Japan Railway Journal - Season 12 / Year 2026

Season 12 / Year 2026
Episodes

The Return of Japan's Night Trains
With the expansion of the Shinkansen, Japan's night trains all but disappeared. Now, the last remaining sleeper expresses, along with a new night train, are trending once more. We take a closer look.

Must-see Railway News: The Latter Half of 2025
Railway news from the latter half of 2025. Join us as we look back on new railway vehicles, cutting-edge technologies, commemorative events and more from across Japan.

Battling the Snow: Japan's Northern Railways
In regions that experience heavy snowfall, railways use snowplows in combination with other systems to keep the trains running. See how the railways maintain service in Japan's snow country.

Railway Technical Research Institute: Leading the Way
Railway Technical Research Institute leads R&D for Japan's railways, from the JR companies to smaller regional lines. See the cutting-edge research that's shaping the future of rail transport.

Hojo Railway: From Preservation to Revitalization
Hojo Railway in Hyogo Prefecture managed to boost ridership with the introduction of volunteer stationmasters and an old, beloved diesel car. See how this regional railway is working to stay on top.

2026 Train Awards: Blue Ribbon and Laurel Prize
Every year, the Blue Ribbon and Laurel Prizes honor the finest newly built and redesigned trains. Meet the winners for 2026!

Must-see Railway News: The First Half of 2026
Railway news from across Japan for the first half of 2026. Join us as we look back on milestones and anniversaries, efforts to preserve and revive steam locomotives, and railway events.

On Track for the Next Decade: Nishikigawa Railway
Recently Updated Shows

Sheriff Country
Sheriff Country focuses on straight-shooting sheriff Mickey Fox, the stepsister of Cal Fire's division chief Sharon Leone, who investigates criminal activity as she patrols the streets of small-town Edgewater while contending with her ex-con father, Wes, who is an off-the-grid marijuana grower, and a mysterious incident involving her wayward daughter.

Elsbeth
Elsbeth follows Elsbeth Tascioni, an astute but unconventional attorney who utilizes her singular point of view to make unique observations and corner brilliant criminals alongside the NYPD. After leaving her successful legal career in Chicago to tackle a new investigative role in New York City, Elsbeth finds herself jockeying with the toast of the NYPD, Captain C.W. Wagner, a charismatic and revered leader. Working alongside Elsbeth is Officer Kaya Blanke, a stoic and ethical officer who quickly develops an appreciation for Elsbeth's insightful and offbeat ways.

Daredevil: Born Again
Matt Murdock finds himself on a collision course with Wilson Fisk when their past identities begin to emerge.

Reacher
Reacher follows Jack Reacher, a veteran military police investigator who has just recently entered civilian life. Reacher is a drifter, carrying no phone and the barest of essentials as he travels the country and explores the nation he once served. When Reacher arrives in the small town of Margrave, Georgia, he finds a community grappling with its first homicide in 20 years. The cops immediately arrest him and eyewitnesses claim to place Reacher at the scene of the crime. While he works to prove his innocence, a deep-seated conspiracy begins to emerge, one that will require Reacher's keen mind and hard-hitting fists to deal with. One thing above all is for sure: They picked the wrong guy to take the fall.

Frisco King
NOLA King follows Russell Lee Washington Jr. who, after befriending Dwight Manfredi during a ten-year stint in federal prison, is sent to Tulsa by New York's Renzetti crime family to take Dwight out once and for all. Inspired by what Dwight created in Tulsa and impressed with the possibilities of second chances, Washington returns to New Orleans, the home he abandoned forty-years ago, to rekindle his relationship with his family and friends, and to take control of the city he left behind. In so doing, he incurs the wrath of his former employers in New York, and makes himself vulnerable to old NOLA foes, both criminal and cop.