The Professionals (2006)

Ippei Torii heads an NPO that provides assistance for foreign workers in Japan. In recognition of his work, he was named a Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Hero by the U.S. Department of State, becoming the first Japanese national to receive the honor. As we follow Torii, we are confronted by an inconvenient truth from which Japanese society has averted its eyes. With Japan shifting its stance on immigration, how will its people adapt and face reality? We explore this key issue of our time.

This is what it means to achieve mastery! A knife sharpener apart from the rest, Katsumi Sakashita (76) breathes life into the knives he handles. Despite a two-year wait, over 200 knives are sent to him each year from chefs nationwide. One of his incredible techniques is an "air passage" that reduces contact with food to the absolute minimum. Although his fingers are gnarled and his teeth have fallen out, Sakashita pours his heart into every knife he works on. For half his life, his job's lowly status was met with insult and contempt, but the words of his mother inspired him to persevere. We cover his many battles, from specialized eel-cutting knives to a one-of-a-kind gift for a chef starting down a new road.

Chef Hajime Yoneda prepares elaborate, precisely-crafted culinary works. Yoneda's restaurant was recognized internationally by an esteemed fine dining guide within just a year and 5 months of its opening, receiving the fastest 3 stars in history. His acclaimed dinner course features more than 400 ingredients, and is crafted with ultimate precision to draw out the best possible flavors. We follow his journey to reach the "point of perfection," and meet some of his inspirational regulars.

Using leftover ingredients and everyday cookware, Shima Tassin can improvise over 15 dishes to feed a family for a week. With over 600 dishes in her repertoire, she can make anything, including Japanese, Chinese and even the finest gourmet French cuisine. Her reservations are constantly full, leading her to be known as "The Legendary Household Helper" who brings smiles to the table. We look at Tassin's life, and a new challenge she's taken on.

Hiroe Higuchi (48) is executive chef at one of Japan's leading hotels. Her food was served to great acclaim at the Ise-Shima G7 summit. The restaurant's mainstay dish is abalone but stocks are low; Higuchi decides to create a new showstopper, but it's a tough task. As the hotel's first female head chef she faces a variety of battles while leading a team of 80 and shaping new traditions.

Developmental disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disorders, are often called "unnoticed disorders." Shinshu University Hospital psychiatrist Hideo Honda is one of Japan's leading specialists in developmental disorders. He has clinical experience treating patients over time from early childhood to maturity, which is rare even on a global level. Honda asks, "What is 'normal?'" "How does one find happiness in life?" With these fundamental questions in his heart, he works closely with patients who have lost their confidence, and affirms their way of life.

In the summer of 2019, manned submersible research vessel Shinkai 6500, or 6K, visited an underwater volcano northwest of the Ogasawara Islands. The team dived deep into the ocean in search of the rare Alviniconcha hessleri and its mysterious ecosystem. We follow their 9-day mission, and explore how and why the 6K has managed to astonish the world since its debut in 1989. Join us on an incredible adventure to the bottom of the ocean!

We follow Imoto Haruhisa, a 50-year-old maths teacher so famous people come from across the nation to observe his classroom. From a top-level school to a foster care facility, he encourages students to shine in classes praised as "magical" and "miraculous." His unorthodox lessons never use textbooks or require taking notes. How does this approach help students build their thinking skills? Through Imoto's "ultimate philosophy of learning," we find many hints applicable not only in education, but for raising children and personnel development as well.

A vet clinic in Tokyo's Denenchofu is visited by some rather unusual animals. A chameleon with a swollen left eye, a monitor lizard with a stomach problem and a flying squirrel with an unretractable penis. Clinic head Tamukai Kenichi welcomes any and all animals. After 20 years on the job he's worked with over a hundred species. But he's faced with one of his trickiest cases that requires emergency surgery. Can he overcome a bitter experience from 14 years ago? Lives are on the line.

We spent several months following plant breeder Washizawa Koji, known as "The God of Dahlias." In his dahlia garden on the outskirts of Akita City, he's created innovative new varieties of dahlia that have shaken up the flower industry. Once considered plain, the dahlia has become a bright flower, popular for special occasions thanks to Washizawa's efforts. Though he spends his days walking the fields barefoot and sleeping in a hut nearby, he has led an incredible life. In his devotion to dahlias, he ended up sacrificing his family; now, his thoughts once again turn to them. This is the story of a man enthralled by the magic of dahlias, and the family that was torn apart.

At Japan's department stores, no event is more popular than the Hokkaido Products Fair. And the charismatic man behind the scenes is Honda Daisuke. As the industry's only Hokkaido-based buyer, he taps into his extensive network of contacts to discover food and ingredients that surprise and delight customers all over the country. What's more, he teams up with chefs and other food experts to turn those ingredients into original products, from sweets to sushi bowls. For the last few years Hokkaido's catches of winter salmon and crab have been declining. We follow Honda as he attempts to use a certain fish to create a new hit item for the fair. In 2020, he returns to Hokkaido Prefecture, which is struggling with earthquake recovery as well as poor fishing catches, to find new ways to promote the area.

World champion shoeshiner Hasegawa Yuya can polish any pair of shoes to a brilliant shine. At around $40 a pair, his fee is steep, but countless customers still seek out his skill. Yet shoes are not the only thing Hasegawa wishes to brighten. The rule he lives by is "Giving lives a mirror shine." We follow him as he strives to overturn preconceptions about shoe shining, and even reveals secret tricks for achieving a beautiful shine!

Beautician Kanzaki Megumi (44) is a rising star with countless serials in women's magazines and over 1.34 million copies of her work in print. She's a professional with her finger on the pulse of cosmetics, makeup techniques, fashion pairings and every possible tip for looking gorgeous. Her own experiences struggling with an inferiority complex taught her that makeup is magic, and it can change lives. Kanzaki is also a mother-of-three who juggles domestic chores and childcare with a busy career. Watch her dedicate her skills to helping others overcome their fears, and achieve total transformations!

Over 400 professionals have appeared in the 15 years of this program's history. At the top of their various fields, these specialists are confronting the coronavirus crisis around the world. We interview them to learn what's happening, what actions they are taking to deal with the crisis and what lies ahead in the future to come. The professionals send their ardent messages to the world.

Bring a little fun and flavor to life at home! We reached out to previous professionals from all around Japan, including a legendary household helper and several top chefs. They filmed themselves making simple, delicious recipes to make in your own kitchen. Decades of honing their skills mean these dishes are packed with tips and techniques that will appeal to your sense of adventure as well as your appetite! Try it at home for your family and for yourself! Let's get through this together.

In this special episode, professionals share delicious recipes you can easily make at home. The lineup includes 3-star-rated chefs such as Yamamoto Seiji, Yoneda Hajime and Kobayashi Kei, the first Japanese chef to achieve the 3-star rating in France. Legendary patissier Sugino Hidemi and cookery writer Kurihara Harumi also share their recipes. Dive in to this dream collaboration of top chefs made possible by The Professionals.

The Tsugaru peninsula lies on the northernmost edge of Japan's main island, and is home to some of the country's most untamed landscapes. For more than 30 years, 93-year-old Kuwata Misao has made over 50,000 Sasa-mochi rice cakes every year here, all on her own. She goes into the wilderness to find bamboo leaves, and grows her own azuki beans to ensure the perfect ingredients for her delicious mochi. What is the meaning of work? Of life? Of happiness? Granny Mochi's quiet, delightful tale warms the heart.

53-year-old Iwasa Toru is a chief editor of a popular magazine conveying the appeal of rural Japan. Flooded with requests from across Japan, he works on rebuilding inns and revitalizing towns as "a master of rural restoration" and "a key figure in rural development." Having moved his entire company from Tokyo to a rural village in Niigata Prefecture, Iwasa has been gaining popularity through his approach to work. We follow him over time as he works on a project to revive a long-running inn and the surrounding hot spring town. Iwasa's insight on rural restoration may provide the key to revitalizing Japan as a whole.

Okonomiyaki is a popular street food in Hiroshima. Lauded as the best Okonomiyaki chef of his generation, Ichii Kaoru (66) owns the first Okonomiyaki restaurant to be listed in a world-renowned restaurant guidebook. He's elevated this former street food into top-flight cuisine. His secret is using a steaming technique that maximizes the sweetness of the cabbage; high-speed cameras reveal the expertise required to manipulate this steam. But Ichii had to follow a rocky road to reach his current heights. Discover how one man dedicated himself to an obsession with Okonomiyaki.

How does one perfect the ever-popular fried pork cutlet? We follow Shimada Yoshihiko, the 4th generation owner of a Western cuisine restaurant with 115 years of history in Ueno, Tokyo. From beef tongue stew to fried shrimp to pork sauté ... celebrity figures throughout the years have loved this restaurant's flavor. The secret? For the pork cutlet, Shimada always chooses the best meat available that day, regardless of brand or origin. For the beef stew's demi-glace sauce, he mixes in flour and butter with a wooden spatula over the course of 20 days. Shimada spares no time or effort when it comes to cooking, and behind his dedication is a promise made to his late father.

Tashiro Seiichiro's fishing boat is booked up 2 years in advance. His popularity lies in his fame for helping beginners even land big fish. He's especially known for sniffing out the enormous yellowtail amberjack. Tashiro's keen observation helps him find over 1,500 of these fish each year. He knows the currents, wind direction, locations, and timings that will best suit each passenger's skills. It's not luck, but strategy, that pinpoints the prized yellowtail amberjack. Join us on a voyage to the Genkai-nada Sea, one of the world's top fishing spots, and discover how Tashiro hones his skills.

How has a university hospital been fighting on the frontline against COVID-19? When more and more patients started coming in, the hospital became a battlefield. Following the hospital's wish to leave a record behind, the program director spent 2 months filming with a small camera. Leading the battle was infectious disease specialist Kasahara Kei. Though the hospital was constantly worn by the battle, Kasahara always looked a step ahead. This is a record of those medical professionals, who stood up to fight an unfamiliar virus.