Hometown Stories (2011)
Stories about people, stories about life. Intimate portraits of people from around Japan, each leading diverse lives while enriching lives of others.
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Episode 1 - Korean Family Meals for Rural Japan
Release Date: 2024-01-07There's a Korean restaurant in Northeastern Japan run by a woman from South Korea. She moved to the area over 30 years ago to marry a Japanese man. We follow her as she connects with local people.
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Episode 2 - A School for Two
Release Date: 2024-01-14A shuttered elementary school reopened for just one family that moved back to their beloved hometown. We look at their joys and struggles, and local efforts to enliven a small fishing settlement.
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Episode 3 - A Mosque in a Japanese Community
Release Date: 2024-01-28There is a mosque in western Japan where local Muslims gather to pray and seek help when they are troubled. For them, the mosque is like a second home that provides happiness and emotional support.
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Episode 4 - Nagasaki's Long-Forgotten Choir
Release Date: 2024-02-04During World War II, a radio children's choir brought joy to its members and listeners alike. We uncovered the story of the teacher who led it, working to promote the cause of peace through music.
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Episode 5 - Conquering Peaks on One Leg
Release Date: 2024-02-18A one-legged climber, who uses forearm crutches, aims to conquer two rugged peaks in central Japan at the same time. We find out what spurs him to take up the challenge and what views await him.
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Episode 6 - Nepalese Students Find a Taste of Home
Release Date: 2024-02-25Nepalese students who are studying in Japan are finding community at a local store selling Nepalese goods. What challenges do they face as they pursue their dreams so far from home?
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Episode 7 - Taxi Drivers in a Tsunami-hit Town
Release Date: 2024-03-10Twelve years after a massive quake and tsunami in northeast Japan, we followed taxi drivers in Kesennuma, one of the affected towns, to experience people's memories and hopes through their eyes.
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Episode 8 - Life Lessons by a Crystal-Clear River
Release Date: 2024-03-24A small high school canoeing club trains hard every day. While persevering and improving their skills, they learn valuable life lessons in the clear waters of the Shimanto River in Kochi Prefecture.
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Episode 9 - Hiking Guide Connects Hearts
Release Date: 2024-04-14A popular hiking guide in northern Japan brings smiles to the faces of all her clients. What events from her past brought her to where she is today? And what is her secret for spreading happiness?
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Episode 10 - New Approach to an Old Festival
Release Date: 2024-04-28In Nagasaki, a group of men practice for a traditional performance so tough that some have to drop out with injuries. Under their motto of "Smile," will they succeed and pass on the custom?
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Episode 11 - Navigating a World with Words
Release Date: 2024-05-05An improper diagnosis in early childhood led Shibasaki Akane to spend nearly half her life in a world without words. We follow her as she expands her horizons and moves toward an independent future.
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Episode 12 - Pearls for Remembrance
Release Date: 2024-05-19Families come to Ago Bay, central Japan, to have loved ones' ashes encased in pearls. They insert them into oysters so they can grow in the sea. We explore what has made families reach this decision.
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Episode 13 - Forging Bonds Under a Starry Sky
Release Date: 2024-05-26What happens when people gather to gaze at the stars? Through a variety of programs, a Japanese organization enables a broad range of participants to learn more about the universe and themselves.
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Episode 14 - From Seed to Shop: Grandma's Pickles
Release Date: 2024-06-09In Japan's snowy north, an elderly woman has been making pickles for 70 years. Now, she must learn to adapt to new laws and a warming climate. And her efforts seem to be paying off.
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Episode 15 - New Face for a Centuries-Old Dance
Release Date: 2024-06-30In a mountain community in northeastern Japan, a 21-year-old man has decided to become the first successor of a traditional local Kagura dance in 50 years. We follow him as he prepares for his debut.
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Episode 16 - Mending Hearts with Mandarin Oranges
Release Date: 2024-07-07A man in his seventies has been transporting fruit and supplies to places affected by the 2011 disaster. On his final journey, he shares emotional farewells with people whose lives he's made brighter.
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Episode 17 - Holy Fire on the Mountain
Release Date: 2024-07-21About 1,500 local men in traditional white costumes run down a mountain path, lighting up the night with sacred torches, in a centuries-old fire festival in Shingu City, western Japan.
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Episode 18 - A Ranch for Retired Racehorses
Release Date: 2024-07-28A famed former trainer runs a ranch where retired racehorses spend their final days in nature bringing comfort to human visitors. But then an earthquake brings uncertainty to their peaceful lives.
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Episode 19 - Hiroshima's A-Bomb Survivor Trees
Release Date: 2024-08-11A tree surgeon in Hiroshima lovingly treats trees that live on around 8 decades after the A-bomb devastation. He intentionally leaves their scars intact as some of them near the end of their lives.
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Episode 20 - A Year as a Young Rural Doctor
Release Date: 2024-08-25A young doctor undergoes training to develop skills to help rural communities. What kind of care do his patients need to live life to the fullest? We follow him in his search for answers.
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Episode 21 - Carrying on in a Quake-hit Town
Release Date: 2024-09-08Five months after a big earthquake struck central Japan's Noto Peninsula, many residents have evacuated, but some stayed in their hometown. Faced with new challenges, they try to rebuild their lives.
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Episode 22 - Modern Maiko Diaries
Release Date: 2024-09-15In the city of Sakata in northeastern Japan, maiko have entertained people for centuries. Now, a master of the art is helping younger women follow in her path, and gain confidence with every step.