NHK World Special Programs

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.

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.

In the 19th century, writer Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo) helped introduce Japan to the wider world. Peter Barakan visits Izumo to learn about the natural and unseen realms that Hearn treasured.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Jiu-jitsu has spread across all corners of the globe. It first began as armored wrestling, which then sportified into Judo, and later derived as Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. This program will unravel the techniques that have been passed down to this day. (may be a new show, or only this one episode)