Added to inquiry!
RECOMMENDED VIDEOS
-
RAMEN JAPAN
FOOD 2024 15 min Episode(s): 22+ english English
Ramen, an iconic dish beloved worldwide. Originating in China and reimagined in Japan, it’s become a soul food and ever-evolving symbol of Japanese cuisine. From rich pork bone tonkotsu to savory soy sauce, salty shio, and bold miso broths, regional styles offer endless variety. This program journeys across Japan, meeting the passionate people behind each bowl-from devoted chefs chasing perfection to ramen lovers who savor every slurp. Through their stories, we explore how ramen has taken root in everyday life, showcasing its rich history, diversity, and future. An immersive, encyclopedic look at Japan’s ramen culture, one bowl at a time. Click here to preview the program! more details -
Colors in Japan
TRAVEL 2021 25 min Episode(s): 12 english EnglishJapan's landscape overflows with various colors from its four seasons. This array of rich "coloring" is presented in vivid 4K through the stories of traditional arts and crafts that symbolize the regions across the country from which they were born. Episode List (click title to preview): 1. Paint It Black! A Calligrapher's Challenge - Yamaguchi Prefecture 2. Nabeshima Ware, Favored by Feudal Lords - Saga Prefecture 3. Traditional Lacquerware, That Which Shines Beyond the Black - Akita Prefecture 4. The Traditional Uses of "Red" - Kyoto 5. Narumi Shibori of Arimatsu, The Town Where Ai Sways in the Breeze - Aichi Prefecture 6. A Soy Sauce Brewery in the Castle Town - Hyogo Prefecture 7. Wooden Barrels of Tochigi, Time Etched by the Color of Old Bamboo - Tochigi Prefecture 8. Life in the World Heritage Site Gokayama During the Winter - Toyama Prefecture 9. Meoto Iwa, Enchanted by the Rising Sun Miracle - Mie Prefecture 10. Mikawa Fireworks, Large Flowers Blooming at Night - Aichi Prefecture 11. The Jewel of Toyama Bay to be Preserved for Future Generations - Toyama Prefecture 12. Superfood: Black Rice of Kawachino - Saga Prefecture more details -
I'm Taking a Little Trip to North Korea
DOCUMENTARY 2023 115 min
Episode(s): 1
english
Japanese
2023 World Media Festivals Gold 2023 New York International Film Festival Silver 2023 US International Awards Silver The Repatriation Project saw nearly 93,000 people migrate from Japan to North Korea between 1959 and 1984. While the project was mainly aimed at native-born Koreans looking to return to their homeland, approximately 1800 Japanese wives also opted to accompany their Korean husbands in search of a life with more opportunities. Aiko Nakamoto was one such wife. “I’m Taking a Little Trip to North Korea” follows the story of Keiko Nakamoto and her reunion with her older sister Aiko, revealing the difficulties and tensions faced by families separated by international borders as public opinion and diplomatic relations between Japan and North Korea remain strained. Click here to preview the program! more details -
The Gift of Pachamama
MOVIE 2009 103 min
Episode(s): 1
japanese
Other
2009 Washington DC Independent Film Festival Grand Jury Award: Best Feature Film 2009 Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival Best Cinematography Award On Bolivia’s vast salt flats, 13-year-old Kunturi helps his close-knit Quechua family hand-cut salt bricks, trading them for necessities in a life deeply tied to the land. When his grandmother falls ill, Kunturi joins his father on a nearly three-month journey along the ancient Ruta de la Sal. Their first stop: the Potosí mines, seeking a friend’s long-lost father. As they travel, Kunturi encounters hardship, resilience, and reverence for Pachamama, Andean “Mother Earth”. Amid tragedy and wonder, he begins to confront the complexities of adulthood- facing death, suffering, and, most tenderly, the stirrings of his first love. Click here to preview the program! more details -
Homecoming Songs
ENTERTAINMENT 2023 30 min Episode(s): 6 english Japanese What would you sing if you gave a concert in your old school music room? Homecoming Songs is a heartfelt docuseries that follows artists back to their hometowns—where dreams began and memories were made. With a “welcome home notebook” in hand, they revisit formative places, reconnect with old classmates, and reflect on their journey from youth to stardom. Each episode culminates in an intimate live performance at their alma mater, filled with nostalgia and emotion. Through music and memory, the artists rediscover their roots and the songs that shaped who they are today. Here, their voices ring once more. Click here to preview the program! more details -
The Detective's Bento
FOOD 2022 12 mins Episode(s): 10 english English Gendoji Daigo is a private detective with two passions: mysteries and food. Due to a personal quirk, he never eats food made by others, instead bringing his own elaborate bento to every case- each inspired by dishes from classic mystery novels and famous detectives like Sherlock Holmes. Nicknamed “The Bento Detective,” Daigo is called in whenever food and crime intersect. In this flavorful and educational series, he unravels curious cases while sharing the stories behind his literary-themed bentos. Discover a world where delicious meals and classic mysteries meet, one bite- and one clue- at a time. Season 1 1. Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet” x Roast Beef 2. Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Naval Treaty” x Curried Chicken 3. Edogawa Rampo’s “The Fiend with Twenty Faces” x Rice Balls 4. Charles Dickens’ “Barnaby Rudge” x Ketchup 5. Charles Dickens’ “Bleak House” x Bone Marrow Season 2 1. Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Six Napoleons” x Plum Pudding 2. Kido Okamoto’s “The Curious Casebook of Inspector Hanshichi: Snowman” x Negima Hot Pot 3. Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” x Shchi 4. Mark Twain’s “Pudd’nhead Wilson” x Mush 5. Edgar Alan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” x Sherry Wine Previews available for the following episodes: Season 1 Ep. 2: Sherlock Holmes and The Adventure of the Naval Treaty X Curried Chicken Season 2 Ep 4: Mark Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson X Mush more details -
PEACE NIPPON
MOVIE 2018 111 minutes Episode(s): 1 none: None EnglishThere are moments of breathtaking beauty that can only be seen once in a lifetime. Providing footage from 47 Prefectures (over 200 locations) in Japan and filmed over eight years, this film captures such moments in 4K. The hope is that this movie will inspire "people to know more about Japan and to fall further in love with it." Be whisked away by enchanting views of well-loved landmarks like Takeda Castle, covered in a sea of clouds; Ruriko-in Temple dyed scarlet in autumn; Himeji Castle, surrounded by cherry blossom trees; and Mount Fuji at its finest. This movie contains views that will leave you anxious to book a ticket to the land of the rising sun. Click here to view the trailer for this program! more details -
Rikuzentakata City: 10 Years in the Rebuilding of a Town from Zero
DOCUMENTARY 2021 49 mins Episode(s): 1 english English The city of Rikuzentakata in Iwate Prefecture had a two-kilometer stretch of shoreline covered with 70,000 pine trees that was ranked among the top 100 landscapes of Japan. On March 11, 2011, the city and shoreline were obliterated by the infamous tsunami which struck that day. This documentary follows the people of Rikuzentakata for 10 years from immediately after the earthquake, and it also highlights the 1.66 billion yen reconstruction project to rebuild the city from scratch 10 meters higher on the original disaster site. Click here to preview the program! more details -
Real Shots of Good - The Legacy of Tetsu Nakamura, M.D.
DOCUMENTARY 2020 48 min
Episode(s): 1
english
English
2021 World Media Festival Intermedia-globe Silver 2021 New York Festival Finalist In December 2019, Dr. Tetsu Nakamura was gunned down and killed in Afghanistan, where he had been providing humanitarian aid. During his 35 years working on-site, Dr. Nakamura did much more than provide medical care. He dug wells, built irrigation canals, and gave life-saving assistance to the people around him. An irrigation canal project he completed in 2010 now supports the lives of 650,000 people. In this documentary, Dr. Nakamura's daughter speaks out in her first interview ever as a member of the Nakamura family. Why was Dr. Nakamura such an inspiration to so many people? Using past video footage and numerous testimonials, this program looks back at how Dr. Tetsu Nakamura lived and dedicated his life to the innocent people of Afghanistan. Click here to preview the program. more details -
The Sake that Bonds - "Unite 311" A Sake of Gratitude
DOCUMENTARY 2021 46 minutes english English Niizawa Sake Brewery and its long history were on the verge of ending after its facilities were destroyed in the Great Tohoku Earthquake of March 2011. At that time, though, workers from other breweries across Japan rushed to their aid. This documentary follows the owner and workers of Niizawa Sake Brewery as they attempt to create a “special sake” that can express their appreciation to those who lent them a helping hand during that very tough period in 2011. Since then, they have worked to broaden the base of the Japanese sake industry by hiring the nation’s youngest female head brewer as well as a non-Japanese assistant head brewer. To mark the 10th anniversary of the disastrous earthquake, this program aims to convey the passion for sake that the brewery owner and his workers have as they move forward with heartfelt gratitude for all the support they received during that difficult time, and to provide a glimpse of the progress the Tohoku region has made in its recovery over the years. Click here to preview the program! more details -
Love Stories from Fukuoka
DRAMA 2020 50 min Episode(s): 10 japanese Various Love Stories from Fukuoka is a yearly TV drama that is aired around St. Valentines Day. Viewers from Fukuoka city, the capital of Japan's southern island of Kyushu, send in stories of their own experiences with love, loss, and longing. The program features many actors, celebrities, and athletes who all have ties to Fukuoka, including a few members of the popular Japanese girl group AKB48. The program has continued for a number of years and has became another romantic Valentine's tradition. Click here to preview this program! more details -
At the Top of the Sky ~The Yarigatake Hut's 100 Years Story ~
DOCUMENTARY 2019 104 min Episode(s): 1 none: None Spanish In April 2017, Daisuke decided to quit his job at a major mobile phone company and become the 4th generation successor of the "Yarigatake Sanso" mountain hut located on one of the most renowned mountains in the Japanese Alps. From an early age, he was brought to Yarigatake by his father and always harbored dreams of one day working there. When he started training to become the successor in April, the mountain was still covered in snow. Daisuke was surprised by how difficult the work was. However, his wife, Shoko, who waited for him in Matsumoto City at the foot of the mountain, said that the Daisuke she saw featured in the mountain blogs and photos had a lively smile that he'd never had at his previous job. While struggling to master the unfamiliar work, Daisuke began to wish he could share the sights that could only be seen at Takayama with a wider audience. From the opening of the hut to its closing in November, we closely follow what happened during a single hiking season at Yarigatake Sanso. Taking a look at the legacy that has been passed on for 100 years by 4 generations of men living in close companionship with Yarigatake, witness the harsh yet breathtaking nature that entranced these four men. Click here to preview the program! more details -
At Home with Venetia in Kyoto
ENTERTAINMENT 2019 30 mins Episode(s): 115 ~ english English Venetia Stanley-Smith has lived in the Ohara district of Kyoto for almost 20 years. She is a firm believer in living in accordance with nature, and utilizes its gifts in all aspects of daily living. Venetia’s garden is filled with over 100 varieties of seasonal herbs. She uses them in recipes for cooking, cleaning, and beauty in her own unique style. Discover her original recipes, watch her journeys across Japan, and experience Venetia’s unhurried lifestyle and truly eco-friendly way of living. Click here to preview the program! more details -
TASTE JAPAN
TRAVEL 2019 30 mins Episode(s): 3 japanese Chinese Watch as popular Taiwanese actor Figaro visits Aomori Prefecture and encounters the many delicious food products the prefecture has to offer. Along the way, he will draw inspiration from the local cuisine he tastes to create original recipes of his own. Throughout his trip, Figaro is touched by the heartfelt diligence of the local farmers and food producers who wish for many people to enjoy eating their "safe and delicious food products". With his knowledge of Chinese food and his new-found love and respect for the products of Aomori, what kind of exciting cross-cultural dish will he cook up? Click here to preview the program! more details -
Chimugurisa ~Nanohana's Okinawa Diary ~
DOCUMENTARY 2018 106 mins
Episode(s): 1
japanese
Japanese
Grand Prize at The Age of Regionalism Video Festival 2018 News program award winner at The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association 2018 Nanohana Sakamoto, a 15-year-old girl born and raised in northern Japan, came to the island of Okinawa to attend a free school, Sangosya Score. Through her interactions with elderly residents in the night course, who could not attend school during a war that ended more than 70 years ago, she learns firsthand that the war continues in Okinawa. Incidents and accidents stemming from US military bases on the island occur one after another in contrast to the peaceful atmosphere within the school. She continues to write about her days there in her hometown newspaper column, "Nanohana's Okinawa Diary" (Hokuriku Chunichi Shimbun). The diary, which began with the question “Ojii, why are you so cheerful?” is a travelogue of Nanohana's journey as she ponders what she is capable of doing while cherishing what she feels and sees with her own eyes. Discover the true face of Okinawa as seen by a young girl. Click here to preview the program! more details -
Trap Master Kunio Katagiri and His Secrets to the Finest Gibier
DOCUMENTARY 2018 48 minutes
Episode(s): 1
english
English
Kunio Katagiri is a master trapper and has been the legendary owner-chef of a gibier (wild game) restaurant for 45 years. Katagiri, who hunts all of his game meats by himself, never uses a gun. Instead, he uses homemade traps of his own design to capture wild deer and wild boar alive, risking severe injury to wrestle down large beasts with his bare hands. Once an animal is captured, the master trapper turns master chef. From trap to table, Katagiri does every step himself. He believes that enjoying every part of the animal is the best way to show appreciation to it for relinquishing its life. His simple menu of wild game sashimi, roasts, and hotpots is acclaimed among the finest of its genre. This program takes viewers inside Katagiri's respect for nature, his brilliant hunting techniques, and the secrets to his cuisine that attract customers from around the world. Click here to preview program! more details -
Manga Food Restaurant
ENTERTAINMENT 2018 55 min Episode(s): 5 english Japanese This series follows two fictional characters, Kenjiro Tabe, an office worker with a passion for food found in manga, and Chinatsu Yamamoto, his subordinate. Together, the pair visit real-life restaurants challenging chefs to recreate various meals featured in legendary gourmet mangas. From a monster-sized 20 cm x 20 cm steak to a fried croquette with three different Japanese dishes packed inside, the foods featured in this program are all ridiculously creative, ridiculously delicious, and ridiculously fun to look at! Click here to preview this program! more details -
Beauty of Japan Series- Season 2
TRAVEL 2018 30 mins Episode(s): 12 none: None JapaneseThere are 2.5 million people from all over the world currently living in Japan. How did they end up there? What drew them to come to Japan in the first place? Or more importantly, what made them want to stay? In this series, we take a look at various non-Japanese residents living in different prefectures all around Japan. We present what each individual considers to be the true "Beauty of Japan", and how such aspects of beauty have convinced them to choose Japan as their second home. With detailed and vivid images filmed in 4K, this program depicts the importance of communal bonds that transcend time and even national borders. Click here to preview the program! Episode List Part 1 (2018): Japanese sweets (Wagashi)- Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture The life in Kita-Shinano, Nagano Prefecture Shakuhachi Flute and Texas -Okayama Prefecture Tokoname Pottery, hopping to re-establish a long lost relationship- Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture Oshima and Jacques the Baker -Niihama, Ehime Prefecture The City where German Pottery Lives- Miyazaki Prefecture Ogaki Festival seen through the viewfinder of Irene -Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture Angel, Living in a Loyal Dog's Home -Odate, Akita Prefecture Professor in a Spiritual City -Ise City, Mie Prefecture A French man striving to enrich a village with forestry -Totsugawa, Nara Prefecture Spellbinding Yotaka Festival -Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture A young girl Wisteria dance- Arakawa ward, Tokyo Part 2 (2018-2019) The Iki Sea that Enchanted a Hawaiian Man- Iki, Nagasaki Prefecture The Reason I Work Here- Shinagawa, Tokyo Yoga in Nature ~The Ultimate Healing Experience~- Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture Wonderful Dreams in a Monochrome World- Toyama Prefecture Our Lives as Immigrants- Iiyama, Nagano Prefecture Rice Pasta that Makes the World Smile- Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture Charmed by the Kindness of the Community- Izumo, Shimane Prefecture Enchanted by the San'in- Daisen, Tottori Prefecture The Eyes that Survey an Ever-Changing City- Shibuya, Tokyo Rene's Swimming Gems: The Nishiki Koi- Nagaoka, Niigata The Real Last Samurai: Katori Shinto-ryu- Narita, Chiba Prefecture The Second Bridge of Shinminato Uchikawa- Imizu, Toyama Prefecture more details -
Festivals of Japan Series- Season 2
TRAVEL 2018 30 mins Episode(s): 12 english Japanese This is the second season of the Festivals of Japan Series, which introduces various festivals around Japan. In this season, we will explore the festivals themselves, their histories, and the people responsible for preserving, cherishing, and passing on their traditions. From ancient processions, giant paper floats, fire festivals, and even fighting festivals, this program will surely help viewers see the importance of bonding within a community, and upholding local traditions. Episode List: Mikoji -Jisa, Anesa, and a 19-year-old Spring- Kintaikyo Bridge Festival -A Step Back in Time- Takaoka Mikuruma-yama Festival -Turning the Wheels of Tradition- Kiraigo -800 Years of Performing Hell Theater- Nebuta Festival -Nebuta Master Creator's 365 days- Jizo-bon Festival -Choraku Temple of the Valley- Yoshida Fire Festival -Japan's 3 Major Unusual Festivals- The 40th Otsuna Festival -Invigorating a Community- Omanto Festival -Land on This Horse- Nagasaki Kunchi -A Ride on the Nanbansen- Nada Fighting Festival Toriou Festival -Fierce and Fiery Festival Fight- Please click here for more information on "Festivals of Japan- Season 1" more details -
Tracking the Snipe God -Two Stories of the Latham's Snipe-
DOCUMENTARY 2017 55 mins Episode(s): 1 english English “Ojishigi” (the Latham Snipe) is a small bird that travels between Hokkaido and Australia. Through many years of study, it was discovered that they mate in Hokkaido during summer in the northern hemisphere and travel all the way to Australia to spend the summer in the southern hemisphere. But their migratory route has remained a mystery. With the development of smaller transmitters, researchers are now able to trace the migration of smaller animals, such as ducks and raptors. In the summer of 2016, Australian zoologists attempted to track the Ojishigi more precisely as well. How do they travel from Japan to Australia, a whopping 10,000 kilometers away? Everything discovered in this research project was groundbreaking. This program follows a surprising phenomenon and how nature goes beyond borders, showing how important it is to preserve it with international cooperation. What we see in the Ainu legends and through modern science is the importance of life, the importance of clean water, and the power of nature around us. Click here to preview the program! more details -
Dad's War
DOCUMENTARY 2016 47min Episode(s): 1 english English
“Warship-Musashi” is a nonfiction novel that was written based on many testimonies from those involved in the construction as well as those who survived the sinking of Musashi. One of the witnesses is Haruo Nomura. He is my dad. We knew very little about him. Born in 1921, he graduated from the Naval Academy and boarded the battleship Musashi. But he passed away 6 years ago without ever telling the family about the details of the war. Through the book titled “Warship-Musashi”, we eventually learned about his life and how he survived. Moreover, we also discovered that over 25 hours of his testimonies had been voice recorded. Why did he pass away without telling us anything? There lies the sunken steel castle “Musashi”, which people believed to be the cornerstone of national defense though it actually became the final parting place of many comrades linked by tight bonds. *The book and film produced by Masami Tezuka is called “Warship Musashi” but other references to the same ship is called “Battleship Musashi” Click here to preview the program! more details