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Document 72 Hours: 2021
January 22, 2021
49 Episodes
~30 min per episode
Overview
No overview available for this season.
Episodes
49
1
Adios, El Dorado Carousel!
Jan 22, 2021
30 min
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.
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2
Seeds of Happiness at a Tokyo Garden Center
Jan 29, 2021
30 min
As many people have spent more time at home during the coronavirus pandemic, gardening has become a popular hobby. Tokyo's garden megastore with over 100,000 varieties of plants is the go-to place for people wanting flowers, vegetables, bonsai trees or rare shrubs. The center's customers include a man inspired by a cactus' power to survive, a woman who buys weakened plants so she can help them recover and a woman who feels most relaxed when she tends to her plants. For 3 days, we asked what plants mean to them.
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3
Giving Kitchen Equipment New Homes
Feb 5, 2021
30 min
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.
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4
The Zoo on a Hill
Feb 12, 2021
30 min
It's small and has only a few large animals, but a hilltop zoological park in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, has captured the heart of locals for decades. It is home to about 60 different species and is frequented by many, especially since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic which has made it difficult to travel far. Among the visitors to this free admission zoo are people on family outings; a woman who comes on various milestones in her life; and a young couple who come at night to find nocturnal creatures in the park. For 3 days, we asked visitors why this seemingly ordinary zoo has become a special place for so many people.
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5
Sapporo Born and Bread: A 24-Hour Sandwich Shop
Mar 12, 2021
30 min
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.
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6
Opening New Doors at a Furniture Outlet Store
Mar 19, 2021
30 min
A major furniture outlet store in Chiba Prefecture boasts a stock of roughly 1,400 items from beds, sofas to tables. Customers are increasing since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic as people are staying in more and seeking to make their homes more comfortable. Among the customers we met were a man searching for a dining table hoping to spend quality time with his family, and a woman who is replacing all her furniture to surround herself with only the things she loves. The choices they make tell us something about who they are, and the changes and challenges they face in life. How do they picture their future? For 3 days, we listened to their stories.
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7
Shimanami Kaido: A Ride Along Life's Cycle
Apr 2, 2021
30 min
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.
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8
Tanga: The Market With a Big Heart
Apr 16, 2021
30 min
Tanga Market, a century-old market of 120 shops in western Japan, is known as the "kitchen of Kitakyushu." Although the market will soon be redeveloped, its old-fashioned charm keeps pulling in shoppers. Among the customers there were a man who feels at home at the market, even if he does not buy anything; an elderly woman grumbling about having to cook her son's meals; and a young couple bewitched by the variety of foods sold there. For 3 days in late December, we explored why this market remains so popular.
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9
Seeing Out 2020 in the Heart of Tokyo Bay
Apr 23, 2021
30 min
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.
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10
Fukushima Bento Shop: Serving Meals and Hope
Apr 30, 2021
30 min
It has been 10 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami occurred, and nuclear meltdowns forced the town of Namie to evacuate. Work to decontaminate and rebuild this part of Fukushima Prefecture is still ongoing. For many workers here, a bento shop is a vital source of cheap, hearty food. The customers at the shop included a dump truck driver who says that the town still feels empty; a man who has been engaged in decontamination work for a decade; and an elderly woman who says that she prefers to be in Namie even if there's nobody around. For 3 days, we asked what this shop means to the customers - and this town.
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11
New Beginnings from an Osaka Bus Terminal
May 7, 2021
30 min
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.
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12
Life Stories at a Hospital Convenience Store
May 21, 2021
30 min
A convenience store inside a major hospital in Kamakura City, just south of Tokyo, is open around the clock for doctors, nurses, patients and their families. Among the customers were a nurse buying herself a sweet treat after finishing an emergency operation; a patient who bought more than 10 books to read and pass the time; and an on-duty doctor needing an energy boost in the wee hours. Even though many people are staying home during the state of emergency, the hospital remains as busy as ever. For 3 days, we asked the customers what they were buying and why they were there.
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13
Tokyo Dry Cleaner's: Reviving Clothes, Reliving Memories
Jun 11, 2021
30 min
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.
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14
Water Taxis: Across the Sea and Beyond
Jun 18, 2021
30 min
For the approximately 1,100 residents of Kakeroma Island in southern Japan, water taxis that travel to Amami Oshima, a nearby larger island, are a vital mode of transport for going shopping or to work. Among the people using these boats during 3 days in late March were a woman who had stocked up at a supermarket; a family who had moved here from Tokyo; and a teacher being transferred after completing his post at a school with 18 students. We explored the role these boats play in daily life here and in keeping community ties strong.
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15
Quiet Prayers at a Secluded Shrine
Jun 25, 2021
30 min
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.
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16
Starting Fresh: One-Stop Uniform Shop
Jul 9, 2021
30 min
A uniform specialty store in Shinjuku, Tokyo, sells an exhaustive range of attire for medical staff, chefs, security guards and various other workers. What does a brand-new uniform mean to these workers? For 3 days in mid-March, we asked that question to customers including a dentist expanding their wardrobe; a restaurant part-time worker buying new shoes; and the owner of a traditional Japanese restaurant desperately trying to keep her business afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.
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17
Tokyo Stationery Store: Messages from the Heart
Aug 20, 2021
30 min
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.
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18
The Station Under the Cherry Blossoms
Sep 10, 2021
30 min
A small, unmanned train station on the Noto Peninsula facing the Sea of Japan, is quiet for most of the year. But each spring, the station comes to life as about 100 cherry blossom trees flanking the tracks burst into bloom. The visitors included a woman and her elderly mother admiring the view of the petals, trains and nearby ocean; a man reminiscing about an inspiring high school teacher; and an elderly couple who helped plant some of the trees and who volunteer to keep the station clean. For 3 days, we asked people what the blossoms at this station mean to them.
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19
Warming Body and Heart at a Yakiimo Shop
Sep 17, 2021
30 min
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.
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20
Fireworks Shop: Lighting Up a Quiet Summer
Sep 24, 2021
30 min
From handheld sparklers to skyrockets and novelty fireworks, a small shop in Yamanashi Prefecture sells over 400 kinds of fireworks. Locals and visitors flock to this shop during a summer when many large fireworks displays were canceled. Customers included a family buying fireworks with a curry fragrance; an elderly couple buying an assortment for their grandchildren; and a worker at an elderly care facility hoping to give the residents a colorful thrill. For 3 days, we asked people why fireworks were special to them.
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21
Salvaging Bargains at a Tokyo Grocery Store
Oct 1, 2021
30 min
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.
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22
Episode 22
Oct 22, 2021
30 min
No overview available for this episode.
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23
Episode 23
Nov 5, 2021
30 min
No overview available for this episode.
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24
Episode 24
Nov 12, 2021
30 min
No overview available for this episode.
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25
Episode 25
Nov 19, 2021
30 min
No overview available for this episode.
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26
Episode 26
Nov 26, 2021
30 min
No overview available for this episode.
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27
Episode 27
Dec 3, 2021
30 min
No overview available for this episode.
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28
Episode 28
Dec 10, 2021
30 min
No overview available for this episode.
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29
Episode 29
Dec 17, 2021
30 min
No overview available for this episode.
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122
Episode 122
Jan 22, 2021
No overview available for this episode.
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129
Episode 129
Jan 29, 2021
No overview available for this episode.
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205
Episode 205
Feb 5, 2021
No overview available for this episode.
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212
Episode 212
Feb 12, 2021
No overview available for this episode.
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312
Episode 312
Mar 12, 2021
No overview available for this episode.
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319
Episode 319
Mar 19, 2021
No overview available for this episode.
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402
Episode 402
Apr 2, 2021
No overview available for this episode.
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416
Episode 416
Apr 16, 2021
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423
Episode 423
Apr 23, 2021
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430
Episode 430
Apr 30, 2021
No overview available for this episode.
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507
Episode 507
May 7, 2021
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521
Episode 521
May 21, 2021
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611
Episode 611
Jun 11, 2021
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618
Episode 618
Jun 18, 2021
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625
Episode 625
Jun 25, 2021
No overview available for this episode.
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709
Episode 709
Jul 9, 2021
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820
Episode 820
Aug 20, 2021
No overview available for this episode.
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910
Episode 910
Sep 10, 2021
No overview available for this episode.
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917
Episode 917
Sep 17, 2021
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1027
Episode 1027
Oct 27, 2021
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