Document 72 Hours

Osaka Prefecture's Ikuno Ward is home to Osaka Korea Town, a neighborhood packed with shops selling Korean food and other items. Inspired by a recent boom in South Korean pop culture, what originally was a market for people with roots on the Korean Peninsula is now visited by two million people annually. Among the visitors were three Japanese nurses buying cosmetics; a grandfather who lives nearby visiting for the first time; and shoppers of Korean descent. For three days, we took a look at a shopping district where cultures intersect.

The ceiling of a narrow tunnel under a railway line in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, is so low that adults must stoop over to pass through. Despite this, what locals have nicknamed the "Manbow Tunnel" remains a busy and vital passageway in daily life. Among people using the tunnel were a woman taking the shortest route to the supermarket, and a family who likes the thrill of this unusual path under the tracks. For three days, we took a closer look at this tunnel and its role in the local community.

Each spring, about 30,000 black-tailed gulls flock to a nesting site around a shrine in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture. The gulls, which are called umineko or "sea cats" because of their cat-like cries, form an impressive site as they soar through the sky. Among visitors to the shrine were an American woman living in Aomori and her visiting family; an elderly man who enjoys chatting to the birds; and locals fond of these feathered harbingers of spring. For 3 days, we asked people what the umineko mean to them.

Each year, Hofu Tenmangu shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture holds a "doll appreciation festival" at which people can give their now-unwanted dolls a proper farewell. Among the shrine's visitors were a man bringing dolls he displayed to bring his daughter luck when she was young; a grandfather who displayed dolls for his grandchildren for 30 years; and a woman who made a doll as she prepared to marry decades ago. What do people feel as they say a final thank you and goodbye to their dolls? For three days, we asked them.

A cheerful greeting rings out over the radio in an island dialect: "Ugamin shoran! (Hello!)" This time, we visit a station broadcasting in Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture. Many of the presenters are straight out of the local community, including seniors who read out news items in dialect. A high schooler home for the holidays makes a live appearance. People who have moved away call in to share their stories. We invite you to settle into the soothing rhythm of an island radio station.

In the final days of 2022, an expressway bus terminal in Fukuoka Prefecture heaves with passengers traveling on over 1,000 buses that arrive or depart here daily. The people at the terminal included a woman visiting her father by bus because this mode of transport is cheaper than going by train; a teenager seeing off her boyfriend; two young men determined to hit the big time in Fukuoka; and a man excited about a 15-hour ride to Tokyo. For three days over the New Year period, we asked people where they were going, and why.

A small shop selling okonomiyaki savory pancakes and obanyaki cakes has become a staple for locals in a part of Kobe devastated by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995. Among the customers fond of these dishes are friends who stop by while on a walk; a boy buying lunch and snacks for his family; and people who simply enjoy chatting with the staff. The shop was razed in the disaster, but the owner did his best to reopen as soon as possible. For three days, we talked to the customers and got a glimpse of the area's long road to recovery.

A small back space of a liquor store in Tokyo's Asagaya neighborhood is a no-frills standing bar where customers can drink their purchases. Patrons dropping in for a tipple come from all walks of life, including a company employee on his way home from work and a married couple able to spend more time together now that the husband has retired. For three days, we asked customers drinking in this liquor shop's back room about why they come here and raise a glass.

Why are no-frills udon noodle vending machines irresistible for drivers passing by a small rest area on a busy national road in western Shimane Prefecture? People stop here around the clock for a cheap bowl of noodles. The customers included a couple returning from a trip to their hometown; a boy and his parents who drove all the way from Fukuoka Prefecture just to try these noodles; and a man about to start his shift delivering milk. For three days around the Bon Festival period, we asked what makes these noodles so special.

A 24-hour fishing gear shop in southern Chiba Prefecture is a haven for anglers stocking up before heading to the coast to try their luck. The shop sells about 6,000 items such as bait, rods and lures. The customers include a man looking forward to fishing for squid with his grandson; a couple whose self-designed boat fits on the roof of their car; and a mother taking a break from her hectic daily life. Why are they so hooked on fishing? For three days, we asked the people stopping by this shop.

Rows of yellow handkerchiefs fly in the breeze at a small train station in the Shimabara Peninsula, Nagasaki Prefecture. Right behind the platform lies the Ariake Sea. The unmanned station attracts a stream of visitors who come to enjoy the view and write their wishes on the handkerchiefs. Among the visitors were a couple wearing matching outfits, and a railway photographer who drove all the way from Tokyo. The locals, too, are charmed by the station and wish for the railway to continue in the years to come. For three days, we listen to the stories of the people who've come from near and far to visit this remote station.

An unmanned stall in a residential area of Tokyo's Nerima Ward uses coin-operated lockers to sell locally grown vegetables including cabbage, radishes and spinach. The customers at this down-to-earth stall include a mother buying lettuce harvested from a field right in front of her house; and a keen jogger who frequently buys fresh veggies to stay in his wife's good books. For three days in early summer, we asked customers why they choose to shop at this stall that resembles a large vending machine.

A large plastic model kit store in Osaka Prefecture sells models, miniature trains, diorama supplies and other items. The model market has grown while people of all ages spent more time at home during the coronavirus pandemic. The store's customers include a man who makes model buses to relieve stress; a middle-aged woman crazy about making dollhouses; and a woman making a diorama as a birthday gift for her mother-in-law. For three days, we asked customers why this hobby is special to them.

Smartphones have become a vital part of modern-day life. Many people flock to a large cell phone store in Tokyo's Shinjuku district to buy the latest phone models, get their gadgets repaired and seek advice on other services. Among the customers in mid-March, a time for new beginnings in Japan, were an elderly couple fond of watching videos on their smartphones, a man struggling to spend less time glued to his phone, and people starting a new job or school year. What do phones mean to these customers? For 3 days, we asked them.

A small truck loaded with vegetables, meat, snacks and other items – a mobile supermarket – is a lifeline for residents in remote communities in northern Kyoto Prefecture. Among the customers were an elderly couple buying a week's worth of ready-prepared dishes; and a woman wanting snacks to eat while she chats with a friend. What is life like in these small communities with falling populations? For 3 days near the end of winter, we talked to people buying groceries from the supermarket on wheels.

Kashiikaen, an amusement park in Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan, closed at the end of 2021 after 65 years of operation. News of the closing prompted a wave of visitors, including a local woman who brought along her neighbor, and a family of 3 generations determined to ride their favorite attraction. Some even came after the gates were closed, just to see the park from the outside. What made them come to bid farewell? In the park’s final 3 days, we listened as visitors shared their stories and memories.

The 200 students at a nursing college in Nara Prefecture, Japan, range from new high school graduates to people seeking a change in career. Among the students were a woman inspired by nurses who treated her in hospital; a woman who felt nursing would be more rewarding than her sales job; and first-year students preparing for a test they must pass before starting clinical training. For 3 days, we asked why nursing appealed to them as a career, especially while the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect society.

A large 24-hour skateboard park in an industrial area of Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture, is popular with skateboarders of all ages and abilities. It is free and packed with fun obstacles; this facility attracts skaters including a 60-year-old who often comes on weekends, a mother taking a break from the hectic days of raising a young family, and men from overseas who work in the nearby auto industry plants. Why are they so passionate about doing tricks and jumps on 4 wheels? For 3 days and nights, we asked them.

As bonito season peaks in mid-July, the port in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, buzzes as fishermen unload their catches and prepare to return to sea. A portside store selling food and other vital supplies is a magnet for these men. Among the customers were a tuna fisherman soon to depart on a yearlong voyage; saury fishermen buying compact futon for their onboard sleeping quarters; and a captain stocking up on snacks for his 23 crew members. For 3 days, we asked these men about the lure of this store - and the ocean.

A store in a Tokyo suburb selling short-dated, surplus or imperfect yet edible food items cheaply is a magnet for thrifty shoppers. They can find vegetables costing just 27 US cents, a bottle of beer for 30 cents, and a pack of meat costing less than 1 dollar. The customers included a young woman trying to stretch the food budget for her family of 9; a woman and daughter who drive for an hour to buy meat; and a man thrilled by finding an unexpected bargain. Why do people come to this store that also reflects the huge volume of food discarded in Japan? For 3 days, we talked to customers hunting a bargain while filling their shopping baskets.

On a cold winter day in Japan, a piping-hot sweet potato baked so a natural sweet syrup oozes from its skin is hard to beat. An old-fashioned, no-frills shop in Ibaraki Prefecture sells these potatoes that warm the body and heart. Customers there include a woman sending potatoes as a gift; a mother buying a treat for her young daughter; and newlyweds sharing a potato and enjoying the simple things in life. For 3 days at the end of a year in which life was turned upside-down, we ask people about why they crave this simple, warming snack.

Meeting in person isn't easy these days, so sending a written message is a personal way to stay in touch. A stationery shop in Ginza, Tokyo, has over 5,000 items in a two-floor card and letter pad section. The customers included a man writing to his wife on their wedding anniversary for the first time; a company worker sending messages to clients she cannot meet due to coronavirus restrictions; and a woman cheered by handwritten letters from her grandmother. For 3 days, we asked what messages they would write.

Near the towering apartment buildings in Tokyo's Tsukuda area is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it alley. But tucked away down the narrow passage is a stone carving of a Buddhist guardian deity and a centuries-old ginkgo tree. Some people come to this small, secluded site to pray for good health, others for business prosperity or a better relationship with their spouse. Some just drop by to clear their mind. For 3 days, we asked visitors why they come to this unique spot loved by locals for almost 300 years.

A small dry cleaner in a western Tokyo commuter town is known for removing stubborn stains from garments and items that are precious to the owner. Among the customers are a woman who skipped getting her winter clothes cleaned during the coronavirus state of emergency; a nightclub waiter who gets his tailor-made suit cleaned monthly; and a woman who has taken it upon herself to raise her granddaughter. For 3 days, we asked customers about the tale behind each item getting carefully cleaned.

In Japan, spring is a time when many people move for school or work. A highway bus terminal linking Osaka Prefecture with over 60 cities is a magnet for people starting the next chapter in life. Among those we met at this terminal were a couple visiting their hometown for the first time in a year; a woman getting engaged to her long-distance boyfriend; and a newly grad moving out of his mother's home to start a new job far away. For 3 days in mid-March, soon after the COVID state of emergency was lifted, we asked people at the terminal where they were going, and why.

The Umihotaru parking area in the heart of Tokyo Bay offers 360-degree views of the surrounding area. Among the visitors we met over 3 days at the end of 2020 were a married couple who dropped plans to visit their distant hometowns over the New Year; a man who listens to pilots flying overhead communicating with air traffic controllers; and a couple who have been dating for less than a week braving the gale. At the end of a year dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, we asked visitors what is on their minds as they take in the ocean scenery.

The 70-kilometer Shimanami Kaido cycling route, which links Honshu and Shikoku via a chain of bridges and islands, is a magnet for cyclists from across Japan - and even further afield. Among the people we met pedaling along this route were a father and son who come every year; a farmer reliving his youthful days on 2 wheels; and a middle-aged couple now able to spend more time together. Why is this route so special to them? For 3 days, we spoke to cyclists riding the Shimanami Kaido, come rain or shine.

With over 40 kinds of handmade sandwiches including egg, mince cutlet and even fruit available, it could be the wide selection that draws customers to this small shop near Sapporo's Susukino entertainment district. However, this shop has another major attraction: it is open 24 hours a day. Among the customers we met, include a female owner of a nearby bar; a mother preparing breakfast for her family at 4 AM; and a nightclub host needing a snack before work. For 3 days, we spoke to the customers dropping by this shop that never sleeps.

A Tokyo store selling cheap, good-quality kitchen equipment is a boon for restaurant owners, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. The store sells over 9,000 kinds of products, ranging from fridges to pots and pans to cutlery. Among customers we met were an owner of a Japanese-style bar who started meal deliveries; and a couple opening their dream café. The store also receives a steady stream of requests to buy equipment from restaurants that have shut their doors. For 3 days, we asked operators who shop here about what's on their minds as they search for their new equipment.

The closure of Tokyo's Toshimaen amusement park in August 2020 marked the end of an era. For decades, El Dorado, the park's wooden carousel, was a popular attraction with visitors young and old. In the days before the park closed, visitors flocked to the carousel for a final ride, including an elderly couple who came on dates here before they married; a young man reminiscing about happier times with his family; and a woman who wants her late mother to see that she is back on her feet. For 3 days, we asked why this ride held such a special place in the hearts of so many people.

In this episode, the stage is a low-budget wedding hall in Tokyo, where 30-40 couples shuffle through every day for affordable, small-scale, short notice wedding arrangements. For many of the couples, the simple weddings are a display of best effort in the face of the demands of work and family. Some skip the ceremony altogether, opting to just have pictures taken to commemorate a turning point in their lives. For all the couples, the weddings represent a profound triumph over adversity, and celebration of a new life together. People from all walks of life, and their small wedding stories.

Many people in Japan celebrate the Tanabata Star Festival -- a tradition marked each July 7 -- by writing a wish on a thin sheet of colored paper and tying it to a bamboo branch. Zojoji Temple, which stands near the base of Tokyo Tower, holds an annual festival during which visitors write their deepest wish in the hope it will come true. Among the visitors to the temple in the days leading up to Tanabata were a woman longing to meet a man she has had a crush on for 10 years, a couple worried that the coronavirus pandemic might jeopardize their bonuses and an Australian woman who comes every year with a message for her deceased father. For 3 days, we asked people at the temple about the wishes -- ranging from the modest to the extravagant -- they penned and the stories behind them.

Osaka Castle, which stands in the heart of Osaka City, western Japan, is surrounded by a park covering more than 100 hectares. Each year, over 2.7 million people visit this urban park famous for its castle, gardens and multipurpose hall. This green oasis is open 24 hours a day, so people come here around the clock. For some, it is a place to do exercise; for others, a place to relax or sightsee. For 3 days, we asked visitors what makes the Osaka Castle Park special and why it holds a place in their hearts.

An indoor climbing gym in Kawasaki City, near Tokyo, gives climbers a venue to test their physical limit and improve their skills while experiencing thrills - and a sense of achievement - not often found in daily life. The facility's 4-meter-tall bouldering wall and towering climbing walls more than 10 meters high provide challenging obstacles for enthusiasts of all ages and abilities, ranging from novices to some of Japan's finest climbers. For 3 days, we spoke to the climbers determined to reach the top of these walls - and to overcome other challenges they face in life along the way.

In August 2019, more than 2,000 motorcycle fans from across Japan assembled at a remote parking area in the volcanic Mount Aso, Kumamoto Prefecture. They came to be photographed with their prized two-wheelers for an album produced at an event held only once every 10 years. Many attendees have been to all of the event's 5 editions since it started in 1979. How have the participants' lives changed over the decade since the previous event? And what has stayed the same? For 3 days, we spoke to the motorcyclists who made this journey that was also a trip down memory lane.

2 brothers in their 70's operate this unpretentious street stall that has only 1 item on the menu - coffee. The stall is set up each evening in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture, and has been a popular haunt for locals and visitors for almost half a century. Among the customers we met were: a successful psychiatrist who runs several hospitals; a company employee who always ends his week here; and a man who has been coming here since he was a little boy. For 3 days, we asked the customers about what makes this stall so special, and why they keep coming back.

The Great East Japan Earthquake and the ensuing Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 forced all the residents of Namie Town to evacuate. When the evacuation order was partially lifted in 2017, some residents began returning to their hometown. In the summer of 2019, a large supermarket opened its doors to eager shoppers. In this episode, we spent 3 days at the supermarket during the busiest time of the year - around New Year's - and asked customers how their lives have changed since the disaster, and how they will be spending the holidays, 9 years on.

Runners have 72 hours to complete a 400-km "Survival Run" around the main island of Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan. The 68 participants from across Japan complain that the race is exhausting and torturous, yet they continue to push themselves, day and night. Some say that running allows them to forget all their worries and stress, others say they enjoy increasing their distance. We spent 3 days chasing after them to find out what motivates them to continue running.

A dentist's office in Fukuoka, southern Japan, has people streaming in around the clock to be relieved of their pain or to improve their smile. Some of the patients include: a man who lost 3 of his front teeth in a fight back in high school; an older man who has had dentures since he was in his 40's; and a university student who says that getting her teeth fixed gave her a more positive outlook on life. Each chip, crack, cavity and missing tooth has a story behind it. For 3 days, we hear about some of the drama in these patients' lives.

We follow a blood donation bus on its journey from town to town in Hokkaido Prefecture. Japan as a whole faces a chronic shortage of blood donors, but Hokkaido has the highest donor rate in the nation. In a prefecture where the population density is low, this bus is what makes it possible to collect everyone's blood donation by traveling from one town to another. Some of the donors we meet are: a man who has donated blood 289 times, a woman who is donating blood as an act of gratitude and a nursery school teacher who feels refreshed by having blood drawn. We spend 3 days visiting small towns in Hokkaido, on a mission of compassion.

Japan's population continues to gravitate to the Tokyo area, but some people long to move from the capital to different corners of the nation. A consultation center in Tokyo's Yurakucho district is a magnet for anyone considering such a shift. At the center, consultants from 39 prefectures offer free advice, information, and handy tips about housing, employment, and any other aspect of daily life that awaits new residents. About 70% of people who come seeking for advice are aged 40 or younger. Among the visitors we met over 3 days was a man in his 60's looking for a new place to live after a recent divorce, and a man who took early retirement so he could return to Kyushu and spend more time with his children. Why do people want to move from Tokyo? And what do they hope to find after moving to their new home?

For some people, a wig is a "secret item" that dramatically transforms their appearance and mood. An underground shopping mall in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is home to a wig shop that has been providing all manner of wigs to men and women, young and old, for more than 40 years. Some of the customers we meet include a woman in her 40's worried about her thinning hair, a fitness instructor seeking a wig that would suit her costume for a dance performance, and a middle-aged man who enjoys cross-dressing. Each customer carefully selects a wig that matches their needs. What are they hoping to change about themselves, and who do they want to become?

Amid the ongoing health boom, many people have been tempted to try "short-term fasting" to improve their physical and mental condition. Visitors to a facility in Izu Kogen in Shizuoka Prefecture, willingly fast for several days not only to become healthier, but also to shake off feelings of gloom and unhappiness. The visitors include a man who manages a real estate agency who says that the fasting has given him a whole different perspective on life, a woman needing a break from caring for her elderly father, and a woman who took over her husband's design company after he died of cancer 10 years ago. During their stay, they eat only a rice porridge and a bland bowl of miso soup each morning and night. What do these people want to change, and what do they hope to achieve by fasting at this facility?

Takadanobaba is home to dozens of universities, university preparatory schools, and vocational colleges, making it one of Tokyo's most popular student districts. An ordinary open space inside the rotary in front of the station is a regular meeting spot for students going to parties or club activities at all times of the day and night. Among the people we meet assembling at this hive of activity are university students going out for a few drinks after their soccer training, and a group of middle-aged men who have come for a reunion to take a walk down memory lane in a district where they spent a several years of their youth. For 3 days straddling the end of one academic year and the start of a new one, we asked the students, past and present, about why this iconic location holds a special place in their hearts.

Spring in Japan is a time of new beginnings and also goodbyes. On Fukue Island, the largest of the Goto Islands in the far west of Japan, locals have made sending off people moving away an intrinsic part of life. In the closing days of March, when many people move for work, education, marriage, or other reasons, the terminal building at the island's ferry port - and its wharf - fills with relatives, colleagues, classmates, former students, and friends who come to bid farewell. These high-spirited goodbyes feature a mixture of hugs, tearful messages, songs, and signs. For 3 days, we watched the people embarking on the next chapter of their lives away from Fukue, and the locals ensuring they get a farewell to remember.

This episode focuses on a small real estate agency near Fukuoka Prefecture's Nakasu entertainment district, the biggest in Kyushu. Despite being tucked away on the 3rd floor of a multitenant building and displaying no signage, this agency receives a steady stream of customers who have seen its online listings. This agency offers everything from dirt-cheap apartments where monthly rent costs less than 20,000 yen (about US $180) to commercial properties seeking new tenants. The growing range of properties handled by this real estate agency reflects the recent increase in Fukuoka's population. Moving to a new apartment or home can herald the start of a new chapter in life. What sort of people come to this real estate agency, and why do they want to rent a place?

Since opening in 2015, Narita Airport's Terminal 3 for low-cost carriers has attracted more passengers each year as travelers swoop on the cheap airfares these airlines offer. Even though it lies about 600 meters from the nearest train station -- a bit of a challenge for people carrying bulky luggage -- around 20,000 people use this terminal every day. For 3 days in late December 2018, we spoke to people at this airport, including its 24-hour departure lobby and adjoining food court. As the year draws to a close, where will travelers fly off to?

Our stage this time is one of the largest home centers in Japan, located in a suburb east of Tokyo. From daily necessities to building and gardening materials, every product imaginable can be found here. A couple with a shared love of DIY (Do It Yourself) pick out lumber to rebuild a fence destroyed in a typhoon. Meanwhile, a woman working in rehabilitation looks for materials to make a device to help a patient. We listen to the stories of these people as they attempt to improve their lives through DIY.

Each day, more than 1.8 million people pass through Tokyo Station. For 50 years, the Gin-no-suzu (silver bell) waiting area inside the station has been a popular landmark and a favorite spot to meet up with others. Countless reunions and farewells take place under this huge bell that adorns the center of the waiting area. The people waiting there include a group of elderly men who meet there on each other's birthdays before heading off to celebrate, and far-flung fans of a pop band who met online and are going to a concert together. But for some, finding Gin-no-suzu inside the sprawling station is not so easy and rendezvous plans do not work out as expected. For 3 days, we talked to the people waiting at this iconic spot -- and to the people they were meeting.

Shimbashi, Tokyo, where office workers thrive. When they need refreshment, they head to a local, long-running juice stand. Ingredients range from peach and watermelon, to turmeric and aloe. Over 150 customers come each day, seeking colorful juice made with seasonal fruits and vegetables. A businessman rushes in before a negotiation, a woman in her 30's comes by to care hungover. Another man, in his 70's, has been a regular customer since before he retired. We spend 3 days in this oasis, listening to the thoughts of people who come here for a break.

In a corner of a major industrial zone on Tokyo Bay sits a park from which people can fish at any time of the day or night. More than 20 kinds of fish, including horse mackerel and sea bass, can be caught from the waterfront park, which attracts fishing fans around the clock. Among the people who come to drop a line in the water are a shipyard worker from the Philippines, a freelance illustrator hoping to catch a big fish with her brand-new fishing rod, and a young man who has worked in construction since he was a teenager to support his family and dreams of becoming a photographer. For 3 days in July, as Tokyo sweltered in record-breaking heat, we asked the people at this park about why they went fishing there.

We cover an old hospital, built in the year of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, as it moves to a new building. The new hospital is only 250 meters away, but to ensure treatment is uninterrupted, all patients must be moved in a single day. What's more, the movement of beds and medical machines must also follow a tight schedule, transferred to the new building one truckload at a time. In preparation for this day, the doctors and nurses started holding meetings over 6 months before. Just how will this massive project turn out?

Sales at department stores have been sluggish in recent years, but the stores' cosmetics sections are providing a ray of light with their robust growth. In 2017, sales at these sections jumped 17% from the previous year and topped 500 billion yen. Each day, about 2,000 customers buy their preferred makeup products at one long-established department store in Nagoya offering an array of famous brands. These customers include an 88-year-old company executive who never goes without makeup, a young woman setting on a new path in life by changing her job and her makeup, and an art dealer who considers cosmetics to be a vital part of her "combat uniform" worn during business battles. How do women want to present themselves and to be seen? For 3 days, we watched the customers quietly – but excitedly – finding their ideal makeup.

For 3 days, we follow a library truck stocked with 2,800 books. In Matsuyama City, a public truck service has been delivering books to the surrounding mountains and islands for 45 years. Many locals use this service, including a retired couple looking for new hobbies, elderly islanders full of curiosity to keep learning, and a pair of friends reunited by the truck who now meet there regularly. We explore how books have touched the lives of the people who gather at the library truck.

Located near Narita International Airport, Sakuranoyama Park offers visitors close-up views of planes arriving at and taking off from this major gateway to Japan. At times, several hundred people visit the park each day to catch awe-inspiring glimpses of huge aircraft flying overhead. Among the visitors were avid photographers, an elderly man who has never been on a plane, and a man fondly recalling the days when he flew all over the country on business trips. People at the park superimpose their own lives and dreams on the planes flying to distant corners of the world. For 3 days in early spring, a season for new beginnings, we listened to the stories of park visitors gazing at the planes up in the sky.

In a residential area in Koto Ward, Tokyo, is a bakery open 24 hours a day. Their Danish Bread, rich with butter and fresh cream, sells over 1,000 loaves each day. Many people come to buy this bread not only for themselves, but as gifts for others as well. From people sending it as a casual present to friends and family, to businessmen buying it as a thank-you gift, we spend 3 days looking at who buys this sweet, delicious bread.

In this age where the shift toward digitization and going paperless seems irresistible, one business in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district still goes through more than 10,000 sheets of paper each day. This 24-hour printing and photocopying shop attracts customers around the clock by offering services such as making posters, bookbinding and printing bulk volumes of beautiful, intricate images that only professionals can deliver. The shop's customers include a company employee desperate to print out materials for an important presentation, and an elderly man who has written his life story and wants it printed so he can leave copies for his family to remember him. What messages do customers want to convey or leave behind on paper? For 3 days, we spoke to people about their personal stories behind the pages copied and printed here.

Riding a motorcycle might be hot in summer and cold in winter, but many riders would never consider any other mode of transport. Some even cut back on buying a daily coffee to save money for their bike. There is a large parts store in Tokyo where riders come to seek new accessories or simply to show off their prized vehicle. Among the steady stream of riders drawn to this store are a 75-year-old man who started a part-time job to buy a new bike, a hydroelectric power plant engineer whose career was inspired by a bike, and a man who liked bikes so much he became a courier on 2 wheels. For 3 days, we spoke to these people about why they can't get enough of their motorcycles.

Is this a restaurant or an amusement park? When the mountains in western Japan are enveloped by the darkness of night, this unique restaurant shines with vibrant colors. The restaurant which is modeled on a bandit hideout appeals to diners of all ages with its seasonal events, hearty portions and welcoming atmosphere. For many local young people, this is their first destination after they get a driver's license. For 3 days, we spoke to the customers who came to dine at this restaurant.

Long-haul truckers work and even sleep in their vehicles. A truck stop near a major distribution hub in Kyushu offers drivers a meal, bath and place to relax during grueling journeys across Japan. Truckers taking a break here include a female driver who has decorated her vehicle into what she calls "her home", and 3 work buddies who meet every Friday to go drinking. A former businessman who says that the truck driving job was meant for him, drops in before setting off on a 1,200-kilometer journey. Driving is lonely at times, but at others it offers total freedom. For 3 days, we spoke to the drivers about their passion for the job and their trucks.

The rooftop Ferris wheel in Matsuyama, western Japan, is an attraction that every local knows. During the slow 15-minute ride, people enjoy the view of the entire city and ponder over joy and sorrow. High school students say that it's a routine to hop on the Ferris wheel before their exams to refresh their minds. An old widow always takes a ride after shopping and reflects on her life. Why are people drawn to these enclosed capsules that simply go up and come back down? For 3 days, we spoke to the people as they take this 15-minute journey up to the sky.

Small, personal funerals are becoming popular in Japan. At a one-stop funeral facility near Tokyo, a family arranges a simple ceremony in accordance with a deceased relative's wish to spare the family from organizing a large funeral. Another family spends their last night with the deceased in a private room and fondly recalls their happy memories from years gone by. Before cremation, relatives repeatedly come and see their loved one's body as they gradually accept the reality. For 3 days, we spoke to people spending their final moments with someone dear who had passed away.

In a residential area of Tokyo is an unusual intersection where 7 roads meet. Bicycles, vehicles and pedestrians constantly weave along these roads. Though there are no traffic lights because of the intersection's complex layout, remarkably few accidents occur, apparently because people automatically and considerately let others go through first. The 7 corners are filled with a variety of shops including a greengrocer's and a small pub, and many people pass through this busy junction from early morning until late at night. For 3 days, we spoke to the many people whose lives meet at this intersection.

Facing the Sea of Japan in Yamagata Prefecture is an aquarium with one of the world's largest collections of jellyfish on display. The most popular attraction is a 5-meter-wide tank in which 5,000 moon jellyfish serenely drift around. Aquarium visitors include a high school student who dreams of becoming a rocket engineer as he gazes at jellyfish resembling stars in space, and a woman who watches baby jellyfish for 30 minutes. In the evening, others participate in an overnight event and sleep at the aquarium. For 3 days, we asked why people feel so deeply about these mysterious creatures.

In the days leading up to Christmas, the immigration inspection area at Narita Airport heaves with tens of thousands of tourists. Among the visitors having their passport checked are an Indian man coming to hold a wedding with his Japanese wife, and siblings here to see their mother for the first time in 10 years. Some visitors are denied entry and must leave without stepping foot in Japan. Measures to prevent smuggling and acts of terrorism are stepped up as the crowd peaks for the holiday season. For 3 days, we spoke to the visitors passing through this major hub and heard stories reflecting the current state of the world.

At the end of October, 20,000 people of all ages and nationalities descend on the main intersection of Tokyo's Roppongi district to join in the Halloween festivities. Their costumes run the full gamut, from U.S. presidents to iconic Japanese anime characters. The revelers include young men who wear masks to pluck up the courage to chat up women, and a barber who grew his hair for a year as part of his costume. These Halloween activities grew naturally over a decade ago in Roppongi, an area popular also with expats. We spent 3 days uncovering the stories of the people behind the masks.

Nakasu in Fukuoka Prefecture is one of Japan's largest nightlife districts. Tucked away among the 2,600 dining and entertainment establishments, here is a daycare center open from 7 a.m. until 2 a.m. the next morning. During the day, workers at the nearby office district drop off their children, while in the evening a steady stream of parents who work in Nakasu leave their kids in its care. The center has a busy period around midnight as parents pick up their children. They include an elegant restaurant manager wearing a kimono, and single parents working hard to earn enough to raise their children. For 3 days, we listened to the parents and children whose lives are supported by this daycare center.

There's a huge art supply store in Tokyo with Japan's largest selection. From 50-cent pencils to necessities for painting and sculptures, its 5 floors are filled with everything an artist could want, and 4,000 of them visit every day. Over these 3 days we meet shoppers from overseas looking for sketchbooks and calligraphy pens, a manga artist who just got published, and a painter who can't stop despite his family's protests. Peek inside their minds and discover why they love to create.

An hour's train ride from Ehime Prefecture's capital, you'll find Shimonada Station. This tiny, unmanned rail stop on the Seto Inland Sea coast is a serene but popular destination. With its charming bench facing the vast ocean, visitors of all ages flock to take in the picturesque scenery. An ailing man visits 2 days in a row just to get a picture of the sunset. Another man stops by whenever he has trouble at work. For 3 days we listen to visitors' stories at this placid little stop.

There's a monster-catching smartphone game that took the world by storm in the summer of 2016. And a park in the Kinshicho area of Tokyo has become the go-to spot for players looking for rare monsters. It's packed all day and night with people staring at their phones. There's a culinary school dropout on a 10-hour streak, an elderly couple catching monsters on a date, and young guys looking to pick up dates as well. For 3 days we meet monster hunters at this mysterious park in Tokyo.

For crimes ranging from drugs to murder, the number of women being sent to prison has multiplied in Japan over the last 20 years. How do they spend their days? What is on their minds? In this program, we take a close look inside Wakayama Women's Prison, one of Japan's largest. Inmates do menial labor in a workshop in the day and watch TV during evening recess. And what do model prisoners say when they learn they'll be released on parole? Witness 3 days of life behind the giant prison walls.

When the locals in Kyoto want to relax, they stroll upstream along the Kamo River to a spot called the "Delta". This scenic area apart from Kyoto's tourist attractions has served as the setting for a number of novels and movies. There's something liberating about skipping across the stepping stones. From students relishing the springtime of their lives to adults reflecting on days past, the people we encounter over these 72 hours have lots of stories to tell among the gorgeous spring scenery.

In this episode we take a ride on a ferry to Sakurajima, an island with an active volcano just off the coast of Kagoshima Prefecture. It makes the 15-minute journey all day and night, carrying over 10,000 passengers a day for work, school, shopping and more. It's also a lifeline in case of disaster. Living alongside an active volcano presents a unique set of challenges. We spent 72 hours listening to the ordinary and extraordinary stories of the people who live and travel in this unique environment.

In the countryside town of Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, among flat fields that go on for miles, there is a gigantic shopping mall. In this episode we visit the mall's most bustling area, the food court. With cheap eats and no rush to leave, it's a favorite for all sorts of patrons. Our conversations with the diners over these 72 hours reveal some insights into their lives, from young men who quit school, to elderly friends sneaking in some sake, to a mother recovering from cancer.

Auto race is a sport in Japan where motorcycles without brakes compete on asphalt tracks at speeds up to 150 km/h. In this episode we visit the Funabashi Auto, the sport's birthplace that closed in March 2016 after thrilling spectators for 65 years. See the last 3 days as fans go wild for their local racers. Some cheer with their parents or their children, while others feast on famous offal stew. In its last 72 hours, Funabashi Auto delivers drama and excitement beyond anyone's expectations!

In Osaka you'll find Tenjinbashi-suji, one of the longest shopping arcades in Japan. At the end of the bustling, 2.6-kilometer arcade is a row of benches. We took our cameras there and spent 3 days talking to some of the folks taking a break there. Some use the benches to get work done. Some just watch people go by. And some share fascinating details of their personal lives. For 3 days, we meet people who have a seat, enjoy a talk or a laugh or a drink, and then get back up and keep going.

Kappabashi Street in Tokyo is a place like no other in the world, with 170 shops that stock everything from cooking utensils to tableware. Here professional chefs inspect knife blades with discriminating eyes, and a young man stocks up on supplies for the noodle restaurant he's about to open. Others shop for pots, bowls and knives as they mark life's turning points with new homes, new families and new lives. We spent 3 days watching shoppers come and go in Japan's kitchen equipment capital.

Kansai International Airport is a 24-hour gateway to western Japan. 16 low-cost carriers operate out of this airport in Osaka, making it Japan's largest hub for budget airlines. Cheap air tickets bring a wide spectrum of passengers traveling domestically and overseas to and from the airport, including a young woman on her first visit to Japan waiting alone to be picked up after midnight; a businessman returning on the day's last flight from a work trip that began early the same day; and a woman who had visited her elderly parents to take care of them. Passengers have their own unique reasons for traveling on low-cost carriers. For 3 days, we watched the diverse personal stories that unfold in the airport's terminals.

Streets in front of the National Diet Building are the stage for numerous protests. People opposed to national security bills and nuclear power, among other causes, assemble to express their views in Japan's political nerve center, which decides the nation's future and is home to the Prime Minister's Office, lawmakers' offices and central government agencies. The Diet Building has also become a popular tourist spot and a magnet for visitors and students on school excursions, and the nearby tree-lined streets also attract joggers and Tokyoites walking their dogs. For 3 days and nights in September, as deliberations on the security bills neared completion, we filmed the people on the streets around the Diet.

Each episode offers a three-day slice-of-life at a different location in Japan: chance encounters, unexpected dramas, and surprising insights into the "now" around us. Today: Ramen Restaurant.

Each episode offers a three-day slice-of-life at a different location in Japan: chance encounters, unexpected dramas, and insights into the "now" around us. Today: A Drive-in Restaurant in Okinawa.

Each episode offers a three-day slice-of-life at a different location in Japan: chance encounters, unexpected dramas, and surprising insights into the "now" around us. Today: Yakushima.

Capsule hotels have quite suddenly become a popular choice of accommodation nowadays in Japan. Travelers from around the world have become fascinated with capsule hotels as word gets around about their low prices and the novelty of staying in a small cave-like "room". At one major capsule hotel in Shinjuku, Tokyo, languages from every corner of the globe ring out each day. Convenience is not the only reason tourists and locals come to this hotel. Some people stay here while they chase their dreams; others need a place to stay because they cannot go home for certain reasons. For 3 days, we filmed the myriad of people that converge in this remarkable facility, and discovered the diverse life stories that inspired them to stay in its tiny capsule rooms.

For 40 years, a vending machine has stood in a quiet corner of Akita Port, in northern Japan. Even when a winter snowstorm batters the area in mid-January, a constant trickle of customers is drawn to this time-worn machine that sells plain soba and udon noodles in a steaming-hot soup. A father and son out in the blizzard; a designated driver on his way home from work; and a cancer patient reminiscing about the past. Even though the machine has become prone to breakdowns that have weakened the flavor of its soup, customers come around the clock for a warming bowl of noodles. Why is it so popular? This program reveals why many customers keep coming back.

Since Japan's bubble economy burst in the early 1990's, saving money has become an established part of life for many people. Shops selling discount coupons and cheap tickets are a magnet for people seeking to stretch every last yen. One such shop in Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo measures only a few square meters, but more than 400 customers go there daily. A temp worker buys subway coupon tickets to save 10 yen; a woman buys vouchers that save her 36 yen so she can enjoy a meal at a nice restaurant; whilst another woman sells vouchers she does not need for a tidy sum of cash. What dreams and happiness are people seeking as they save a few yen here and there? This program looks at people and money, as seen from the counter of a tiny shop.

The Yamanote Line is Japan's most famous loop line. In the blink of an eye, you are whisked to the next station, where yet another distinct side of Tokyo is unveiled. In recent times, an increasing number of people have walked or cycled along the Yamanote Line tracks to experience the diversity of the city. In this program, we spend 3 days walking along the entire 35-kilometer line. What dreams do people have as they live their everyday lives? We met various people - including aspiring singers, foreign students and a plumber - along the line and recorded the "real" Tokyo of today.

Underneath the lively Ameyoko Market in Tokyo's central district of Ueno is a far less well known below-ground market for foreign foodstuffs. Follow the scent of exotic spices down to that basement floor, and you'll hear a rich mixture of Japanese, Chinese, Tagalog, English.... Then you'll see Shanghai Crab, frogs, mysterious fish and unusual vegetables. It all started 3 decades ago with a single vendor of Chinese foodstuffs; now it's greatly expanded. The customers are 90% foreigners. We get a glimpse into the expatriate life of foreigners in Japan, longing for a taste of home.

In Shibuya, Tokyo, there's an animal hospital taking emergency cases 24/7. It was founded 46 years ago. Doting pet owners from all over Tokyo take their beloved charges here when sudden need arises: the dog mauled by a feral cat; the hamster with a broken leg; the cat injured in a traffic accident; some 100 cases daily. We meet a couple caring for a dog with dementia, an elderly woman whose cat has lived with her for 23 years.... Pets and owners can forge bonds that transcend even family ties.

It's a June weekend, and the rainy season in Japan's central Kanto region is being inaugurated with an apparently endless deluge. But in spite of the drenching, people must travel. Where are they all going in the pelting rain? At a 24-hour gas station, we meet a soaked construction worker obliged to cease work because of the rain, a traveler going to meet a child living elsewhere, a man working a night job to support his family...As they pause at the gas station to fill their tanks, they tell us their stories. Then, hoping for the rain to cease, they resume their journeys.

As the recession continues to hit Hokkaido, Japan, a small pro wrestling group fights an uphill battle to energize the prefecture. The group was started about 10 years ago by a pro wrestling-loving salesman who became saddened at the plight of his home prefecture. Since then, the wrestlers have toured Hokkaido to conduct morale-boosting events, even as they have struggled to make a profit. It is now December, and the group is preparing for its 3-day winter event. They will tour Yubari where the local government has gone bankrupt and 2 other cities. This program captures the wrestling group as it travels from town to town, raising the spirits of a local population that actively supports each other so that they can all get by.

Recently, all across Japan, there has been a sharp rise in the number of people turning to self-service storage to keep things they have no room for at home, or to keep "treasures" away from other family members. This episode interviews clients of a huge self-storage facility in Osaka, over the course of 3 days. The facility contains over a thousand units, large and small. In these rentable units, accessible 24/7, clients keep everything from treasured family mementos to secret collections. Getting people to display such private possessions on camera was far from easy, but what they showed us was...

Uguisudani is one of the least-frequented stops on Tokyo's Yamanote mass-transit loop line. But it's well known for its nightlife. The transition is a stark one, from sparsely traveled daytime sidewalks to a garish neon nighttime of "love hotels" and other establishments of the adult services industry. This episode focuses on an all-night eatery that for 3 decades has provided a welcome sanctuary for the weary, the hungry, the thirsty and the lovelorn. An intermission from the dramas of their lives.

More and more these days, people communicate via texting, social media and email. Yet there are some who rush into the Shinjuku Post Office, a giant establishment in Tokyo open 24/7, at all hours of the day or night, with something that simply must be sent by post. Some want to send a special present to a special someone far away; others need a postmark to fix eligibility for an application process; others still are rushing to meet a deadline for submitting a résumé. We camp out by the counters to learn not only the "what", but the "why".

It occupies an entire floor of a large building in Shinjuku, a bustling district in Tokyo. An enormous travel agency, visited daily by a high volume of customers seeking discount airfares. In spite of the growth of Internet sales, people throng the 100 meters of counters here for the expert help they can get in making their dream voyages come true. For 72 hours we observe a range of customers, from meticulous long-range planners to those who, for whatever reason, simply must depart "tomorrow".

Nothing but sand, as far as the eye can see. The Tottori Sand Dunes on the Sea of Japan are a vast world of nothingness. 2 million visitors a year are drawn by scenery that is utterly different from their daily surroundings. But their motives differ. There are elderly people who feel the pull of eternity. Businesspeople who crave even a momentary liberation from the daily grind of numbers and memos in their cramped offices. Travelers from afar who hope to find themselves in the shadows of a night on the dunes. In this otherworldly milieu, we catch glimpses of people's "internal landscapes".

For people with time, car ferries are an inexpensive mode of travel in Japan, which is surrounded by water. Each year, about 200,000 passengers ride one ferry line that connects Nagoya, Sendai and Hokkaido. All kinds of people board the ship, such as laborers going to booming Nagoya to find work; college students taking economical and easy graduation trips; and temp employees seeking relaxation. What will we learn about present-day Japan through the people we meet onboard over a 3-day period?

Outside Yokohama's main rail station is a 6-floor game center. New games come out all the time, but an old standby is a cash cow: crane games, accounting for 40% of revenue. From early morning till late at night, an endless stream of people pay to wage a fierce struggle with these cranes in an effort to win a prize. Overworked office workers, job-hunting college kids, independent students re-taking college entrance exams. What prizes do they seek beyond the prizes right in front of them?

24-hour gyms are quickly gaining in popularity. Relatively inexpensive and open all hours, they're well-suited to busy modern life. A close look at patrons reveals many reasons why people want to tone their bodies. Some people must stay fit to keep their jobs; others need more strength to care for elderly parents; and some try to conquer something within themselves. This program examines the human motivations that bring patrons to the gym from early in the morning until late at night.

The Airin District, Osaka. Here live thousands of male day laborers, many of whom spend their nights in rooms so small they have no storage space at all. So they rely greatly on cheap rental lockers to store their essential belongings and prized possessions. Each locker contains a condensed life: a narrative. We set up at a locker rental establishment, and ask the patrons to share parts of their life-stories with us during the Obon season, when most Japanese go on holiday to visit hometowns and family graves. For these men, home is in their lockers.

The Shonan coastal region in Japan conjures up images of summertime, youth culture, fashion. We cast an offbeat video eye on an obscure but revealing Shonan location: a 24-hour coin laundry, during the rainy season. People stream in, clutching bags of laundry, mostly just to dry them. While they're waiting, most just relax. Some talk. Businessmen exhausted from their daily routine. People who have lost a beloved partner and now live alone. All of them are waiting for a spell of "clear weather".

In Japan's Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo, a patient died after being turned away by a number of hospital Emergency Rooms. Other patients have similarly been put in jeopardy; and even for minor ailments, treatment is hard to get after hours or during holidays. In response, a pioneering doctor has established an after-hours clinic, assisted by equally dedicated nurses. Working in shifts through the night, they cope with wave after wave of walk-ins and ambulance admissions. Other medical practitioners help out part-time; but the clinic is caught between a sense of mission and some harsh limitations. We observe their grueling schedule during Japan's annual Spring holidays in May.

Every year, 16 million people pass through Sapporo's New Chitose Airport, on Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido. In spring, many dramas of greeting and parting play out as people come and go between the great expanses of the north and the megalopolis of Tokyo to the south. A surprise sendoff for a friend leaving to go to school in Tokyo. Tears flowing at the first big family reunion in 20 years. A foreign student's dreams for the future. It is a season of major life transitions.