NHK Documentaries

A music festival held in Seoul, South Korea, where singers representing Asian countries and regions gathered. Performers: Hirahara Ayaka (Japan), MAMAMOO+ (South Korea), Tia Ray (China), etc.

Join experts such as Wim Wenders to explore the masterful film-making of renowned Tokyo Story director Ozu Yasujiro, the 120th anniversary of whose birth fell in December 2023.

Mayuyama Koji is an art restorer tasked by antique dealers and museums with returning broken works to their former glory. His previously unrevealed techniques earned him the nickname "God Hand."

A quiet little shop in downtown Tokyo serves as a haven for Japan's lost young souls. They share their innermost feelings with their future selves in letters they'll receive exactly one year later.

14 years ago, Hasegawa Kazuo was diagnosed with lung cancer. He recounts his battle with stage four cancer, and his mission to change how patients receive care.

Returning home after five years, a Ukrainian journalist living in Japan confronted the harsh realities of war. She created an intimate documentary, showing how life has been upended.

Receiving worldwide submissions, Japan's prestigious Good Design Award. Take a first-time look behind the scenes at what society needs from design, and how it can help all of us have better lives.

76-year-old Tatsuyo, a.k.a. Grandma, is a budding stand-up comedian who captures hearts across generations. Join us and discover her passion for life.

We revisit the highland village where their doctor not only provides care for its aging residents but is also reinvigorating the community, helping revitalize the area with his energy and fresh ideas.

Deaf and hearing actors performed together in a production of Shakespeare's classic comedy using Japanese sign language and verbal Japanese, which was broadcasted in January 2024. In this special program we look at the behind-the-scenes of how this performance was created. Most of the hearing actors had never worked with Deaf actors before, so it brought about a new challenge. During rehearsals, the cast underwent a process of trial and error as they examined each other's lines in sign language and verbal Japanese trying to coordinate their timing, with mixed results. Deaf actors and directors dug deep until the very last minute of filming to determine what sign language expressions were best suited for Shakespeare's eloquence. In the process, the entire crew discovered what it means for the two groups of actors to work together in this unprecedented artistic experiment.

Amidst an economic slowdown, China's freelance truck drivers risk their very lives to earn money traversing the road to Tibet, feared as the most dangerous in the country.

An increasing number of Nepali youths are traveling to Japan to study, hoping to repay their migration debts and make lives for themselves, but they face the harsh realities of Japanese society.

This shrine in Kumamoto Pref. was razed in the 2016 earthquake. The seven-year restoration fused traditional craftsmanship with the latest technology.

Millions of forest trees are disappearing every year. The investigative journalism program "Digital Eye" uses the power of digital technology to unravel the reality of the deforestation process.

DRUM TAO, a taiko drumming group that brings its sublime sound and dynamic performances to audiences around the world, delivers a performance from the stage of a national park in Aso.

This year saw the end of Sominsai, a unique festival in which loinclothed men plunge into freezing water, are enveloped in smoke, and jostle through the night to grasp a lucky sack as a form of prayer.

This investigative documentary takes a deep look into the black box of North Korea. The country has continued to strengthen its military while the world's attention has been turned elsewhere.

From a whistleblower, NHK obtained exclusive video and sound recordings of a psychiatric hospital, along with records of nearly 1,500 patients. These materials revealed rampant patient abuse, illegal physical constraints and the fact that 78% of patients were discharged by death. This investigative report amassed extensive documentation and interviews with key actors to address the persistent problems of psychiatric hospitals.

K-POP has taken the world by storm thanks to its unique performances and business strategy. This documentary follows its growth and the ways in which J-POP artists are rising to the challenge.

As growth in the game industry accelerates, game makers pursue increased global attention through new strategies. Japanese game companies, once undisputed champions, now face competition to survive.

Under intense fire from the Russian forces, Ukrainian civilians-turned-soldiers document their first experiences on the battlefield using smartphones and cameras to show the do-or-die reality of war.

Anthropocene is when human activity started profoundly impacting our planet. Inconvenient truths pile up in some of Indonesia's poorest communities, where "plastic farmers" can barely make ends meet.

Explore Japanese TV with this "traditional" travel documentary about a majestic mountain village. Watch until the end to discover the program's true message.

How do you cover a war in your own country? We spent two years with journalists from Ukraine's public broadcaster and saw how Russia's invasion transformed their profession and changed their beliefs.

Leaving a popular Tokyo restaurant, Otsuka Kenichi and his wife Keiko relocated to Hokkaido Prefecture six years ago. There, they offer enticing, unique dishes with local flavors found nowhere else.

Chef Otsuka Kenichi and his wife Keiko relocated from Tokyo to Hokkaido Prefecture six years ago. They now work with locals to source delicious ingredients even in the harshness of the northern winter.

After Tomioka's evacuation order was lifted, the few returnees were mostly elderly. To raise their spirits, Matsumura grows rice from which he can make mochi, a traditional favorite on special days.

In 2011, a devastating tsunami and nuclear accident ground Fukushima Prefecture's fishing industry to a halt. NHK followed local fishers for the next 13 years as they struggled to reclaim their sea.

In the Chinese city of Changsha, the possibilities of live streaming are huge: the most charismatic streamers can earn thousands of dollars a night in online payments. But they expose almost every moment they are awake. It is not an easy job, but why do they have to choose? We followed two young live streamers for more than six months.

Northern Japan's Golden Hall of Chusonji Temple is a National Treasure, constructed nine centuries ago. Come explore its mysteries through an ultra-high-definition digital replica.

The 2011 earthquake in northeastern Japan profoundly affected the lives of the local government officials involved in the response. For the first time, many of them are sharing their stories.

Thirteen years since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, the government's plan to decommission the plant is at a crossroads. We take a close look at the efforts to secure Fukushima's future.

Our topic is the Gaza Crisis. Is there a path to a lasting solution? We seek fresh insights from two experts: A scholar in the US with roots in Israel and a Palestinian scholar in Canada.

In Japan, many people with dementia leave their homes, wander off, and are never seen again. Now, communities are developing measures to locate the missing and reunite them with their loved ones.

The herders of Thoe Village uphold a long tradition of grazing their sheep at the distant Island of God, but the trek there requires them to guide 2,000 of the animals across a vast frozen lake.

The herders of Thoe Village uphold a long tradition of grazing their sheep at the distant Island of God, but the trek there requires them to guide 2,000 of the animals across a vast frozen lake.

Ten rookie manga creators from around the world have assembled in a small town in southwestern Japan. We follow their daily struggle to become world-class manga creators.

Among the global race for large rocket development, Japan's most advanced rocket has finally taken flight. We look into the year-long battle of the engineers who overcame its initial failure.

Wengding Village in Yunnan Province, home of the Wa people, is known as "China's last traditional village." After a fire in 2021, it was rebuilt and is now managed by a tourism developer. Local residents were relocated to a new village 1.5km away and now work as day laborers in their old village, where their sacred ceremony has been repurposed into a major attraction. Some villagers hope this will improve their lives, but others fear their traditional culture will be lost among tourism.

Japanese gardens have long captivated people around the world. This program follows the master gardeners chasing perfection at the Adachi Museum of Art and the Katsura Imperial Villa.

In February 2023, patient abuse was uncovered at Takiyama Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Hachioji, Tokyo. Medical staff were arrested, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government issued a remedial order. It looked as if the problem would be solved... However, the transfer of patients from the hospital did not proceed as planned, and the high incidence of "discharge by death" continued. Why? Our investigation highlighted the practices of the government authorities and the psychiatric hospitals that take in these patients, as well as the true feelings of the associations of patients' families. We also encountered inexplicable cases of excessive medical care at Takiyama Hospital. Conditions inside the hospital are examined using whistleblower video footage and interviews with those involved.

Russian athletes competing internationally have been accused of doping. We look at the life of one young skater, Kamila Valieva, and the effect that such allegations have had on her career.

Pianist Fuzjko Hemming passed away this year, at 92, after a rich but tumultuous life. We follow the artist's final five years, where she tirelessly pursues her art even as she faces her demise.

In Japan, there are almost daily reports of voyeurism and sexual abuse targeting children. This two-part series turns a spotlight on a disturbing threat looming at the edges of society.

The sale of sexual videos and photographs of minors is a lucrative international industry. Part two of our series examines this burgeoning trade and what can be done to stop it.

Yoshioka Hitoshi was a historian of science who sought a strictly rational approach to nuclear energy in Japan. His extensive archives detail previously undocumented aspects of Japanese policymaking.

This is the story of a doctor in a seaside town in central Japan. For four years, we documented his efforts to support the town's elderly residents as its population dwindles and ages.

In Shenzhen, a city filled with opportunity, equipment dealers anticipate the failure of local businesses brought about by the recession, competing to buy their goods and resell them at a profit.

Eighty years after the Battle of Saipan, a collection of battlefield interviews with US soldiers has been uncovered. Their voices tell the story of one of the most brutal chapters of the war.

90 years after the creation of Japan's national parks, we introduce the charms of the Setonaikai, Aso and other natural wonders, which are key to the Nature Positive strategy for the planet.

New Japanese technologies to solve the climate crisis. Part 1 is urban mitigation measures. We look at zero-carbon buildings, perovskite solar cells, and the challenge of turning cities into forests.

Part 2 is about adaptation measures. It introduces Japan's disaster prevention technology, such as flood control and early warning systems, as well as infectious disease countermeasures in Thailand.

71-year-old diver Fujita Hisao has spent 40 years drawing attention to the beauty of ocean life, particularly the graceful sea lions, which face lethal removal due to their obstruction of fishing nets.

In a wintry river, ice crystals come together, forming a road of white. We'll show you spectacular, never-before-seen footage of nature and ice. But is global warming changing this natural wonder?

"A 27-year-old Japanese mountaineer achieved the feat of crossing a watershed that runs across Hokkaido Prefecture. This documentary chronicles his journey as he confronts the harsh nature and examines his life.

Many parents who have a history of abuse have been saved by a unique community. It is called Muginoko Village, which helps children with developmental disabilities and their parents to grow together.

In July 2024, the Supreme Court ruled Japan's defunct Eugenic Protection Law as unconstitutional. We look into why many of the victims who were forcefully sterilized remain silent on their suffering.

The Hiroshima Red Cross Hospital was one of the only hospitals still standing after the dropping of the atomic bomb. Newly uncovered files shed light on the ensuing weeks and months at the hospital.

he Mikoda Morning Market has been known as "Morioka's kitchen" for almost 50 years. But it is not only the fresh produce that warms the hearts of customers even on chilly mornings.

A renowned Japanese artist and international star, 27-year-old Fujii Kaze is taking on the world. We look behind the scenes and explore the appeal of his continually-evolving music.

Teaming with experts in 7 locations around the world, we conducted an analysis of internal records leaked from a Chinese cybersecurity company, delving into the new threats spreading on the internet.