Document 72 Hours - Season 5

First aired: 1/10/2014 35 episodes

Episodes

1. Local Wrestling, 3-Day Traveling Tour

Aired: 1/10/2014

Hokkaido is suffering from a prolonged recession. Ten years ago, a salesman who saw his hometown's exhaustion launched a professional wrestling organization that he loved. In December, the group will hold its winter tour. In December, a winter show will be held, lasting three days. The tour will take place in three locations, including Yubari, where the local government has collapsed. I will accompany the tour and observe people living in rural areas while supporting each other.

2. Huge Share House for 260 People

Aired: 1/17/2014

Last year, Japan's largest share house opened in Kamata, Tokyo. It accommodated a whopping 260 people. When the share house was open to both men and women, it was filled in no time at all. Foreigners who came to Japan for short-term work or study. Some are aspiring artists. Everyone has different goals. Late at night in the common space, one can see people listening to each other's problems. For three days, we placed a camera in a huge share house where various lives are living side by side.

3. The Fierce Battle! Entrepreneur Contest.

Aired: 1/24/2014

An “Entrepreneur Contest” was held last year under the auspices of a global IT company to discover talents who can give shape to innovative ideas more quickly. The duration of the contest was three days and two nights. Participants were divided into teams and worked frantically to come up with new ideas, and then worked tirelessly to brush up their ideas for a presentation on the final day of the contest. The contest not only tests the participants' ability to come up with ideas, but also their ability to coordinate and execute their teams. If they win the competition, they will advance to the world competition and can expect to receive funding from sponsors. This is a coming-of-age story of young people struggling to achieve success.

4. At the Northernmost Bus Stop

Aired: 2/28/2014

The far north of Hokkaido, with a view of Sakhalin in the distance. At Cape Soya, where a severe snowstorm blows, there is "Japan's northernmost bus stop. In winter, there are few visitors to the bus stop, and the only view is of the Sea of Okhotsk, but for a few days during the year-end and New Year's holidays, many people gather there. Company employees rethinking their lives, cab drivers returning from migrant work, motorcyclists who have traveled hundreds of kilometers in the snow...these are just a few of the people who gather at the bus stop. For three days, they put aside their usual titles and huddle together as "travelers. What are they seeking in their journey to the north?

5. Okinawa: The Barbershop that Never Sleeps

Aired: 3/7/2014

In downtown Naha City, there is a barbershop that is open 24 hours a day, a rarity in Japan. Customers include children with shaved heads, employees of nearby restaurants, and office workers who can only get their hair cut at night due to their busy work schedule. The three days leading up to the coming-of-age ceremony in particular draw crowds of newcomers who want to enjoy a one-day hair style. Some have returned to Okinawa after having broken their dreams of working outside the prefecture, and others are bidding farewell to their teenage years of wild fun... What are the true feelings of Okinawan men that cannot be experienced on a sightseeing trip?

6. Fukushima: From a Super Market in Early Spring

Aired: 3/14/2014

Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. Along the road to the nuclear power plant, there is a supermarket that has seen a significant increase in sales since “that day”. The main products are boxed lunches and side dishes. In the evenings, many workers at the nuclear power plant and decontamination workers come to the supermarket on their way home from work. The city is said to be conversely bustling with people who have come to the area since the accident to help with reconstruction. The program looks at Fukushima today at a supermarket where “local housewives buying ingredients for dinner,” “people who evacuated from villages near the nuclear power plant,” and “workers helping with the recovery” pass by.

7. Close Encounters! Street Corner Photo Printing Machine

Aired: 4/4/2014

With the spread of digital cameras and smartphones, everyone takes photos with ease. Printing machines at electronics mass merchandisers make it easy to print out the photo data they have taken. People continue to take photos of the food they cook every day. Two people in a long-distance relationship exchange photos of each other. People visit the machines to keep photos of their deceased relatives. We listen to the thoughts of these people who want to print and keep the time they spent with their loved ones and the irreplaceable memories that will never come again.

8. Life route of a huge ferry

Aired: 4/11/2014

In Japan, which is surrounded by the sea, it takes time, but it is a ferry that can be moved cheaply. In particular, the route between Nagoya and Sendai and Hokkaido boasts two hundred thousand users per year. In the spring when people start a new life, the ship is filled with a variety of "facts" such as workers moving to Nagoya, which is booming, university students who complete a graduation trip in a cheap and easy country, and a group of dispatched employees who boarded in search of "a relaxing time". What is the current situation in Japan that emerges from the encounter on the ship for three days?

9. Consumption Tax Increase! 24 Hour Discount Store

Aired: 4/18/2014

The Shinjuku store of a major discount store boasts a selection of 40,000 items. Customers, including shoppers and residents of the nearby downtown area, are constantly pouring into the store 24 hours a day. The program closely observes the store in the last week of March, which is bustling with “rush demand” before the tax hike. Some shoppers bought large quantities of consumable goods, while others were carried away by the momentum of the rush and grabbed unnecessary items. Then, on the eve of the tax hike, a man rushes into the store... In a corner of the city shaken by the tax hike, we consider what shopping means to us and what consumption means to us.

10. At the Foot of the Skytree

Aired: 4/25/2014

The Tokyo Sky Tree, Japan's tallest structure, opened two years ago. At the base of the tree, which is visited by 100,000 people a day, people are pressing their shutters in various positions to capture the giant tower on their cameras. Some are students who have saved up enough money to climb the tree someday, while others are foreigners who are visiting Japan for their golden wedding anniversary. And at night, young people from all over the Kanto region gather here. Three days at the foot of the giant radio tower, a new landmark in Tokyo that continues to attract people.

11. Youth Hello Work Youth

Aired: 5/2/2014

The economy is on the upswing, and the job offer rate for university students has exceeded eighty percent this spring. However, in Shibuya, Tokyo Wakamono Hello Work = so-called "Wakahalo", more than two hundred young people seeking jobs flock to each day. The popular "regular employee who is rewarding, not dispatch". In addition, the 30s of the Ice Age generation who are trying to change jobs with the driving force of the booming economy .... It is said that a third of university graduates quit within three years of joining the company, and they are closely connected to the consultation desk specialized for under-35s, which is rare in Japan. I looked at the work of young people today.

12. Ueno Park, Under the Cherry Trees in Full Bloom

Aired: 5/9/2014

Ueno Park is a huge park representing Tokyo. Surrounded by offices, downtown, and residential areas, people spend their time in this vast park. During the cherry blossom season, the park is said to attract 2 million visitors from all over the country. This program closely observes the three days of the weekend when the park is at its busiest. Some locals do exercises while watching the cherry blossoms every morning, some businessmen put all their energy into their company's cherry blossom viewing event, and some people look back over the flowers and think about their farewells in the old days.... Various lives intersect amidst the dancing snowstorm of cherry blossoms.

13. Midnight Public Restaurant in the Big City

Aired: 5/23/2014

ShareHelped TwitterFacebook "Utsuya Station" has the fewest passengers on the JR Yamanote Line. During the day, the streets are sparse, but at night, the atmosphere changes completely, and the neon lights of countless love hotels and sex shops shine out. The stage is a popular restaurant that has been open for more than thirty years in the Tokudani. A man and a woman with various circumstances come to the restaurant where you can eat a warm set meal at any time for twenty-four hours to satisfy a small belly and taste the humane. In this city, which has quietly accepted the desires of the people, you can see the drama of adults.

14. Trunk Rooms: Another Secret Room

Aired: 5/30/2014

The trunk room is rapidly increasing throughout Japan, saying, "You can store things that cannot be placed at home." It is close to one of the largest stores in the Kansai region near Shin-Osaka Station for three days. In the store, which is lined with rooms of various sizes, people who secretly deposit "secret items that can not be said to anyone" visit every time for twenty-four hours. However, it is difficult to interview only in the hidden world.

15. Osorezan: Place of the Dead

Aired: 6/6/2014

When people die, they go to the mountains. It is set in Mt. Osoreyama in Aomori Prefecture, which has been attracting the faith of the people of Tohoku since ancient times. In May, a large-scale consecutive holiday, Mt.Osa, opened the mountain after a half-year winter, and various people from all over the country visited the shrine aiming for a huge sacred place. A couple who visit every year for their lost daughter, "Seijo Girl" who wants to see the red seal. In the unique atmosphere that continues with rocky places, there are also people who suddenly shout the names of the deceased. A power spot that involves all visitors and makes you feel strange. Three days of life and death.

16. On the Road: “Happiness Theory” on Route 16

Aired: 6/13/2014

Yokosuka - Machida - Hachioji - Kasugabe and "National Route16" connects the Kanto suburbs. The townscape where there are only large shopping malls and chain stores is attracting attention as "a landscape that symbolizes modern Japan". It took three days to run on the 250km ring road. Listen carefully to what people you meet on the road are happy. A young man who does not want to leave his comfortable hometown, and a homeless man walks silently on the way late at night. What is the happiness of Nippon seen from the 16th Line?

17. Tropical Nightless City, 24-Hour Supermarket

Aired: 7/4/2014

The western edge of Kagoshima. In Akune City, a city with vast forests and fields and an elderly population of over 40%, there is a huge supermarket that is famous throughout Japan for its wide selection of goods. The store, which is open 24 hours a day, is visited by 80% of the city's population every day. Elderly people standing around in depopulated towns looking for someone to talk to, young people gathering late at night to ask if they can find a good job.... Behind the city's booming economy, the daily lives of people in the countryside who gather for a little entertainment.

18. Shonan, Reasons to Gaze at the Sea

Aired: 7/18/2014

In June, the Shonan coast overlooking Enoshima Island. On a clear day, people who cannot wait for summer to arrive come to see the sea. Families frolic in the water by the waves, couples huddle together. Among the happy people, there is one figure that stands out: a solitary person staring at the sea. Tired office workers, women in love. Even at night, people with various circumstances appear one by one on the quiet beach.... What do people think about on a beach where there is nothing but the sea and the sky? A story of three days waiting for summer. 　

19. At a Gas Station in a Drenching Downpour

Aired: 7/25/2014

It was a weekend in June when the Kanto region was hit by heavy rain with the onset of the rainy season. At a 24-hour gas station in Kanagawa Prefecture, soaking wet people rushed in one after another. Construction workers who had to take the day off from work because of the rain, people going to see their children who live far away, men going to work late at night to support their families.... Where do people drive to in the pouring rain? This is a story of people taking a breather at a gas station and waiting for the rain to stop.

20. What Dreams I Have at the Fishing Pond Late at Night

Aired: 8/1/2014

Along a national highway in the suburbs of Saitama. There is an indoor fishing pond where men dangle their fishing lines until late at night. Twenty species of fish, including carp and Hakurei, swim in the 20-meter-long pool. You can rent a Saomote, but it is not easy to catch the fish, as they are used to being caught. Visitors include businessmen looking for new jobs, young people discussing their future, and mysterious men in sunglasses who appear late at night. What are the thoughts floating in the minds of these men as they wait patiently for the float to sink? Three days in which life can be seen beyond the fishing line.

21. Veterinary Hospital in the City that Never Sleeps

Aired: 8/22/2014

There is a long-established veterinary hospital in Hatsudai, Tokyo, where emergency patients rush in 24 hours a day. It opened 46 years ago. Every day, about 100 animals are brought in from all over the Tokyo metropolitan area, including dogs attacked by stray cats, hamsters with broken bones, and cats involved in traffic accidents. It has long been called a pet boom, but what stands out is the number of people who take the time to cuddle with a single animal. A housewife caring for a dog with dementia, an elderly man who has lived with a cat for 23 years.... This is a story of people and animals who are bound by a bond stronger than that of family.

22. Kabukicho Nail Salon: Behind the Scenes of a Woman's Dressing Room

Aired: 8/29/2014

The glamorous world of women spreads out in a room of a building in Kabukicho. It is a nail salon that stays open all night until 8 am. Some are cabaret girls who go there to “please customers,” while others draw pictures of the sea or sunflowers to "give their nails a summery look. Their goal is to enjoy “girl talk that you can only talk about here” in addition to having their nails done. During the three hours it takes to get their nails done, they enjoy chatting about everything from work complaints to relationship advice, which they would not be able to talk about in front of a man. The true faces of the women are revealed through their beautiful nails during these three days.

23. Summer: The Closest Station to the Nuclear Power Plant

Aired: 9/5/2014

Naraha Machi, Fukushima, is located within 20 km of the nuclear power plant that caused the accident. Railroads had been out of service since the earthquake, but finally reopened in June this year. The town is now connected to the city by train. There are still only 9 services a day. Many residents are not allowed to stay overnight in the town and have evacuated to other areas. Even so, people from all walks of life now pass by Tatsuta Station, which is located in the center of the town. Former residents on furlough, workers at the nearby Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant. And visitors from afar, hoping to catch a glimpse of the disaster-stricken area. This is a story of three days at a small station.

24. “On the Shore with a View of the Atomic Bomb Dome

Aired: 9/12/2014

It was August 6 when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. While the familiar annual solemn peace ceremony is broadcast live on TV, people from all over the world flock to the area around the event site, making their own arguments and performances. Young people singing songs about the atomic bombing, religious groups offering prayers, foreign tourists in a tourist mood, people shouting radical ideas.... Sixty-nine years have passed since the end of the war. In a corner of the park overlooking the A-bomb Dome across the river, three days were spent looking at different forms of peace.

25. A Small Convenience Store in a Large Hospital

Aired: 9/19/2014

Kamogawa, Boso Peninsula. Three years ago, a 24-hour convenience store was opened in a huge general hospital where emergency patients are brought in from midnight to early morning. With a full lineup of hospital supplies and sugar-free meals, the convenience store is constantly crowded with customers throughout the day. A young man who had a car accident and lived for the rest of his life. A hospital patient who cannot sleep at night comes to buy a newspaper early in the morning. Late at night, doctors on the night shift rush in between surgeries to stuff themselves with cup noodles. This is the human side of the convenience store, a beloved “oasis” in a hospital where life and death intersect, isolated from everyday life.

26. Haneda Airport: From Summer to Autumn

Aired: 10/3/2014

On the last weekend of summer vacation, Haneda Airport is crowded with travelers and people returning home. I spent three days in front of the departure and arrival counters, holding my camera. A girl is excited to travel alone for the first time during her summer vacation. An elderly couple reuniting with their son who has left their hometown for the first time in a long time. And there are those who are flying off to faraway places to start their new lives in September. People who are taking a new step forward and those who are seeing their departures off. This is a story of encounters and partings captured at one of the world's largest airports, used by 68 million passengers annually.

27. Deep Asakusa, Midnight Coffee Shop

Aired: 10/10/2014

Asakusa is a world-renowned tourist attraction. North of Sensoji Temple, in the deep “back Asakusa” area that does not appear in guidebooks, there is a coffee shop that has been in business for over 40 years. Its specialty is Neapolitan. The store opens at 9:00 a.m. and stays open until 5:00 a.m. The store is full of locals, including Asakusa entertainers who live nearby, former innkeepers, and rickshaw drivers. At midnight, the store is rented out to cab drivers who take a break.... This is a story of Edo nikko (people of Edo) whose true feelings are exchanged without any pretense of decoration.

28. Ueno Ameyoko, Multinational Underground Market

Aired: 10/17/2014

There is an unknown “multinational market” in the basement of Ameyoko, Ueno. As you go down the stairs, the aroma of spices wafts through the air. The smell of spices wafting down the stairs, Chinese, Tagalog, and English with an African accent, Shanghai crabs, edible frogs, and vegetables and seafood never before seen on the shelves....... We took a look into the true feelings of foreigners living in Japan at this market that supports the stomachs of people living far from home.

29. What to Hit: Boxing Gym in a Mixed-Use Building

Aired: 10/24/2014

In front of JR Gotanda Station, where offices and bars line the streets. From a room in a small building, you can hear the sound of a boxer hitting a sandbag. It is a long-established boxing gym, open from 6:30 a.m. to midnight. The gym is famous for having produced a number of world champions, but people come to the gym for a variety of reasons. Some are company employees who come to relieve stress from work. A junior high school student who comes to the gym because he admires his father, a former professional boxer. A former delinquent boy who is determined to make a fortune.... What are these people fighting against in this corner of the city?

30. Koenji, What to Expect at the Public Baths

Aired: 10/31/2014

Koenji, Tokyo. An old-fashioned wooden building stands in an alley past a pure shopping street. It is a long-established public bathhouse that is open until 2 am. The baths are filled with workers returning from construction sites, young people living in cheap apartments and pursuing their dreams, parents and children who have been going there for 60 years, even a mysterious long-haired man... Men and women of all ages who happen to be there sweat in the same bath, talk about trivial matters, and drink coffee milk in one gulp. Once they hit it off, they went to an izakaya across the street for a quick drink. This is a story of an old-fashioned public bathhouse that is disappearing from the city.

31. A Walking Trip Around Yamanote Line - ”Happiness Theory“ in the Center of Tokyo

Aired: 11/7/2014

The Yamanote Line is the most famous loop line in Japan. It is a short train ride, but the city has a completely different look at each station. Recently, more and more people are walking or biking along the line in order to experience it. This time, the program staff also spent three days walking the 35-kilometer route around the city. How is the image of the town as “Shibuya for young people” and “Shinjuku for adults” changing? And what do people look forward to in their daily lives? The real Tokyo of today was recorded while walking along the railroad tracks.

32. Kisarazu, Wangan, Big Lunch Box Store Blues

Aired: 11/21/2014

Hey," he said! Hey!“ ”Is this bento ready yet?“ ”A big bowl of rice!" The men shout with authority at a 24-hour bento shop in the port of Kisarazu, Chiba. The store is crowded from early morning to late at night with workers from ports and steel mills. An elderly man who comes to the restaurant every day and spends all his time there receives a special soft rice ball.... Three days in a corner of Tokyo Bay, a bento shop fills people's hearts.

33. Wandering Shakebai

Aired: 11/28/2014

Shibetsu Town, Hokkaido, Japan, is a place where the wind blows with a steady breeze. Every autumn, during the salmon fishing season, a group of young people gather from nowhere. They have dreadlocks and large earrings. They are known as “Shakebai,” an unusual-looking group. They work part-time at a salmon processing plant in response to a call from the fishery cooperative, which is short on staff. Backpackers travel the world with the money they earn as “shakelabai,” and seasonal workers travel all over Japan, from Okinawa to Hokkaido. What is their new way of life as they wander and work?

34. Osaka Minami, Midnight Underground Tenement

Aired: 12/12/2014

There is a leisure building in Osaka's Minami district that is familiar to anyone in the Kansai region. The Ajien Building was once home to a huge cabaret that was said to be the best in Japan and a dance hall where Pink Lady used to take the stage every night before her breakthrough. The cabaret was closed due to the prolonged recession, but young people opened small izakaya (Japanese-style pubs) one after another in its place. It has become a center of Osaka's underground culture, including comedy and cosplay. Three days in the old and new “mecca of nightlife”.

35. Shinjuku Ni-Chome: A Taste of Mother's Home Late at Night

Aired: 12/19/2014

Shinjuku Ni-Chome is one of the deepest spots in Japan. In a corner of the area, there is an unusual teishoku-ya (set meal restaurant) that opens only late at night. The popular menu consists of hamburgers and grilled fish. The menu includes hamburgers and grilled fish, which are popular with gay and lesbian customers, who enjoy a bowl of white rice with these dishes as a side dish.