Hometown Stories - Season 15

First aired: 1/5/2026 18 episodes

Episodes

1. Aiming for Glory: Japan's Senior Esports Team

Aired: 1/5/2026

In northern Japan, a senior esports team with an average age of 69 is aiming high. Pushed relentlessly by their coach, more than 30 years their junior, they dream of competing in a world championship.

2. The Island of Boze Deities

Aired: 1/27/2026

Despite earthquakes and isolation, the people of Akusekijima Island work to uphold local traditions, including the mysterious Boze deities. A new generation is helping to keep those traditions alive.

3. Tradition and Innovation: Tochigi's Sake Masters

Aired: 2/2/2026

An energetic mix of brewers strives to enliven the sake scene in Tochigi Prefecture, a place not well known for its breweries. With pride and innovation, they bring new life to an ancient tradition.

4. Hope at Your Fingertips

Aired: 2/16/2026

Cancer treatments can leave a patient's fingernails weak and dark, adding to their anxiety. So a doctor opened a nail salon to help clients improve both their appearance and their outlook on life.

5. A Doctor Duo: Songs to Comfort the Heart

Aired: 2/23/2026

Two doctors in western Japan have an alter ego as the music duo Insheart, whose songs bring hope to patients and families. We follow them and the fans who find strength and comfort in their music.

6. A Ten-Year-Old Takes the Reins

Aired: 3/2/2026

In Ehime Prefecture, children on horseback take part in a 600-year-old tradition. With fewer participants each year, one strict trainer sees promise in a young rider spurred on by his love of horses.

7. A Morning Market in Early Winter

Aired: 3/24/2026

For the past century, Saga Prefecture's Yobuko morning market has been one of Japan's leading destinations for fresh seafood. We cover recent changes, as old shops close and new ones take their place.

8. Breaking Barriers by Farming

Aired: 4/6/2026

Mako and Fahmi, an international couple living in a small Japanese town. Their farm is a gathering place for people of diverse backgrounds, including foreign residents and people with disabilities.

9. Soul-Searching in a Mikan Orchard

Aired: 4/13/2026

In winter, seasonal workers arrive at mandarin orange groves for the two-month harvest. While living in communal lodgings, they share their views of the world, and plot new paths in life.

10. Moments of Happiness: Living with Younger-Onset Dementia

Aired: 4/27/2026

We follow people with younger-onset dementia in their daily lives, their work as public speakers, and the support they receive from those around them as they seek life's fleeting moments of happiness.

11. Preserving a Midwinter Tradition

Aired: 5/4/2026

Every winter, a group of performers in Kikonai, Hokkaido drench themselves in freezing water in hopes of inviting a bountiful harvest and catch. We follow efforts to preserve this timeless ritual.

12. A Musical Rivalry Between Two School Bands

Aired: 5/26/2026

In a rural town in Hokkaido, wind ensembles from neighboring junior high schools have a longstanding rivalry. As they face off in a big national competition, which one will take home the prize?

13. Learning Japanese One Step at a Time

Aired: 6/1/2026

A high school allows students with international roots to use their native language while learning Japanese. Teachers hope it will help them build confidence and adapt better to their environment.

14. Pulling Together for a Dream

Aired: 6/15/2026

The Funky Girls are a women's tug-of-war team with an average age of 50. Three nights a week, they forget all their personal problems and practice in pursuit of a shared dream—champions of Japan.

15. A Teacher's Words of Wisdom

Aired: 6/22/2026

A retired kindergarten principal has a magical ability to understand her former students' needs. But illness is affecting her ability to speak. What lies ahead for her and those who seek her advice?

16. A Bookstore for Everyone

Aired: 7/6/2026

Bookstores are closing across Japan but a shop owner in a small town in Hiroshima Prefecture is trying to beat the odds. He listens to the community for ideas on how to keep his store open.

17. Yumori: The Hot Spring Caretaker

Aired: 7/17/2026

After 40 years, a local yumori, or hot spring caretaker, is retiring. A crew of young workers has been chosen to replace him. But with no manual to guide them, will these novices be up to the task?

18. My Friend, the AI Chatbot

Aired: 7/28/2026

For three weeks, school children shared their feelings with AI chatbots. At a time when many kids are unable to engage in conversations with their peers, could AI help them learn how to communicate?