Customers come in incessantly from early morning to late at night. A couple comes for ramen at 6 am. Young people visiting at 1:00 a.m. after a part-time job. Some mothers work through the night to support their families and get take-out on their way home. For three days, we observe the lives of these people as they emerge from their casual, everyday lives.

The setting is a “rental room” inn in Beppu, a hot spring resort. Accommodation is inexpensive. There is no formal service. But its mysterious charm attracts people. The inn began by renting out rooms to hot-spring cure guests, but now it attracts a wide variety of visitors, including a person who has been staying in a room for three years, two women who came for a trip before giving birth, and a man who continues to travel alone. There was also a couple who came for a hot-spring cure for an illness. For three days, we listened to the voices of visitors and wondered what they were thinking when they stayed in the rental rooms.

Who called it “that bench”? It is on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa. The lake spreads out in front of you. It became popular on SNS a few years ago and is visited by people without a pause. A cyclist stops by during his round-the-lake trip around Lake Biwa. Car enthusiasts gather here every weekend. The weather around here is changeable during this season, and some people prefer the rough waves, while others like the calm blue lake. What do they all have in mind when they sit down? For three days, we gaze at the benches that stand by the lakeside.

The setting is a huge citizen's farm in Okayama City. On a vast site the size of 1.5 Tokyo Domes, 540 plots of farmland are available for rent. Some of them charge as little as 1,800 yen per month. Farm equipment is also available for rent, and some farmland comes with a shed. Here, one can meet people from all walks of life. A family digs potatoes with their children and makes potato butter right next to the field. Others have found enjoyment in watching the life of vegetables as they wither and die. What stories are being nurtured?

The setting is a budget women's clothing store in Ueno. From everyday wear to brand-name items for going out, some items can be found for less than half the regular price. The reason for the low prices is said to be that the store purchases large quantities of surplus stock from the distribution process. People from all walks of life come here. Some people get excited at the bargain corner, others buy a 3,000-yen coat but say their goal is to work and buy more cute clothes. For three days, we listened to the voices of these women.

Sweat dripping from the body at temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Celsius. This time, the setting is a long-established sauna. Located in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture, known for its towels and shipbuilding, it has long been a favorite of men working in factories. The style of the sauna, with its small talk and the owner's homemade cooking, is distinctly different from the recent sauna boom, and has remained unchanged from the past. A construction site worker who visits every Sunday with his friends, a former towel manufacturer who has been a regular customer for 20 years, and a man who has been a regular at the sauna since the Showa Era (1926-1989). This film focuses on the daily lives of men in saunas that have been around since the Showa period.

The “Shinjuku Fair” airs episodes set in the metropolis of Shinjuku, and focuses on a drugstore that is open 24 hours a day. The drugstore offers not only medicines but also cosmetics and boxed lunches, and is visited by a wide variety of people. At noon, people buy nutritional drinks and medicines for menstrual cramps. Even late at night, people come to the pharmacy to buy medicines for menstrual cramps. For three days after Christmas, the drugstore is lit throughout the night, and we observe the daily life of people at the end of the year.

Trucks driving in snowy Sapporo. It travels from house to house delivering kerosene, which is indispensable for winter life. In this three-day report, we closely follow the kerosene delivery truck. When the truck stops at a house, it stretches out its hose and fills the kerosene tanks and polyethylene tanks at the house. An elderly customer was so engrossed in cleaning up that he did not notice that his heater had run out of kerosene. A couple who run a hair salon and need kerosene for their boiler. Each of them has their own reasons for seeking kerosene. We follow the kerosene delivery trucks as they make their rounds and observe people trying to get through the harsh winter.

In the mountains of Fukushima Prefecture, there is an ice cream store that is popular even in the harsh winter. Since the owner of the ranch opened the store 30 years ago, the ice cream made with freshly squeezed milk has been loved by the locals. People from all walks of life visit the shop. For three days, we will listen to the voices of visitors at the store that has watched over the people of Fukushima for 30 years.

Shirts, underwear, towels, bedding, and other laundry go round and round. This time, the setting is a laundromat near Tsutenkaku Tower in Osaka. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. People from all walks of life in the city come here day and night. A woman washes clothes for her family of three in bulk on weekends. A young woman who has started living alone talks about how much she appreciates her mother. This film looks at the life patterns of each of these people, as evidenced by their laundry situations.

Motsu stew, fried rice, stamina set menus, curry, and more. National Route 4 stretches north from Tokyo. The setting is a 24-hour drive-in along the road in Fukushima Prefecture. At first glance, it looks old-fashioned, but many people come here day and night. A man on his way home from Yamagata to Tokyo, carrying his belongings. A son who has joined the workforce and treats his parents to a meal. A man who has memories of his late father who was a truck driver. Each person's life path. Where are they all headed?

The story takes place in a 24-hour discount supermarket. A row of cheap side dishes and bento boxes are lined up, and “half-price sale” stickers are pasted on them one after another. The flashy neon lights are eye-catching, and the place is a well-known supermarket in Osaka. It is a well-known supermarket in Osaka, where a variety of people visit morning, noon, and night without interruption. Students on their way home from part-time jobs, couples coming in late at night, and the elderly after a night shift. Each person's life is revealed through their shopping baskets. For three days, we listened to the voices of the visitors.

It is close to Kagoshima Airport in the spring and the season of departure. Parents who see off their children who are leaving for work, friends who are separated from their children when they go to school, the airport at this time of year is full of drama. What kind of thoughts will everyone have in this place that connects large cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and remote islands such as Yakushima and Amami Oshima by air? For three days, I stared at the moment when the story of life was condensed.

Anime goods such as dolls, key chains, and badges. The story takes place in a store that buys these items. Located in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, the anime town, many people come here every day with something. Some people sell bags of their favorite characters because they have changed their favorite anime. Some are giving up their goods when they move far away for work. Others come to bring closure to their feelings. What kind of present can we see from the circumstances of each person parting with their favorite things?

The story takes place at a rather unusual soba restaurant in Akita City. It opens at 10 p.m., stays open all night, and closes around noon the next day. The restaurant serves not only soba, but also a variety of drinks and snacks. People from all walks of life gather here. There are people who enjoy soba after drinking, people who have finished their work in the entertainment district, and in March, people who are reluctant to say goodbye to their new jobs or new transfers and spend their time drinking. This film closely observes a soba shop at midnight in the season of Nagori snow flurries.

Drum-type washing machines, large TVs, refrigerators, air purifiers, etc. This time, the stage is a large electronics mass retailer in Yokohama. There are six floors on the sales floor, and many people come in the spring when a new life begins. New people who buy washing machines at the end of the initiation ceremony. Couples whose wives return to work from maternity leave decide to use a dishwasher to reduce the burden of household chores. A man who recently retired thinks his next purchase is his last TV of his life. What kind of life do you envision after the home appliances that everyone is looking for?

In Asakusa, there is a mysterious underground shopping arcade that is said to be the oldest in Japan. Going down the stairs, one is in a different world. 69 years old, this old underground shopping mall is full of unique stores, such as a yakisoba noodle shop that has been in business for nearly 60 years, a fortune teller, and a barbershop. While some are long-established establishments, others are new stores opened by young shopkeepers. One wonders what kind of people come underground, away from the bustle and noise of the touristy streets. We spent three days underground.

Banei Horse Racing" in Obihiro, Hokkaido, is the stage for this year's event. The horses are large horses that were once used for farming. This is a rare race in the world in which contestants compete for strength by pulling sleds weighing up to one ton. There are two mountains on the course. The horses stop to rest and regain their strength, while they diligently work their way over the mountains to the finish line. I wondered what people were thinking as they cheered on the horses as they pulled hard under their burdens over the course of the three days of the race.

Meatball soup, stewed tofu and crucian carp. This time the setting is Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China. It is a rented kitchen in a back alley. In fact, a large hospital specializing in cancer treatment is located nearby. Many of the people who use the kitchen are family members of hospitalized patients, and they cook meals here and bring them to the patients in their rooms. A mother makes vegetable soup for her daughter who has ovarian cancer. A young man quits his job and comes here every day to take care of his father. Cooking food that connects the lives of our loved ones. What kind of feelings do these people have as they prepare these dishes?

The setting is a ferry on the Sea of Japan. The film closely follows the three-day round trip between Niigata and Otaru, which takes 16 hours each way. The ferry is equipped with a deck with a view of the horizon and a large bath. Passengers sleep in bunk beds or private rooms and spend their time as they please on their way to their destinations. Passengers range from motorcyclists traveling in Hokkaido to truck drivers transporting cargo. In this time of time-pressured travel, why do people choose to spend long hours on a boat trip? We listen to the voices of those who travel by boat.

The Nagara River is a clear stream that flows through the city of Gifu City. The river is also known for its cormorant fishing, which attracts many people to its riverside during this season. During the day, parents and children play in the water on the riverbanks, and anglers fish for big fish. At night, groups of classmates enjoy fireworks and friends listen to music. Many locals visit without any particular reason because of its proximity to the city center. It is a clear river that has been flowing near their lives for a long time. What kind of time do people spend here? A look at the days of early summer.

A cheap gas station open 24 hours a day is the setting for this project. Due to the presence of an oil refinery nearby, there are many gas stations in the area, and price competition is said to be in progress. Customers come from as far away as Osaka and Nara in search of cheap gas. Couples who stay overnight in their cars to save money and drivers of chauffeur-driven cars, for example, all take a break here and drive to their respective destinations. For three days, we listened to the voices of visitors.

What are the most popular Japanese manga in Paris today? The setting is a manga cafe on a street corner in Paris. It has 20,000 French-language Japanese manga. With a system similar to Japanese manga cafes, such as time-based rates and unlimited drinks, many French people visit the café every day. A graduate student visiting to relax after exams. Sisters who traveled 5 hours by bus. There are even people who say their lives were changed by encountering manga. This 45-minute program includes a ranking of the most popular manga!

A huge housing complex with 7,000 households is the setting for this project. The Hanamigawa Danchi in Chiba City was built in 1968. With rents cheaper than those in central Tokyo, something has begun to change recently, as new residents join the old residents. Some have moved in after retirement, others are busy renovating their rooms, and some run stores in the shopping district of the complex. People from all walks of life are living in the same group of buildings. We spent three days walking around the mammoth complex and listened to the voices of the people we met.

Countless books line the library like a theater. The setting for this interview is the Ishikawa Prefectural Library in Kanazawa, which was rebuilt two years ago and attracts many visitors every day. With the rule that chatting is allowed, I was given permission for an interview to talk to him. A man who often works on his computer here. A veteran chef who visits the library every week to do research in cookbooks. Some people come here because they are attracted by the atmosphere of the library. The library has 1.1 million books. What kind of books do they pick up and what kind of time do they spend here?

Gum, chocolate, ramune, snacks, etc. are lined up in a narrow space. The setting this time is a candy shop in Akabane, Tokyo. The shop has been selling sweets for more than 75 years and has several retro video game machines. A group of four sixth-graders who often play here on their days off, and an elderly man who looks forward to coming here with his grandchildren. There are also groups of college students on their way home from job hunting, and parents and children from other prefectures. The candy continues to be loved by men and women of all ages. What is the appeal that never fades? We spent three summer days at a small store to find out.

This expressway service area is located on Awaji Island, just across the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. On holidays, a total of 12,000 vehicles come and go on both the upper and lower lines. In addition to the food court and souvenir stores, there is also an observatory and a Ferris wheel overlooking the Akashi Kaikyo and Ohashi bridges, and many people take a break here. A couple on their way home from a baseball night game. A carrier carrying a package that must arrive the next morning. Others come at random to watch the sunrise. Where are they all running to this summer?

The Ina Valley in southern Nagano Prefecture is surrounded by the Japanese Alps. Just past the corn fields, you will find a farmers' market. The market sells not only colorful vegetables, but also mushrooms, wild boar, deer, and other game meat, as well as locusts, honey mushrooms, and other insect foods. A diverse food culture is rooted here. Local farmers bring in their products, and many of the customers are also locals. What does it mean to take life? Let's take a look at it through the market.

On the coast overlooking the Sea of Japan, there are twenty thousand graves. The stage this time is "Hanamigata Cemetery" in Kotoura Town, Tottori Prefecture. It is a natural cemetery that was formed before it, and its origins are not well understood. Every year during the Obon period, many people visit the cemetery. Each grave is lit up, countless lanterns are lit, and at night, a fantastic scene spreads only at this time of year. People who care for their dead families and ancestors and try to mourn. Look at the Obon of the huge cemetery on the mysterious seaside.

Tens of thousands of glasses are lined up in a glasses shop. There are a wide range of glasses, from attractive products with a cheap lens for less than 4000yen to fashionable items from overseas brands. Seventy percent of Japanese people wear glasses now that their eyes tend to be tired. People who want to change their image with glasses, people who have become old eyes, and various customers come. What kind of life can you see on the other side of your glasses? I looked at it for three days.

Such a rare sight of selling warabi mochi at a stream stall remains in Fukuoka. In the case of the stalls going through the town, there was a transparent, soft, warabi mochi. The chilled warabi mochi is sprinkled with kinako flour, and it is 130yen each sandwiched between the insides. The easy snack has been loved by the people of Fukuoka for seventy-seven years. I don't know when and where I'll meet you. A lot of people come here to be sucked in. He walked around the town with the food stalls, and listened to the voices of the people for three days.

Weather that is deeply related to daily life, such as sunny days, rain, snow, typhoons, etc. The stage this time is "Weather Shrine" in Koenji, Tokyo. God is in charge of the weather, and many people come to visit. A family hoping that the day of the trip for the first time in a long time will be sunny. A junior high school teacher praying that the sports festival that was postponed due to rain can be safely. In fact, some people like the rain, and each person has a way of facing the weather. It is a time of great rain and extreme heat. What wishes do you keep in your heart?

Hamburger steak, pizza, fried set meal and parfait. This stage is a family restaurant in a residential area of Adachi Ward, Tokyo. Modern systems such as ordering on tablet devices and cat-shaped serving robots at stores in the nationwide chain. An elderly man who eats breakfast alone every day. A group of women who launch a local Bon Odori dance. Young people who have come to Tokyo following their dreams, and families who work together and eat out often. At first glance, it is common everyday, but if you listen carefully, you can hear a small drama.

A row of home appliances, clothes, and shoes. This time, the stage is a huge re-use shop. You can buy something cheap here that someone doesn’t need. A wide range of items such as baby and kids' goods, camping equipment, and musical instruments are lined up in the spacious store. In addition, there is a growing desire to save money, and people who come to sell things that are no longer needed in the store are rushing, and they are lining up even before opening. Many people who move, marry, retire, etc. are at a crossroads in their lives. Closely to the intersection of huge logistics.

The stage is a martial arts gym in Tokyo. More than ninety percent of the members are beginners, and the ratio of men and women is half. People of all ages, occupations, and different backgrounds gather here to dissipate something in their daily lives. There are lessons at the gym every hour, and the level ranges from diet and beginner classes to advanced classes. What is everyone facing at the end of the fist that is slammed? For three days, I listened to the people.

A moving series that goes on one road. The Kii Mountain Range occupies most of the Kii Peninsula. It runs on National Route 425, which runs like a steep mountain, for three days from the starting point to the west. Falling rocks are also conspicuous mountain roads, but there are activities of people in the scattered villages. A couple who have continued to farm on steep slopes. A bakery in the mountains that was opened by turning over. In addition, wildlife such as raccoons and deer. In autumn, when the colors of the mountains deepen, what kind of encounters will you have if you go down this road?

Bananas called mackerel, tilapia, mutton, frogs and hot spices. The stage is a multinational food shop in Kinshicho, Tokyo. It is lined with ingredients from more than twenty countries, mainly in Asia, and people from various countries living in Japan visit. A man from Bangladesh who has been in Japan for forty years, but sometimes wants to eat his native food. A Vietnamese woman in her 20s who started working at a Japanese hotel last year. What do you eat in a foreign country in Japan and how do you live?

Fryed noodles and meat sauce. Local gourmet called “Italian” in Niigata. This time, the stage is the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant in Nagaoka, Niigata. Many people stop by car and buy Italian food. A woman who goes to her mother's house and has lunch with her. Families who buy a lot as a dish of the dinner table and go home. Some people reflect on their youth to the taste that has been familiar to the local people for many years. At the end of the drive-thru, look at the present of the area.

The first series of hospitals!　A cake shop in a hospital that is rare in Japan. Nagasaki University Hospital has more than 870 beds. The shop is lined with strawberry and peach cakes, and visitors visit the clinic, including outpatients and hospitalized patients, accompanying families, and working doctors and nurses. A woman who has been in the hospital for many years and returns home every time she buys a cake for her family. After the surgery, parents and children buy to celebrate. A doctor who buys for his colleagues. Christmas at the hospital. What is everyone looking for for a cake?

2nd series of hospitals! Moving to a huge hospital. In January 2025, the University of the Ryukyus Hospital in Okinawa was fully relocated. Eighty-five patients, from critically ill patients in the intensive care unit to children in pediatrics, are transported to a new building nearly ten kilometers away in a single day. The end of the hospital, which has seen life for a long time, and the beginning of a new hospital where more advanced treatment can be done. What are the thoughts of working health workers and patients who continue to treat patients? From the move to the start of the new hospital, I looked behind the scenes.

The oversized block beef is also full of seafood such as Ise shrimp and cod. The stage is a supermarket in Nishiwaga-cho, Iwate Prefecture. In a heavy snowfall area where the amount of snowfall in the winter sometimes exceeds 10m, many people come while it continues to snow. There are many customers from women from large families with children who eat, chefs at local restaurants, men who run hot spring inns, and neighboring Akita Prefecture. A camera was installed at a supermarket that can be said to be a “local food base” for three days at the end of the year.

Oku-Noto-Suzu. There are sento that continue to be crowded even though it is in the midst of repeated disasters. In the midst of the widespread water outage immediately after the earthquake, groundwater was pumped up, wood from collapsed houses was burned, and business resumed early. Some people provided a valuable bath, and there were people who met again and confirmed their safety. A year since that. A lot of people come here. Locals, volunteers, and people working in demolition work. The sento became the source of the people, and the danran was born. Listen to people’s voices and minds here.

Hot meat buns full of toro toro-toned pork, bamboo shoots, and chrysanthemums. Set in a stand-style Nikumanten on the street corner of Kokubun-cho, an entertainment district in Sendai. It is open until five o'clock in the morning, and various people visit throughout the night. A fellow colleague at work who stopped by after drinking, a person who bought it for the second store to enter the second store, a man in black clothes at a club who finished work, and a mother of a snack shop. The steam that stands up in Sendai in winter. Under the cold sky, I looked at each situation of smiling meat buns.

The stage is a botanical garden in the middle of Tokyo. Some people visit for something, even though they think that there are few highlights during the winter. Some people say that they came to see plums at the turning point of their lives, and people who say that there is a taste when they see the appearance of standing withering. Some people sit on benches and look at the trees. People who dare to face the plants in the winter. What’s ahead of that look? We spent three days together.

Omelet rice, grilled fish, potesara, ramen, beer and shochu. The stage is a long-established popular restaurant near Kawasaki Station. Many people say that they work late at night or on work holidays, and the appearance of drinking alcohol from noon is conspicuous. A group called a childhood friend who grew up in Kawasaki. A senior junior at a company called the launch of work. Even if you come alone, it is not uncommon for people who happened to be sitting at the table and have a flower in a conversation. A popular dining room on a street corner crowded from morning to night. If you put your camera here for three days, you’ll see what it is now.

This time, the stage is a medal game lined up in a row. The game center in Fujimino City, Saitama Prefecture, has a variety of things, from nostalgic to new games. No matter how much you add, you can't go back to money or prizes. Still, a lot of people are coming. People who are crazy about games thinking that they will not like their work from tomorrow, and people who enjoy games that they play with their father. What are you all thinking about when you’re into the game? We stayed close for three days.

In Nishiyanagigase, Gifu City, there is a shopping street where nearly ninety percent of shops have shuttered. The bustling days of the night's prosperity as a city are gone, but people's activities still remain. A snack mom who has been working for nearly 50 years. An elderly man cleaning the shopping street with a part-time job. Young people planning events using empty buildings. After the war, it flourished in the textile industry, and was known throughout the country with its hit song "Yanagigase Blues". What would you see if you installed a camera here in the shutter city now?

Draft beer, edamame, fried horse mackerel, yakisoba. The stage is a Japanese-style izakaya in Seoul, Korea. The owner was a Japanese and opened in 2004. Every day, it is crowded with Korean customers. A fellow colleague at work who usually eats Japanese food. A family that has been going for more than ten years and is good friends with the owner. There are many couples and couples who visit. The real thing is to spill out with a drink in one hand. What are you all talking about here? 45min Expanding SP!　There is also a mini-corner of various Japanese food in Seoul.

Light pork bone soup and thin noodles. It is very simple with green onions and char siu. This time, the stage is a Hakata ramen shop that has been loved by the locals for a long time. The price is 290yen per cup. It is open for twenty-four hours and is visited by people all the time. There are people who come at dawn after finishing the construction work, people who worked at snacks, and people who say that it is a taste of memories visited by families when they were children. In search of an unadorned daily drink. I listened to the voices of the people who came for three days.

Colorful breads lined up on the bed of light trucks, such as red bean bread, bread, tuna dogs and donuts. This time, it is three days to closely follow the moving car of the bread movement. Sales cars go around various places in Yokohama, such as condominiums in the suburbs where there are no convenience stores nearby, facilities where elderly people can not go out for shopping, companies and schools where people are busy working. For the sake of someone, from children to the elderly, for each person waiting for the bread. What will we meet in the spring?

The stage this time is a steep slope "Nozokizaka" in Toshima Ward, Tokyo. I was told that I was so steep that I couldn't see the bottom unless I looked into it. Various people pass through this one slope. Some people worked until the last train, children who said that this was the way to school, and there were people who were training. In April, when my new life began, I stared at the slope where the cherry blossoms were flying for three days.

This time, the stage is a huge student dormitory. Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in the mountains of Beppu City, Oita Prefecture. Half of the students are international students, and they are indeed multinational, from ninety-four countries and regions. Self-catering in the communal kitchen where you can see the cuisine of various countries. Naked relationships in the public bath and night with friends. Life between people of different cultures can be fun and sometimes difficult. What days they are living under the same roof, three days of spring

Oden next to the hot. The stage is a prefabricated soba restaurant in Goshogawara City, Aomori. The shop is only a few hours at night, and the inside of the shop is small and standing eating. Strangely enough, many people visit. Parents who stop by every time they go home. A mother who started a double work for her daughter who moved to Tokyo. The sister of an apple farmer who has been three generations. People who have left the local Tsugaru also come here with nostalgia. What is a hometown? During the long holidays, when the number of people returning home increased, I installed a camera in a small shop.

There is a place called the sacred place of bonsai in Saitama City. The area where six bonsai gardens gather, commonly known as "Omiya Bonsai Village". From a thousand yen for beginners to a gem of several hundred years old with no price, there is no single bonsai. People put scissors in their minds and arrange the branches. An elementary school student who seems to love a bowl of cherry blossoms. A woman who grows bonsai inherited from her late father-in-law. A man who became a bonsai gardener at a young age. What is everyone looking at while facing bonsai?

The venue is set at a small zoo for free. This zoo in Yamagata Prefecture is popular for its elderly deer and peacocks, and has been popular for more than seventy years. Some animals have been protected from injury or illness, such as birds that are injured and unable to fly, and foxes that have been in traffic accidents. Various people visit here, think about something, and leave, such as people who come every day and talk to animals, and people who repeat themselves to the injured and protected animals.

A golden lion statue that roars "Gao". It is located in the square in front of the station of Shinjuku Station, a huge terminal. In fact, this is a donation box where the mouth of the lion became the input point of money. A lot of people don’t know it, they go in front of their eyes. The donation box was set up by a local Lions club in 2000. The money raised will be used to provide support to the affected areas. If you stay here for seventy-two hours, how many people will you meet who you will donate to? And what do you think about putting money in? Look at the good will of the street corner.

One hundred years since its founding, it is set in a hardware store in Chiba Prefecture. From pots and knives to carpentry tools and farm equipment, there are twenty thousand kinds of items to be handled. A carpenter who comes to buy indispensable business tools such as nails and scoops. Farmers seeking barbed wire to deal with wild animals that ravage the fields. In addition, there is also a request to repair the mulberry that parents love for a long time ... What kind of life do you see if you put your camera on the “town yorozuya” that is close to the problems of the local people?　Three days of "preparation" before the summer.

There are places where many travelers come to the Nagoya specialty Kishimen. A stand-up restaurant on the platform of Nagoya Station on the Tokaido Shinkansen. There are only eight seats at the counter, and it is large enough for people to pass each other. However, there are still few customers who can stop. People who always eat kishimen before a business trip, people who go all the way to buy admission tickets, and people who come to check the taste of memories before visiting their mother. Why can’t we stop by each of these things?