Japanology Plus - Season 12 / Year 2025

Onigiri are becoming a global phenomenon. Colorful new styles are generating a buzz on social media, and convenience stores continue to develop new products. We investigate the latest developments.

As the need for circular economies grows, there's a new focus on repairing products. We look at how people in Japan maintain items using approaches ranging from traditional kintsugi to modern skills.

Johan Leutwiler, from Switzerland, is currently Japan's only foreign swordsmith. In a Japanophiles interview, he tells us about being drawn to the world of Japanese swords and sword making.

Octopuses are not only eaten in Japan but also depicted in works of art. They may be regarded as objects of worship or even kept as pets. We untangle Japan's long relationship with these creatures.

Japan's bespoke leather shoes are admired around the world, and there is even a Japanese leader in the realm of shoeshining. We explore the skills and services in Japan's leather shoemaking industry.

Found all over Japan, torii are gateways to Shinto shrines and the deities within. We meet people trying to rebuild torii after a huge earthquake and examine what torii mean to Japanese people.

Mamachari bikes, which originated in Japan, are designed to meet the needs of all kinds of people. They even helped women enter the workforce. We discover what makes them so unique and special.

Stephen Turner, from the UK, loves Japanese trains so much that his passion became his job. We join him on a trip through Chiba Prefecture and explore the appeal of Japan's regional railways.

Family restaurants are uniquely Japanese establishments that are also popular with solo diners. We see how innovative services have helped them survive the ups and downs of the restaurant industry.

With its unique smell and stickiness, people either love or hate natto. But eating natto has been linked to longevity, and a substance in this powerful food could even help solve environmental issues!

Japanese stationery is famous for its quality, design, and functionality. We look at many unique items, including products for research labs, left-handed users, and even writing in virtual space.

Once a poor fisher boy, John Manjiro became the first Japanese person to receive a formal education in the US and played a key role in Japan's modernization. Peter Barakan visits his hometown in Tosa.

Peter Barakan visits the region of Tosa, famous for the mighty Kuroshio Current and bonito fishing. It is also the place where the high priest Kobo Daishi is said to have attained enlightenment.

Johan Nordstrom, a film scholar from Sweden, specializes in early Japanese cinema. He tells us about movies from over a century ago and Japan's unique tradition of live narration for silent films.

Origami is the art of folding paper into a wide variety of shapes, from animals and flowers to highly complex designs. Lately, its principles have even been applied to space exploration and medicine.

Sake is enjoying a global boom, but in Japan, breweries are facing a crisis as consumption falls. We explore the future of sake through artisanal skills, technology, and a new generation's efforts.

Japanese offices used to prioritize order and efficiency, but today they're becoming spaces that foster conversation, with cafe-like layouts and even saunas. We explore how the workplace is evolving.

Ziaul Karim, an agricultural scientist from Bangladesh, practices unique farming methods in Okayama to show how accessible agriculture can be. He works with locals to grow and use uncommon crops.

The number of bookstores in Japan is decreasing, but both major chains and independent stores are finding creative ways to attract book lovers. We look at the next chapter for Japan's bookstores.

Japan's convenience stores stock more than just food. Some sell clothes or provide administrative services. Others even use avatars and robots alongside human employees. We look at Japan's "konbini."

Interest in sleep has been growing in Japan. From futuristic high-tech beds to advanced sleepwear, many new products are designed to improve sleep quality. We look at Japan's latest sleep trends.

For over 35 years, Italian-born Astrid Klein and UK-born Mark Dytham have worked together as architects in Tokyo, designing not just buildings but also spaces for communication and creativity.

The 19th-century educator Yoshida Shoin lived only 29 years, yet his teachings helped shape Japan's modernization. His words, published as books, remain popular today. We visit his birthplace, Hagi.

Hagi in Yamaguchi Prefecture is dotted with volcanoes. Their volcanic rock was used to shape the townscape, and the area's unique clay and soil fostered its pottery tradition and citrus cultivation.