2020

“400 km Sprint! Okinawa Survival Run” (2020) ... A close-up look at the “Okinawa Main Island Survival Run,” a 400 km race around Okinawa that takes three days to complete. Participants run day and night toward the finish line. What dramas unfold over the 400 kilometers?

In December, in the Shimokita Peninsula of Aomori, there is a unique entertainment district in the center of Mutsu City. With over 200 snack bars and restaurants, “Shinto Shrine Alley” has been beloved by locals for years. An elderly woman runs a small drinking spot, a fisherman's son serves freshly caught fish at a pub, and a young person who moved from the city opened a stylish bar. This entertainment district is home to diverse shop owners. As the harsh winter approaches, this is the story of people living resiliently in a small town.

Akihabara is Japan's largest electronics district. Here, there is an electronic component store that attracts hobbyists from all over the country. Resistors, capacitors, circuit boards... The store carries an astonishing 100,000 items across four floors. Every day, 1,000 customers, ranging from professional engineers to hobbyists, visit the store to shop. From musicians building their own effects pedals to high school students dreaming of robot development, and college students unwinding from job hunting by tinkering with electronics—what are their motivations, and which components do they seek?

Miyazaki's Ishizaki Beach is renowned as one of Japan's premier surfing spots. In January, anglers from across the country gather here. Their target is the “Oonibe,” a giant fish that can grow over a meter in length. In winter, they come to shallow waters in search of small fish, making them catchable from the shore. However, the chances of a hit are extremely slim. People say it's “like winning the lottery.” We follow the anglers as they strive to catch the giant fish early in the new year.

It has been more than two years since the evacuation order was lifted in Namié Town, Fukushima Prefecture. More than 1,000 people have returned to the town, where approximately 20,000 residents had evacuated. Facilities that support daily life, such as clinics, restaurants, and schools, are gradually being rebuilt. Amidst this, a large supermarket opened last year. It offers a variety of fresh foods, alcohol, and clothing, and is bustling with local residents every day. This is the first New Year's since the supermarket opened. We take a closer look at the New Year's Eve and New Year's Day at the supermarket, where people from all walks of life gather.

Recently, “street pianos” have become a common sight in shopping districts and stations across the country. The piano installed in the underground shopping street of Kobe Station attracts over 100 people on busy days to play it. Interestingly, this piano was once used at a kindergarten in the city during the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and the scars from that time still remain. Whether aware of this history or not, many people come to play the piano. Twenty-five years have passed since the earthquake. What has changed, and what remains the same? This program explores the present-day lives of people living in Kobe.

The setting is a 24-hour yakiniku restaurant in downtown Tokyo. Lunch starts at just 500 yen. People flock here day and night in search of hearty portions of meat at affordable prices. A group of security guards stopping by after their night shift, a couple living together who treat themselves to this once a week. Gathering around the charcoal grill, people share their true feelings that they wouldn't normally express. Meanwhile, there are also customers who quietly grill meat alone. This program takes a close look at a 24-hour barbecue restaurant in Tokyo's downtown area, where the aroma of delicious food fills the air.

Amidst a labor shortage, a certain staffing agency is gaining attention. The program introduces young people from rural areas who dropped out of school or struggled with group living, including those with a history of delinquency. Through the “Yankee Intern” re-education program, they learn practical sales skills and are nurtured into the kind of talent companies seek. Approximately 300 graduates have gone on to work at major IT companies. This program follows young people aiming for a life turnaround, seeking to work honestly.

The setting is a food cart coffee shop that appears every night along the national highway in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture. The menu consists solely of coffee, priced at 400 yen per cup. Despite this, customers keep coming in steadily. Businessmen stop by on their way home from work, and women who have returned to their hometown to care for their parents, among others, come to the food cart in search of coffee. The shop is run by two brothers in their 70s. They have continued to run the shop as it was when their father started it about 50 years ago. They listen to the honest thoughts that spill out while drinking coffee.

The setting is Tokyo's Inokashira Park. By the end of June, one month after the state of emergency was lifted, people began to return to the park, surrounded by a large pond and lush greenery. Friends rejoicing in their long-awaited reunion. A comedy duo continuing their rehearsals toward their dreams. A salaryman sitting on a bench for hours to relieve the fatigue of self-restraint. What kind of people come to the park, and what thoughts do they carry? Over three days, I walked around the pond, listening to the voices of the people I encountered.

The setting for this episode is a giant 24-hour sports gym in Harajuku, Tokyo. A man who became a bodybuilder after his girlfriend told him she didn't like skinny men. A young man who lost his soccer career due to an injury and is now channeling his frustration into weight training. A housewife who decided to overcome her physical insecurities and started going to the gym. The long and arduous path of weight training. What kind of people come here? *Filming took place in mid-February.

Once a year, people write their wishes on strips of paper for Tanabata. This episode takes place at a temple near Tokyo Tower during the Tanabata Festival. Visitors write their hidden wishes on strips of paper in their own way. There is a woman hoping to reunite with the man she has been in love with for ten years, a couple worried about their company bonuses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a foreigner who comes every year to connect with his late father. Over the three days leading up to Tanabata, we listen to the people who write their modest wishes on strips of paper.

A rare sandy beach road in Japan where you can drive along the shoreline. The setting for this episode is the Nagisa Driveway in Ishikawa Prefecture. The sand grains are fine, and when seawater seeps in and compacts them, they become hard enough for cars to drive on. This mysterious sandy beach attracts a variety of people. Young people come to enjoy the exhilaration, couples celebrate their birthdays here every year, and families return to reminisce about special memories. What kind of memories have they carved into this sandy beach? Over three days in summer, we listen to their stories by the shoreline.

The stage is a road in the corner of a metropolis where only taxis are allowed to rest. Here, drivers take naps, eat meals, and relax. Amid the significant impact of the novel coronavirus, what are their thoughts as they drive through the city? Those who became drivers after the spread of the coronavirus, those whose sales have declined and are considering changing jobs, and those who must drive for their families. For three days, I listened to the stories of taxi drivers carrying various burdens.

The Sumida River Fireworks Festival, which usually colors Tokyo's summer, has been canceled. During this quiet summer, we spend three days walking around the Sumida River promenade. We meet people who talk candidly even though they have just met, and young people whose dreams have been shattered by the coronavirus. A man who fell in love with Asakusa and plays the guitar by the river, and an elderly man who comes every day to reminisce about his late wife. Through the lives of the various people encountered along the river, this program documents the present moment, which is shifting despite the turmoil caused by the novel coronavirus.

The stage is a specialty store for wind instruments that boasts one of the largest selections in the country. With over 1,000 saxophones, trumpets, and other instruments on display, and repair services available, it attracts enthusiasts. People who have come to buy the instrument they’ve always wanted, or those who are thrilled to resume practice and play again. A blind music teacher repairing a clarinet for an autistic student. The world of music has fallen silent due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What are people thinking as they face their instruments and play? We listen closely for three days.

At the end of August, Toshimaen closed its doors after a long history. The stage is set at the carousel Eldorado, Japan's oldest carousel and a symbol of Toshimaen. The wooden decorations in the Art Nouveau style create a fantastical world. An elderly couple who have been riding the carousel on every date since before they were married. A young man trying to recall the days when his family was close. A woman who wants to show her late mother her renewed strength. What memories has the carousel carried? We observe the final three days before the park's closure.

The setting is a garden supply store boasting the largest area in Tokyo. With a selection of approximately 100,000 varieties, including flowers, houseplants, vegetables, and bonsai, the store has seen an increase in visitors since the pandemic, as people seek to enhance their lives with plants. A man drawn to the resilient vitality of cacti. A parent and child finding fulfillment in nurturing weakened plants. A woman who notices her calm state of mind while tending to plants. What do people seek from plants, and why do they visit here? Over three days, we listen closely.

The setting for this episode is a long-established cabaret in Shinjuku's Kabukicho district that closed its doors in February of this year, much to the regret of many. The establishment, which retains a strong atmosphere of the Showa era, attracts a variety of customers. There are men who come to enjoy their last conversation with their favorite hostesses. There are women who used to work as hostesses here and have come to pay their respects to their former colleagues. A singer who says she learned about life here takes the stage for the last time. A cabaret where various lives intersect. A look at the three days leading up to the closure. *Filming took place in February.

The stage is a specialty store for kitchen equipment for restaurants. Over 9,000 items, including refrigerators, cooking utensils, and tableware. Most are used items, making them affordable, and even amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, store owners continue to visit. A izakaya owner seeking new opportunities through delivery services. A couple challenging themselves to open their dream café restaurant. Meanwhile, requests to purchase cooking utensils from closing stores also persist. The restaurant industry is facing difficulties. What are the store owners thinking, and what are they coming to buy? We listen for three days.

The setting is an animal park located on a hill in Kawasaki City. Although there are few large animals, visitors can enjoy seeing about 60 different species. Admission is free and visitors are free to come and go as they please, so it has been loved by local people for many years. With it being difficult to travel far due to COVID-19, some people visit as a family outing, while others, such as one woman, come here every time she reaches a milestone in her life. Some young people come to enjoy the wild animals in the nature-rich hills rather than the animals in the park. For local residents, it is an ordinary yet special place where they can spend three days listening to the sounds of nature.

The setting is a 24-hour sandwich shop in Sapporo City. With over 40 varieties of handmade sandwiches featuring ingredients like eggs, meat patties, and fruits, it has been beloved by locals for years. Women working at bars in Susukino, people buying breakfast for their families at 4 a.m., and hosts stopping by for a quick meal before work. Amid the pandemic, as more shops shorten their hours, what kind of people come to this never-sleeping sandwich shop, and what are they seeking? We spend three days listening all night long.

The setting is Japan's largest outlet furniture store in Chiba. With 1,400 items of furniture on display, including beds, sofas, and tables. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many customers have come to make their homes more comfortable. A man carefully searches for a dining table to spend more time with his family. A woman replaces all her furniture and keeps only the pieces she loves. Through furniture selection, changes in lifestyle and turning points in life emerge. What kind of life do people aspire to? We listen for three days.

The setting is a pet cemetery in Fuchu City, Tokyo, which has been in operation since the Taisho era. It has graves and columbariums for pets such as dogs and cats, and former owners visit daily to pay their respects. A woman who says her beloved dog helped bring her family closer together. A man who visits every weekend to pay respects to his guinea pig, which helped ease his loneliness. Funerals are also held at the cemetery, and some owners attend the cremation. As pets become increasingly integrated into families, what are the thoughts of those who visit here? Over three days, we listen to their voices.

The setting is a small dry cleaner in Machida City, Tokyo. People living in the bedroom community, lined with apartment complexes and condominiums, bring in their laundry for various reasons. A woman who couldn't bring out her winter clothes in the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a man who works at a nightclub and brings in his suit once a month. Some people come in to have stains removed for their loved ones. What do they want to clean, and why? Over three days, we explore people's lives through their laundry.

The Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road in the Seto Inland Sea is known as a “cycling mecca.” Spanning approximately 70 kilometers from Hiroshima Prefecture to Ehime Prefecture, this route that circles six islands attracts a variety of people. Families who enjoy watching their children grow while cycling together every year. A farmer who has handed over his work to his son and is now enjoying cycling again after a long time. A couple whose husband has been on a long-term business trip, enjoying a two-person trip even in the rain. Over three days, while cycling, we listen to the stories of those who ride bicycles.