2023

Musashino Art University, a prestigious art university of art. This autumn, the once-a-year "art festival" was held with an audience for the first time in three years. Students devote themselves to creative activities such as paintings, sculptures, and crafts. A group that recruits friends and creates a huge object. A puppet show circle that wants to overcome the crisis of the ruins. Some students are worried about the future, but they are always facing paintings. What are you trying to make so far? Young people who are passionate about art for the three days before the start of the art festival.

Three old apartment buildings lined up near the Port of Osaka. Built in 1965, when the shipbuilding industry was thriving, about 70 households still live in these buildings. The apartments have a hangout where residents gather, and some even drink alcohol in the morning. An elderly woman who lost her husband and moved here a few years ago. A man chooses to live here alone so that his son and his family will not be troubled. There are couples who have lived here for more than 30 years because they feel comfortable here. In the midst of the changing times, we will spend three days looking at the days in the apartment, which continues to remain unchanged.

Pork and egg okonomiyaki: 430 yen. Beef yakisoba 450 yen. The setting is a small okonomiyaki shop in a shopping street in Kobe. It is well-liked by locals from children to the elderly. People come to eat with friends or buy okonomiyaki for their families. Many people also come to enjoy conversation with the store staff. Nagata Ward was severely damaged in the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. This store also collapsed, but was quick to reopen. For three days, we set up our camera here to look at the current state of the community, which has been recovering from the disaster.

On a sandy beach in Minami-Boso, Chiba, there is a rather unusual pier. It juts out 160 meters straight into Tokyo Bay with nothing around it. It was originally built in the Taisho era (1912-1926) for landing fish, but the fishing port was relocated about 50 years ago and the pier's role ended. Now it has become a hidden and popular spot. Some locals come here every day to walk their dogs, and a group of three visited on a farewell trip with a colleague who was leaving his workplace. Some couples have moved to the area because they like it so much. The mysterious pier attracts people. What are they thinking as they gaze out to sea?

Ugaminshoran, Hagee" - the language of the island, heard from the radio. The setting for this issue is a small FM radio station on Amami Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture. People from the island appear one after another, and many programs are hosted by ordinary people. The program personalities who read out the news in the island language are people in their 70s and 80s. Listen to the radio for three days and observe the daily life of the island.

A 60-year-old mountain lodge located 1,350 meters above sea level on Mount Adatara in Fukushima Prefecture. Adatara at 1,350 meters above sea level in Fukushima Prefecture. Climbers aiming for the summit spend time here to rest their bodies and release tension. The lodge has a hot spring and overnight accommodations are available. A group of four climbers prepare their gear after taking a break, and then set out to reach the summit. A man brings in food from the base of the mountain and enjoys cooking for himself. Some groups hold year-end parties here every year. People who dare to climb the severe snow-covered mountains and visit here at the end of 2022. For three days, we will listen to their hearts.

Buses running at the end of the year. The setting is an express bus terminal in downtown Fukuoka, where more than 1,000 buses come and go each day. A woman goes to Nagasaki to see her father, saying it is cheaper than taking the train. Early in the morning, she comes to see off her boyfriend who is going home to Miyazaki. A couple who came to Fukuoka to look for a house to make a name for themselves. Others took an overnight bus for 15 hours to Tokyo. People boarded the bus for various reasons. For three days during the year-end and New Year's holidays, we look at the lives of those who come and go at the terminal.

Outside in winter. People sipping ramen in the bitter cold. This time, a ramen stall on a street corner in Osu, Nagoya, attracts many people to its four seats for a bowl of ramen for 500 yen. Regular businessmen bring souvenirs from their business trips. Many of them have known the 75-year-old stall owner for a long time. What exactly does eating ramen under the cold weather satisfy?

Judicial scrivener, condominium manager, state civil servant, social insurance worker labor consultant ... Lots of qualification exams. The stage is a major preparatory school where people who aim to pass the pass go. Looking to the future, I am in my 30s who take a course of judicial scrivener while working. A child-rearing woman who is aiming for a career consultant qualification for re-employment. Some people quit their jobs to get out of non-regular employment. In the early days when it was difficult to see the future, how did everyone feel when they went to their desks? Listen to your heart for three days.

A small village in a snowstorm. Hatsuyamabetsu Village is located in the northwestern part of Hokkaido with a population of about 1,000. The setting is a convenience store, the only one in the village. The selection of goods is normal, except for a large amount of fresh food. During the snowy season, there is a woman who carries her goods home on a sled, and an octopus fisherman who visits the village three times a day. A hairdresser who knows everyone in the village, a young man who moved to the village to work here, and many other people come to the village. For three days in the depths of snow in the middle of winter, we set up our camera in a convenience store in the village to observe the lifestyle of the community.

No overview available.

Beautiful eyes so elaborate that they could be mistaken for human eyes. The market for dolls is said to be worth as much as 10 billion yen. In Akihabara, there are several stores specializing in dolls in commercial buildings, and many people visit them. Some office workers are looking for a doll to heal them after a hard day's work, and some women are looking for a doll to do what they cannot do. Some people come all the way from overseas to buy dolls. They are neither people nor things, but mysterious beings. For three days, we will take a peek into the fascinating world of dolls.

From hormone udon to stamina set meals, pork cutlet bowls, ramen noodles, and yakiniku (grilled meat). The setting is a 24-hour drive-in restaurant in Bizen City, Okayama. Located along Route 2 connecting Osaka and Kitakyushu, it is a favorite stop for drivers passing by. A truck driver on his way back from delivering goods to Hiroshima. A couple of colleagues from the company who came here after working the night shift. For three days, we set up our camera and listened to the voices of the visitors.

Ofunato, Iwate, faces the calm sea. The setting is a small newspaper company with 30 employees. The company has been in business for 65 years and is well-loved by the local people, many of whom drop by the office on a whim. In this three-day program, we will closely follow the production of this newspaper company's pages. Every year on March 11, the company publishes a special issue, and seven reporters are working day and night on the frontlines. Many of them are from the area, and many of them were affected by the disaster themselves. We take a look behind the scenes to find out how they deal with the local community and what kind of newspaper they produce. Let us take a look behind the scenes.

Hofu Tenmangu Shrine is located in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Once a year, the shrine holds a “Doll Thanksgiving Festival,” where dolls are taken in and purged. During the festival, people come one after another to drop off their dolls and stuffed animals. A father brings in his daughter's dolls after she leaves home for marriage; an old man comes to deliver his grandson's May dolls, which he has displayed for 30 years. Some people say goodbye to dolls they made themselves as part of their training to become a bride. Each doll is filled with wishes and thoughts. What thoughts do they have when they say goodbye? We listen to their voices.

Takeshita Street in Harajuku, a trend-setting area. The stage is set at a 100-yen store along the street. The shop sells 18,000 items, including daily necessities, cosmetics, and miscellaneous goods. A high school student comes to the shop to buy materials to make goods to cheer up his favorite character. A 21-year-old man who moved to Tokyo to find a job said he buys all his daily necessities here. Many of those who used to go to Takeshita-dori when they were young are now parents and visit the street with their children. We look at the realities of young people over three days in spring.

In spring, an island of cherry blossoms appears in the Seto Inland Sea. Iwakijima Island in Kamijima-cho, Ehime Prefecture, is decorated with as many as 4,000 cherry trees, and is also called “Tennyo no Hagoromo” (the angel's robe of feathers) for the sight of the cherry trees reflected on Mt. The only way to reach the island is by ferry, but many visitors come from Hiroshima, Matsuyama, and other cities, and locals also enjoy the cherry blossoms scattered here and there in their own ways. Why are there so many cherry trees on the island? What kind of existence do the cherry trees have for the islanders? We will ask them while touring the island for three days when the cherry trees are in full bloom.

Rush documents overseas. Packages to my family at home. Moving procedures. This time, the setting is a post office on a street corner in Minami, downtown Osaka. Every day, many people visit the post office for various purposes. An American struggles to send a tourist souvenir to his home country. A parent and child sending a package for their daughter who is moving to Tokyo. Some people sell their precious items on the Internet auction and come to send them. In spring, the season of new milestones, who do people send and what do they send? For three days, we will look at the circumstances of each person who sends things.

The petrel gets its name from its cat-like cry. From spring to summer, they gather around shrines along the coast of Hachinohe, Aomori, to breed. There are about 30,000 of them. Many people come to catch a glimpse of the large flock that covers the sky. An American resident of Aomori Prefecture brought his family to Japan. A man who enjoys talking with the petrels. Locals say that every year when the petrels return, they feel the arrival of spring. We will listen to their voices for three days to find out what people think when they see the large flock of petrels.

A 24-hour bento store in Ginowan City, Okinawa, serving everything from 120 yen per bowl of Okinawa soba noodles to taco rice, pork cutlet bowls, tebichi, and sataa and ghee. Locals come here from early in the morning until late at night. An auto mechanic stops by after working late. A college student studying to become a nurse on a remote island. Some men change their jobs for family reasons and come to eat at 4:00 am. For three days throughout the night at this location, where the Futenma Air Base is located nearby, we looked at the real Okinawa.

Look up and you will see a big sky. Surrounded by seasonal flowers and lush greenery. The setting for this project is the rooftop garden of a hospital near Ochanomizu Station in Tokyo. The hospital has 800 beds, and patients and their families visit the garden. Families bring their hospitalized children. A man on a crutch who wants to breathe the fresh air. A man in his 70s who has just finished surgery for lung cancer comes here to soak up the sunshine. What kind of time do people spend in this corner of the hospital where they face life? We listen to the voices of the visitors.

It is approximately 130 centimeters high and so narrow that people cannot pass through it. This time, the setting is a small tunnel that crosses under the railway tracks in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. When passing through, one has to bend forward. Even so, people are constantly coming and going, earning it the nickname “Mambo Tunnel” among locals. Some people go through it because it is the shortest way to go shopping, while others go through it because it is a bit thrilling and fun. For three days, we set up our cameras in this mysterious tunnel and listened to the voices of those who passed by.

A stone-paved road with sunlight streaming through the trees from green trees. The setting is Kisoji, a mountain road that straddles Nagano and Gifu. It was one of the most important highways in the Edo period (1603-1867), and even today, in 2025, many people from Japan and abroad come to walk it. A group of three families hiking 8 km between inns. A man practicing trail running on a dirt road. Some people are confronting themselves as they walk. What kind of encounters will we have along the way during the three days in early summer when we come and go between the inns?

No overview available.

Izakaya (Japanese-style pubs), snack bars, small restaurants, and bars. In August 2023, the curtain will come down on 70 years of history of “Drinking Alley” in the back alleys of Tateishi, Katsushika-ku. After the decision to redevelop the area, the number of stores has been gradually decreasing, and now only about 10 stores are in business. A man who has been a regular customer for 30 years sings karaoke enthusiastically. A young man says he comes here five times a week to visit his parents. There is even a mother of a tavern that has been here for 40 years and has yet to decide on a new location. For three days, we set up our cameras to find out how they are feeling in their final days.

About 300 yen per cup. Warm udon noodles from an old machine. This is a trip to visit the dwindling number of “udon vending machines” throughout Japan. This time, we will visit the eight remaining udon vending machines in Gunma, Japan, where we will have 72 hours to visit all of them. A man who has been a regular customer at a drive-in restaurant for 30 years. At a 24-hour store, young people and couples who love cars can be seen even late at night. What kind of drama will you encounter when you visit the udon vending machines born in the Showa period?

It is full of Korean gourmet food and sweets stores. The setting for this year's event is Osaka Korea Town in Osaka's Ikuno Ward. It is a popular spot visited by 2 million people a year due to the Korean boom. Originally a marketplace where many people with roots in the Korean peninsula came, it now attracts a wide variety of customers. A group of three nurses came to buy cosmetics. A man who lives nearby but came here for the first time at the invitation of his grandchildren. There is even a Korean resident of Japan who came to shop. What kind of people will we meet in this shopping street where different cultures intermingle?

This time, the setting is a long-established insect specialty store in Tokyo. The store carries 100 species of beetles and stag beetles collected from Japan and abroad. The store also has insect nets and beautiful butterfly specimens. The store is visited by a variety of people, including a father who is working alone and is addicted to insects with his son, a working adult who enjoys raising insects from larvae, and a woman who has loved insects since she was a child. Why are people attracted to insects? We asked them for three days to find out the answer.

No overview available.

A showy welcome, singing and dancing by all. The setting is a somewhat unusual youth hostel on the island of Rebun in Hokkaido. During the four-month summer season when the hostel is open, many people from all over Japan come to visit. Some are regulars who come several times a year, while others enjoy trekking through the wilderness. Others come here to stop at a crossroads in their lives. The number of youth hostels is decreasing nationwide. For three days, we set up our cameras to find out what it is about this hostel that attracts people.

It depicts various thoughts that cross the day of destiny. A new documentary program sent by the "72h" production team, which shoots an event at the same time with multiple cameras. This time, Koshien is a high school with a regular communication system. It is also called another Koshien, and ball children in a different situation from the full-time system fight for the top. During the day, students who had transferred to the communication system due to their work and the situation. If you turn the camera around at the same time on the bench or stand, what kind of drama you'll encounter?

A large rock in the midst of lush nature. At first glance, it does not appear to be a special place, but it is visited by people, little by little. The setting for this story is “Yomotsuhirasaka” in the mountains of Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture. It is said to be the boundary between this world and the next, and is mentioned in the Kojiki, the oldest extant chronicle of Japan. A person says he has come to see his best friend who has passed away. A visitor from far away who is interested in the world of myths. Others write letters to their late fathers. What do people come to this mysterious place for?

The world of the game, where the voices of joy and disappointment resound. The setting is a standing bar right in front of the Fukuoka Boat Racecourse. Inside the bar, there is a monitor showing a live boat race broadcast, and people who have bought boat tickets, with drinks in their hands, watch the race as if they were devouring it. A woman who visits on weekends to enjoy time with her regular friends. A man says it reminds him of his late father, who used to bring him here when he was a child. Some people compare their own circumstances to those of young racers. What will we see after three days of winning and losing here?

Kabukicho, Shinjuku, a nighttime district of glittering neon lights. The story takes place in a 24-hour beauty parlor located in a corner of the town. The town is regaining its pre-Corona vitality, and a variety of customers come to get their hair done. A male host dyes his hair to improve his mental health. A woman who became a gym trainer after working at a cabaret club comes to the salon late at night. An office worker who has been coming to the salon for more than 15 years since he was a host also comes. A room in a building in Kabukicho. We look at the real face of the town that never sleeps through the true feelings that spill out.

Shirakaba Pass is located in the western part of Nagano Prefecture at the foot of the Northern Alps. Many people gather on the slopes of the cut mountain. The purpose is to see hawks flying in the sky. Migratory hawks pass through this pass every autumn on their way to Southeast Asia in search of food. It is an excellent spot to watch them. A man stays here for weeks, bringing his telephoto camera. Female classmates reunite here once a year. Some people see themselves in the hawks as they fly without a flock. What is it about hawks that fascinates people? Listening to their hearts

Slowly climbing up the mountain while admiring the autumn leaves. This time, the stage is a little old lift over Mt. Myoken, Hyogo. It has been popular with families for many years, but this December, the lift, cable car, and the entire plaza will be closed. A local woman who says she has been riding the lift for three generations. The elderly woman, a former teacher, says that coming here brings back memories of the days when she used to take her children. The last of the lifts is filled with various memories. How do people feel when they ride the lift?

Ramen, dumplings, nira-reba set menus, and more. The stage is set at a Chinese restaurant that sells large portions. It is open 24 hours a day on the roadside in the suburbs of Tokyo where many cars pass by. Customers come in incessantly from early morning to late at night. A couple comes for ramen at 6 am. Young people visiting at 1:00 a.m. after a part-time job. Some mothers work through the night to support their families and get take-out on their way home. For three days, we observe the lives of these people as they emerge from their casual, everyday lives.