Hometown Stories

Honami Enya was an ambitious go-getter at a famous architectural firm -- that is, until she overworked herself and fell ill. It was during her leave of absence that she discovered the world of public bathhouses and was healed by them, body and soul. On a whim, she drew one bathhouse and posted it on social media. Her bathhouse illustrations eventually attracted so much interest online that she now has her own magazine column. Her working style is drastically different from before: she works at a bathhouse twice a week and uses her free time to work on new illustrations. She says that she is happy with her slow-paced and peaceful life -- we follow her to see what it's like.

How can Japanese schools cope with increasing numbers of children of foreign workers? And how can these children overcome the barriers they face? One school, where a fifth of the students have foreign nationalities, has taken proactive steps to help integrate these students. We follow Yuka, a new arrival from Brazil, who knows no Japanese and struggles to break out of her shell so she can join the life of the school.

Imari Inoue is a makeup artist who specializes in a niche group of customers - men who want to try dressing as women. The 28-year-old operates her business from an Osaka Prefecture apartment and provides a wide array of wigs, dresses, and other clothing. Her expert makeup skills complete her customers' transformation, which she then captures on camera. Inoue began wearing makeup as a third-grader and used it to conceal her feelings of insecurity about her appearance. A request by a friend to apply makeup as a joke opened her eyes to a new career. This episode takes a look at Inoue's interactions with the men who come to her as they seek to "free their inner self."

Haruo Obata, 78, gained nationwide fame in summer 2018 when he found a missing 2-year-old boy during a search operation in southwestern Japan. It was the latest effort by this "super volunteer" to come to the aid of people in need. For nearly 30 years, Haruo has helped survivors in disaster-hit areas, including the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the 2016 quakes in Kumamoto Prefecture. This program follows him as he camps out in a schoolyard in western Japan, while working to clean up homes badly damaged by heavy rains. He opens up about a personal mission shaped by a life of hardship, and reveals what drives him on.

Using an extra fine point pen, the Japanese artist Aju creates stunning drawings of Tokyo landscapes and other big cities. The scenes are so vividly engrained in her mind that she doesn't even make preliminary sketches. Aju was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when she was 22 years old. She didn't feel there was any place for her, at school or home, and she felt she wanted to die. Her art and her talent saved her. Follow this young artist on her journey as she finds new possibilities.

Kichiya Tachibana is a calligrapher specializing in "yose moji," a type of lettering with roots dating back around 150 years. The 27-year-old writes and designs the background for shrine festival signs, good luck charms, and other special orders. As a young child, Tachibana was fond of the big, bold letters he would see at local festivals, and grew to love the art of lettering and traditional Japanese designs. After training for 6 years under his master, Unokichi, he has finally become a calligrapher in his own right, able to take on jobs. His first big project is to design a restaurant sign. But when he shows his draft to Unokichi, his master does not mince his words.

Young survivors of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan have been opening up about their experiences. They're speaking out about the sorrow and conflicted emotions they'd long kept bottled up inside. Their words are helping them to heal, and giving other young people the strength to share their stories.

In Fukushima Prefecture, a simple dish is giving people the power to rebuild from the 2011 disaster. One woman found not just a career, but a new way of relating to those around her. A man in his 80's opened his 7th ramen shop to give local kids a sense of hope. And in his mother's hometown, another man is using his culinary skills to help enliven the local community. Join us as we follow these 3 chefs in their quest to create something wonderful out of an everyday bowl of noodles.

A young man from Fukushima Prefecture took his love of baseball to Nicaragua, where he helped create the country's first female baseball team. An 81-year-old who lives in Fukushima works every day growing vegetables, and helping neighbors with everything from carpentry to plumbing. After the March 2011 nuclear disaster, another man opened a Tokyo restaurant specializing in Fukushima's seafood and other delicacies, to support the prefecture. These are the stories of 3 unsung heroes with ties to Fukushima who have touched many people's lives.

In July 2018, torrential rains in western Japan devastated decades-old mikan groves. Particularly hard hit was a remote hamlet. No one died, but half of the homes were damaged or destroyed. The only road in was torn apart and assistance was delayed. 78-year-old widow Yoshi contemplated leaving to move in with her son. Having lost nearly everything, Shuhei, decided to cut his losses and quit mikan farming. But with the support of the community, Yoshi and Shuhei, along with other farmers, decide to rebuild their lives. Don't miss this remarkable story of perseverance in the face of adversity.

Kikuno has devoted herself to the life of a geisha since the age of 15. She lives in Nara Prefecture's entertainment district, once home to more than 200 geisha performers. The district has steadily declined, and a decade ago Kikuno became Nara's last remaining geisha. Now 45, she is working to keep 150 years of tradition alive by adapting to the times. She has turned her geisha house into a company and began paying the entertainers a salary. In the summer of 2018, she faced her next challenge: preparing a young geisha and an apprentice for a major performance.

Yuko Kuroda dedicated herself to helping disaster victims live healthy, independent lives. She worked hard to understand their individual needs and tailor her support to meet them. She believed in the importance of building a community and keeping people from becoming isolated -- no matter how old or ill they were. Yuko passed away 5 years ago, but people across Japan continue to carry on her mission. We look at their efforts and struggles to follow her path and honor her legacy.

High in the mountains of Tokushima Prefecture on Japan's Shikoku Island are small communities known as "sora." The residents enjoy a way of life that values both self-sufficiency and mutual cooperation. Hisayabu is one such place. Located about 600 meters above sea level, it's known as "a village of hydrangeas" for its 6,000 flowering bushes. The 20 or so residents share a close bond nurtured by working together on tasks such as harvesting, securing fresh water, and preparing for their annual hydrangea festival. Hisayabu's natural beauty and lively spirit inspires younger people living elsewhere to come back and help keep the community going.

Videographer Koichi Hozan has terminal cancer, yet he continues filming the landscape of Nara Prefecture in Japan. His collection of works portraying the transition of the seasons is considered awe-inspiring and provokes emotions among those who see the images. This spring, he's set his focus on a weeping cherry tree. As it approaches its final days, the tree is trying to blossom one last time. We follow Hozan as he goes on shooting Nara's scenery while facing his own mortality.

A Japanese New Year's dish someone's mother used to make. Stewed meat and potatoes, full of a grandma's love. Miyuki Munekawa is a chef who helps her clients revisit fond memories by recreating unforgettable dishes from their past. Just a single bite can bring people and places back to life, and prompt tears of gratitude. Miyuki's reputation has spread, and she now gets requests from all over Japan. Her latest assignment is to recreate a unique rice cake a client's grandmother used to make. But capturing it perfectly proves to be a challenge.

Miki Yakata, a former member of an all-girl Japanese idol group, was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 26, and underwent surgery to remove her left breast. In May 2018, she started keeping a video diary to record her daily experiences, and her feelings about things like losing her hair during chemotherapy and her anxiety over juggling work and treatment. Today, breast cancer is common, affecting one in every 11 Japanese women. This is a 6-month record of one woman's life-changing journey.

Pia Laophakdee is a young para powerlifter who is determined to change perceptions of disabled people in his home country, Laos. Coaching him is 59-year-old Takashi Jo, a seasoned Japanese para athlete who is hoping to crown his career by competing at the highest level in his sport. These 2 strong-willed athletes come together to train and test the limits of their strength as they pursue powerlifting glory.

During World War II, over 120,000 children in Japan were orphaned. Many of them never knew their parents' names or what they looked like. Seventy-three-year-old Honoko spent her early years in an orphanage, then was raised by kind and loving foster parents. But she remained consumed by the desire to learn more about her origins. We follow Honoko as she retraces the steps of her childhood desperately searching for answers.

Ayako spent more than 2 decades in a psychiatric hospital after being diagnosed with schizophrenia in her mid-20's. At the age of 69, she is finally discharged and sets out to begin a new life on her own, living independently. Ayako is full of hope, dreaming of doing things that most people take for granted like cooking for others, making friends, and falling in love. But she needs to tackle various challenges in order to re-enter society.

Devastating rains hit western Japan in July 2018, nearly wiping out a community's cherished tradition - a children's troupe performing ancient Kagura theater. But their coach quickly raised funds from locals to replace badly damaged props and costumes. To celebrate and thank supporters, the troupe plans a special show. A 12-year-old boy who's a lead performer must prepare 2 sacred dances to foster tranquility. During months of rigorous practice, he and his coach explore Kagura's timeless lessons.

Spring 2019 saw the return of some of the former residents of Okuma Town, Fukushima Prefecture who had evacuated due to high radiation. Instrumental in this were 6 former town employees, aged 66 on average, known as the "Grandpa Troop." These men spent 6 years maintaining affected areas, believing that residents could someday return. Following the partial lifting of an evacuation order, the troop disbanded this spring. We look at what inspired them to clear a path for the younger generation.

In a remote Japanese village, elderly residents have a common dream: to end their last days in their hometown, surrounded by family and friends. For years, end-of-life care in hospitals far away was their only option. But now, thanks to a dedicated doctor and team of caregivers, people are able to receive such care at home or at a nearby nursing facility, bringing peace of mind to patients and loved ones alike.

There is a café in a residential area of Nagoya City that attracts people of all ages and backgrounds, from children to the elderly. This local hangout brings people from the community together. Kids are always keen to help with the chores as they can get free snacks or meals in return. Local people give support by donating food they have produced themselves or bought. The owner, Keiko Maruyama, keeps it open 6 days a week from morning till evening, welcoming anyone regardless of their circumstances. This is a place where people can come and feel assured that they are not alone.

For more than 4 decades, Fumie Murakami has suffered from a mysterious illness that was finally diagnosed as Minamata disease. Caused by organic mercury poisoning in the sea, the disease has also taken a toll far away, in inland communities. Learning the truth leaves Fumie feeling both relieved and guilty -- she realizes the fish sold at her family's store likely sickened local people. Now in her late 80's, she's fighting to secure government relief for victims as she continues to live life looking forward.

Colorful fruit-shaped soap, handmade near Tokyo by people with disabilities, has become a big seller. The workers vary in their degree of disability, personality, and capabilities, but they each bring their own skills to the task, taking on new challenges, growing as people, and building a thriving business. Company chairman, Kaoru Kambara, says, "People with disabilities are serious about their lives, eager and dedicated to their job." We follow their efforts as they learn what it means to work.

At a small elementary school on Lake Biwa, kayaking is part of the curriculum. The culmination of the students' training comes in late May, when every 5th- and 6th-grader takes part in a two-day kayak trip. Covering 40 kilometers round trip, the "nature study excursion" immerses the children in the lake's rich natural environment, and teaches them important life skills such as perseverance and cooperation. We follow 25 students as they gear up for a journey that will test them, and help them grow.

The Tateyama mountain range in north-eastern Japan is known for its vibrant mountain scenery, drawing nearly a million tourists a year. The people who live at the foot of the mountains worship the sacred peaks and draw emotional sustenance from them. As the seasons unfold, the face of Tateyama changes dramatically. Over the course of a year, we look at both the abundant blessings that nature bestows on Tateyama and the people who live in this harsh but beautiful setting.