The Best TV Shows on NHK BS Premium

Every NHK BS Premium Show Ranked From Best To Worst

Across the timeline from 1998 to 2022, NHK BS Premium has presented audiences with over 20 captivating shows. Cardcaptor Sakura and カスミン represent the pinnacle of NHK BS Premium’s programming, launching in 1998 and 2003. As of July 2026, we’ve curated over 20 of NHK BS Premium’s premier shows for your viewing pleasure.

  • Mitsuaki Iwago's World “Cats” Travelogue
    Mitsuaki Iwago's World “Cats” Travelogue (2012)9.3

    Prominent Japanese wildlife photographer and filmmaker Mitsuaki Iwago loves cats of all shapes and sizes. So he's set out on a journey to film cats all over the world as they live their lives. Join him in a cat's-eye view of many diverse cities spanning the globe in a unique program that perhaps even your own cat will enjoy as well!

  • Hyouge Mono
    Hyouge Mono (2011)9.0

    Sasuke Furuta is a vassal of the great warlord Nobunaga Oda and a man obsessed with tea ceremony and material desires in his pursuit of a fortuitous life. Having learned from Nobunaga and the legendary tea master Soueki Senne, Sasuke walks the way of the Hyouge Mono.

  • Kumokiri Nizaemon
    Kumokiri Nizaemon (2013)9.0

    During the Kyoho period in the reign of Tokugawa Yoshimune, there is a gang of thieves active not just in Edo but also the Tokaido and the Nakasendo, and all across the Kansai region, stealing large sums of money with skillful techniques. They only target the very wealthy and never kill or injure people. They appear with the clouds and disappear like the mist. On the night that the beautiful Ochiyo is to become the bride of a dry goods dealer, a large amount of money hidden inside the shop is stolen. The gang disappears without injuring anyone. It was a two-year plan to marry Ochiyo off so that she could bring them in. The leader of this gang is Kumokiri Nizaemon, the greatest bandit of all time. He keeps a rein on his highly-skilled and notorious followers Nanabake no Ochiyo, Kinezumi no Kichigoro, Subashiri no Kumagoro, Ingakozo Rokunosuke and others.

  • The Secret Lives of Kyoto Folk
    The Secret Lives of Kyoto Folk (2015)8.8

    The series depicts "Kyoto as Kyoto people love it" in dramas and documentaries.

  • Cardcaptor Sakura
    Cardcaptor Sakura (1998)8.6

    Sakura Kinomoto, an elementary school student who discovers that she possesses magical powers after accidentally freeing a set of magical cards from the book they had been sealed in for years. She is then tasked with retrieving those cards in order to avoid an unknown catastrophe from befalling the world.

  • Gochisousan
    Gochisousan (2013)8.5

    Uno Meiko is the daughter of parents who run a western style restaurant in Tokyo. She marries and moves to Osaka with her husband. Meiko experiences cultural differences between Tokyo and Osaka, as she lives as a mother and wife in Osaka.

  • The 13 Lords of the Shogun
    The 13 Lords of the Shogun (2022)8.5

    Following the ascension to power of Taira no Kiyomori, the Minamoto clan is exiled. Minamoto no Yoritomo meets Masako, the sister of Hōjō Yoshitoki and later marries her. Following this marriage, the gears of Yoshitoki's destiny begin to turn.

  • Galaxy Kickoff!!
    Galaxy Kickoff!! (2012)8.2

    The story follows a boy who was in a soccer team, but it was disbanded due to not enough players. However, after the boy meets a female professional soccer player, he aims to bring his soccer team back.

  • Carnation
    Carnation (2011)8.1

    Carnation is a Japanese television drama that aired in the Asadora slot on NHK from 3 October 2011 to 31 March 2012. It is the 85th Asadora. It is based on the life of the fashion designer Ayako Koshino in Kishiwada, Osaka. Ayako was the mother of the internationally famous designers Hiroko Koshino, Junko Koshino, and Michiko Koshino.

  • Amachan
    Amachan (2013)8.1

    Aki Amano, a high-school girl from Tokyo moves to the Sanriku Coast in the Tohoku region to become a female diver. She becomes a local idol, then returns to Tokyo to try to become a real idol, and finally returns to Tohoku to help revitalize the area after the Great East Japan earthquake.

  • Shin Nihon Fudoki
    Shin Nihon Fudoki (2011)8.0

    A full-scale travel documentary program that portrays the beautiful landscapes, lifestyles, and activities of people across various regions in Japan. Presented in an omnibus format, it allows viewers to immerse themselves in the nostalgic and irreplaceable scenery of Japan.

  • Taira no Kiyomori
    Taira no Kiyomori (2012)8.0

    Villain or hero, Taira no Kiyomori changed Japanese history forever 900 years ago. Without ever knowing his real father, Kiyomori was raised as a samurai. Together with his stepfather, he wiped out piracy along Japan's western coast, becoming a full-fledged warrior samurai. In an age when samurai were looked down on as members of the lower class, Kiyomori was skillful at winning the hearts and minds of the people. By rounding up surrendered pirates and achieving other successes, Kiyomori eventually became the de facto ruler of Japan.

  • Chimudondon
    Chimudondon (2022)8.0

    Higa Nobuko was born and raised with her four siblings in a farmhouse in the "Yanbaru region" in the northern part of the main island of Okinawa. She aims to become a chef drawing inspiration from Okinawan cuisine. The four siblings follow very different paths, but the memories of their hometown connect their hearts and they're able to overcome their hardships as a family.

  • Yae's Sakura
    Yae's Sakura (2013)7.9

    Yae no Sakura is a 2013 Japanese television series. It is the 52nd NHK taiga drama. The story focuses on Niijima Yae, who is portrayed by Haruka Ayase.

  • Kingdom
    Kingdom (2012)7.7

    In the Warring States period, young orphan Xin vows to aid King Zheng of Qin in his quest to unify China by becoming a general himself.

  • Reach Beyond the Blue Sky
    Reach Beyond the Blue Sky (2021)7.3

    Shibusawa Eiichi was born in 1840 to a farmer’s family. He grew up helping his family with work, which was to manufacture and sell indigo production and also silk farming. He left his hometown at the age of 23 and began working for the government. He later traveled to Paris and learned about banking. Upon his return to Japan, he helped build up the first modern bank in Japan. He eventually became a founder or supporter to about 500 companies and was involved with about 600 public services, including education for women.

  • カスミン
    カスミン (2003)N/A

  • The Mark of Beauty
    The Mark of Beauty (2006)N/A

    Show discusses a variety of everyday art and craft items from Japan. Each episode covers a single item in depth to explain the hidden beauty in the items history and making.

  • Darkside Mystery
    Darkside Mystery (2013)N/A

    Exploring the hidden and often unsettling aspects of human history and nature. From unsolved crimes and paranormal activities to ancient myths and urban legends, the show combines dramatic reenactments, expert commentary, and in-depth research to shed light on the world's most perplexing mysteries.

  • おとうさんといっしょ
    おとうさんといっしょ (2013)N/A