Document 72 Hours

Wig Shop: A New Appearance, A New Self (2019x16)

Air date: Oct 22, 2019

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?