Trivia on aspects of Japan's unique culture and products that reflect the aesthetic sense and values of the Japanese people.
Social & External
The people behind it
Peter Barakan
Host
Peter Barakan is a broadcaster and a 45-year resident of Japan. In this series, he discovers how Japan is changing.
From sumo wrestling to robots, Japan's traditions and high-tech innovations fuel host Sue Perkin's cultural exploration in this docuseries.
Japan continues to thrive as it incorporates cultural elements of music, fashion, cuisine, sports, arts and science from around the world. People’s encounters trigger the fusion of Japan’s and the world’s diverse culture, unceasingly producing a myriad of new phenomena and events. This series will feature how various culture in modern Japan and overseas blend together and influence each other.
Looks into the lives of legendary sumo wrestlers who come from humble beginnings in Hawaii and become the first foreigners to rise to the highest ranks in Japan.
Akihito, the Emperor of Japan, abdicated on April 30, 2019. This 3-parts NHK World documentary series chronicles the life of a former "divine child" who became the symbol of the Japanese State when he ascended the throne in 1989.
Truck mechanic and motorcycle racer Guy Martin goes on an off-beat 2500-mile journey around Japan to find out how it really works.
Criss-cross Japan by rail. Enjoy an amazing diversity of nature and scenery across the four seasons, exploring both well-known and hidden Japan.
Kevin McCloud is passionately optimistic about technology and the future, but Jon Richardson, Phil Wang and Alice Levine aren't so sure. Can Kevin persuade his trio of sceptics to see the light?
The British actress goes on a 2,000 mile journey across the four main islands of Japan, travelling from North to South meeting local people and absorbing the culture.
What comes to mind when you say Japan? Sushi or cupping geishas? The Land of the Rising Sun offers so much more. Naomi Adachi is half Czech, half Japanese. She often visits her second home to visit family and friends, and this time she's taking you with her. She will introduce you to the beauty of Japan, its traditional customs and everyday life in her own unique style. And of course, there will be plenty of food!
Embark on a series of journeys through the skies over Japan. Fly to airports nationwide and enjoy breathtaking views from the airplane window. Experience the unique seasonal beauty of the long stretching nation's southern coral reefs, vivid autumn foliage, Mt. Fuji at sunset and sparkling cityscapes. Upon arrival at each location, expert local airport staff will introduce must-see attractions, exquisite cuisine and more. Also gain a glimpse about the jobs of pilots and cabin crew.
"Talent" Chip Tsao went to London, Greenwich, Wales, Oxford, Cambridge, England, to analyze the British people's living habits, academic development, economic conditions, etc .; and went to Warsaw, Gdansk, Krakow to know a country with a hundred years of blood and tears. Eason Chan visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Fukuoka in Japan to learn about the cultural differences; Social worker Shiu Ka-chun went deep into Finland's Turku, Helsinki, Nokia and other places to experience the local customs through living with locals. They will introduce the details of each famous city from a social, historical, and cultural perspective, bringing different connotations, depths, and education.
James May embarks on a remarkable journey across Japan, from its icy north to its balmy south. He’ll see the sights, meet the locals, and eat the noodles in a bid to truly understand the Land of the Rising Sun.
A series of skits revolving around poking fun at Japanese traditions, such as the art of romance, apologies, and sushi-eating.
Survivors and witnesses recall March 11 2011 - when Japan was hit by a devastating tsunami of 40-foot waves, killing 20,000 and triggering a nuclear meltdown.
A enjoyable low budget variety program about female railroad enthusiasts ("tetsu ota"). The girls who just love trains, travel around the country by themselves. Real railroad trips where nothing may happen. Watch out for the unique ways that women who love trains can enjoy trains!
Come ride with us! Bicycle through the scenery of Japan, stay with locals and discover hidden traditions in a Japan you didn't know existed.
From epic landscapes and unforgettable culture, to the often trying times that come with international travel, Departures chronicles the unforgettable friendships, personal successes and sometimes crushing disappointments that befall travellers Scott Wilson and Justin Lukach on their journey. Departures is as much about the journey as it is the destination.
Doctor Who Confidential is a documentary to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Each episode was broadcast on BBC Three on Saturdays, immediately after the broadcast of the weekly television episode on BBC One. The running time of the first two series was 30 minutes, being extended to 45 minutes in the third. BBC Three also broadcast a cut-down edition of the programme, lasting 15 minutes, shown after the repeats on Sundays and Fridays and after the weekday evening repeats of earlier seasons.
Don Wildman unearths relics from the world's greatest institutions to reveal secrets from the past. He examines each artifact to illuminate history's most incredible triumphs, sensational crimes and bizarre encounters.
The history of the sport of baseball in America, told through archival photos, film footage, and the words of those who contributed to the game in each era. Writers, historians, players, baseball personnel, and fans review key events and the significance of the game in America's history.
Infographics and archival footage deliver bite-size history lessons on scientific breakthroughs, social movements and world-changing discoveries.
Horizon tells amazing science stories, unravels mysteries and reveals worlds you've never seen before.
An in-depth look at the history and pop cultural significance of horror films.
Have you ever wondered how the products you use every day are made? How It's Made leads you through the process of how everyday products, such as apple juice, skateboards, engines, contact lenses, and many more objects are manufactured.
An insider's look at the engineering and scientific miracles behind the things that form the modern world.
Through the prism of Jeff Goldblum's always inquisitive and highly entertaining mind, nothing is as it seems. Each episode is centered around something we all love — like sneakers or ice cream — as Jeff pulls the thread on these deceptively familiar objects and unravels a wonderful world of astonishing connections, fascinating science and history, amazing people, and a whole lot of surprising big ideas and insights.
Explores WWII from Germany's invasion of Poland through the atomic age, examining pivotal battles, wartime leaders like Churchill and Roosevelt, and the human cost of total war.
American Masters is a PBS television series which produces biographies on enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers, and others who have left an indelible impression on the cultural landscape of the United States.
A series of standalone documentaries powered by the unparalleled journalism and insight of The New York Times, bringing viewers close to the essential stories of our time.
PBS' premier science series helps viewers of all ages explore the science behind the headlines. Along the way, NOVA demystifies science and technology, and highlights the people involved in scientific pursuits.
This immersive series follows the world's most magnificent creatures, capturing never-before-seen moments from the heartwarming to the outrageous.
Learn how popular Disney attractions and destinations came to be, how they have changed over time, and how fans continue to obsess over them.
This docuseries captures the remarkable rise and unprecedented success of one of the most dominant and iconic franchises in professional sports. Featuring exclusive access to the Buss Family and probing, revealing interviews with players, coaches, and front office execs, this series chronicles this extraordinary story from the inside – told only by the people who lived it.
TV's most-watched history series brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.
Motoring programme featuring reviews of and reports about cars of all types.
Biography is a documentary television series. It was originally a half-hour filmed series produced for CBS by David Wolper from 1961 to 1964 and hosted by Mike Wallace. The A&E Network later re-ran it and has produced new episodes since 1987. The older version featured historical figures such as Helen Keller and Mark Twain, or long-dead entertainment figures such as Will Rogers or John Barrymore. The A&E series has placed the emphasis on such people as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Plácido Domingo, Freddie Mercury, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Eric Clapton, Pope John Paul II, Gene Tierney, Selena, Diego Rivera, Mao Zedong and Queen Elizabeth II, and fictional characters like The Phantom, Superman, Hamlet, Betty Boop, and Santa Claus. The program ended up profiling enough figures that in 1999, A&E spun it off into an entire network, The Biography Channel.
Explore American cinema through the decades and the cultural, societal and political shifts that framed its evolution.