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The Best Episodes of Document 72 Hours Season 10

Every episode of Document 72 Hours Season 10 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Document 72 Hours Season 10!

An unusual documentary series that delves into human dramas through chance encounters with ordinary people at selected spots. Filmed over 72 hours in a single location, the show captures glimpses into people's lives as they

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#1 Fan Favorite
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#1 - Shinjuku Music Studio: Why We Formed a Band
S10:E11/11/2019
The setting is a 24-hour music studio in Shinjuku. Not only amateur musicians, but people of all ages and occupations come here. Office workers gather after work to prepare for a colleague's wedding reception. A group of housewives who used to be in a “girls' band.” Young people who are shy around others but love to sing. Who are they, what are their motivations, and what songs do they play? We spend three days immersed in the loud studio.
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#2 - A Matchmaking Lounge in Sendai
S10:E21/18/2019
In this episode, the scene takes place at a so-called table-sharing lounge in Sendai City, where men and women of all ages and backgrounds come in the hope of finding someone special while they are matched with random strangers. The customers we encounter include a group of young women who say that there's a lack of men in their town, a hairstylist trying to get over a difficult breakup, and a 23-year-old farmer who wants to get married. The spread of social media has made it simple to contact someone in an instant, but many people we spoke to say they hardly meet anyone new in person. Who are they hoping to meet at this lounge? For 3 days around Christmas 2018, we follow the men and women trying to give Cupid a helping hand.
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#3 - New Year Countdown at the Airport
S10:E31/25/2019
Since opening in 2015, Narita Airport's Terminal 3 for low-cost carriers has attracted more passengers each year as travelers swoop on the cheap airfares these airlines offer. Even though it lies about 600 meters from the nearest train station -- a bit of a challenge for people carrying bulky luggage -- around 20,000 people use this terminal every day. For 3 days in late December 2018, we spoke to people at this airport, including its 24-hour departure lobby and adjoining food court. As the year draws to a close, where will travelers fly off to?
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#4 - Winter Camping Ground with a View of Mount Fuji
S10:E42/1/2019
On the first weekend of the new year, we visited a campground at the foot of Mount Fuji. Despite the sub-zero temperatures, people kept arriving and setting up tents. Winter camping is popular because “the air is clear and the scenery is beautiful” and “there are no bugs.” A company employee came alone for “solo camping.” A 50-year-old veteran camper showed off his favorite gear. The campground is buzzing with excitement over the boom that has returned after more than 20 years. What are everyone's thoughts as they gaze at Mount Fuji?
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#5 - Winter in Tokyo: Taiyaki Elegy
S10:E52/15/2019
The redevelopment of the area around the station in Yotsuya, Tokyo, is progressing. In an alley off the main street, there is a small taiyaki shop that has been in business for 60 years. Every day, dozens of people line up, and the colder it gets, the longer the line becomes. The flavor is “grain-based red bean paste” only. The taiyaki, baked using the same mold that has been in use since the shop's founding, sells for 150 yen per piece, with 2,500 pieces sold daily. As Tokyo undergoes constant transformation at the end of the Heisei era, this traditional taiyaki shop continues to operate without changing its style. What kind of people, with what kind of thoughts, enjoy eating it?
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#6 - A Barter Chain in Osaka
S10:E62/22/2019
If you start with a charm that supposedly brings good luck and offer to barter it with passersby on a bridge in Osaka Prefecture's Dotonbori district, what sort of trades will happen and people will you meet? For 3 days, we put this question to the test. The people who swapped items with us included a Frenchman who fell in love with Osaka and decided to live there, a women's soccer team visiting the city on a university graduation trip, and an elementary school student traveling with his father after participating in a national karate tournament. Through a series of trades, a connection gradually forms among strangers who otherwise would have no link with each other. When 72 hours are up, what has the "bringer of good luck" turned into?
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The 20 BEST Episodes of Document 72 Hours

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#7 - Asahikawa Lottery Ticket Sales Office: Dreams Seen in a Blizzard
S10:E73/1/2019
A lottery ticket sales office in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. Despite sub-zero temperatures, people continue to flock to the office. This is a “legendary sales office” known for producing many big winners. Over its 70-year history, it has produced 38 millionaires, with total winnings exceeding 10 billion yen. In the past, there was a 50 million yen winning ticket hidden among the losing tickets, and there was also a small business owner who won 10 million yen just before his company went bankrupt. What kind of dreams do people entrust to the lottery? The story of those who dream of striking it rich.
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#8 - A Realtor in Fukuoka: Opening the Door to New Lives
S10:E83/15/2019
This episode focuses on a small real estate agency near Fukuoka Prefecture's Nakasu entertainment district, the biggest in Kyushu. Despite being tucked away on the 3rd floor of a multitenant building and displaying no signage, this agency receives a steady stream of customers who have seen its online listings. This agency offers everything from dirt-cheap apartments where monthly rent costs less than 20,000 yen (about US $180) to commercial properties seeking new tenants. The growing range of properties handled by this real estate agency reflects the recent increase in Fukuoka's population. Moving to a new apartment or home can herald the start of a new chapter in life. What sort of people come to this real estate agency, and why do they want to rent a place?
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#9 - Close-up! Giant Job Fair
S10:E94/12/2019
In February, we took a close look at the “Giant Job Fair” held in Tokyo. Over 300 companies participated during the three-day event, attracting over 10,000 job seekers from across the country. People considering a career change due to the gap between their ideal job and reality, those who left abusive companies, and those forced to change their work hours due to family circumstances—the reasons for attending varied widely. For companies, it was a fierce competition for talented individuals. They desperately promoted their company's potential. Over the three days, the fair supported people standing at a crossroads in their lives as they took their “next step.”
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#10 - Osaka Ferry: A One-Minute Journey Through Life
S10:E104/19/2019
The bay area of Osaka City, surrounded by rivers and canals. This episode focuses on the city-operated ferry. The fare is free, and it serves as an indispensable mode of transportation for local students and factory workers. A woman says she uses it to visit her tea-drinking friends. Someone uses it daily to care for their parents. A foreigner mentions heading to a night shift. Amidst the diverse daily lives of its passengers, the time spent on this ferry is a precious moment to switch one's mindset. In just one minute, what kind of stories will unfold?
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#11 - Close-up! ‘The Rental Do-Nothing Person
S10:E114/26/2019
“I rent myself out to do nothing.” There is a man who offers this strange service. Despite the fact that he does nothing but simply be present, requests for his services continue to pour in, and his Twitter followers exceed 100,000. People ask him to accompany them when filing for divorce, to observe their civil court cases, or to attend their weddings... These are requests that cannot be made to family or friends, but who are the people who need someone to simply be there?
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#12 - Small Island, Big Send-Offs
S10:E125/10/2019
Spring in Japan is a time of new beginnings and also goodbyes. On Fukue Island, the largest of the Goto Islands in the far west of Japan, locals have made sending off people moving away an intrinsic part of life. In the closing days of March, when many people move for work, education, marriage, or other reasons, the terminal building at the island's ferry port - and its wharf - fills with relatives, colleagues, classmates, former students, and friends who come to bid farewell. These high-spirited goodbyes feature a mixture of hugs, tearful messages, songs, and signs. For 3 days, we watched the people embarking on the next chapter of their lives away from Fukue, and the locals ensuring they get a farewell to remember.
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#13 - A Rotary in a Student Town: Meeting Spot, Melting Pot
S10:E135/17/2019
Takadanobaba is home to dozens of universities, university preparatory schools, and vocational colleges, making it one of Tokyo's most popular student districts. An ordinary open space inside the rotary in front of the station is a regular meeting spot for students going to parties or club activities at all times of the day and night. Among the people we meet assembling at this hive of activity are university students going out for a few drinks after their soccer training, and a group of middle-aged men who have come for a reunion to take a walk down memory lane in a district where they spent a several years of their youth. For 3 days straddling the end of one academic year and the start of a new one, we asked the students, past and present, about why this iconic location holds a special place in their hearts.
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#14 - Jumokuso: Resting Beneath a Cherry Tree
S10:E145/24/2019
At a large cemetery in a Tokyo suburb, cherry trees grow in between rows of traditional gravestones. The trees themselves are also graves - a form of tree burial called "jumokuso" gaining popularity across Japan as more people express their wish to return to nature after they die. For 3 days during cherry blossom season, we meet people flocking to the cemetery to pay their respects, including a man on his weekly visit to the grave of his late wife, who stood by him through difficult times; 3 brothers who always visit their father's grave together around this time of the year; and a woman who talks to her late husband as she sips on a beer, as they used to enjoy doing together.
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#15 - Inside Japan's Largest Freight Terminal
S10:E155/31/2019
Tokyo Freight Terminal is Japan's largest distribution hub, with goods from across the nation arriving and being shipped out 24 hours a day. Train drivers, engineers, truck drivers and forklift operators are among the army of workers who keep this vital facility running smoothly. The volume of freight shipped by rail in Japan is growing annually due to the rise in online shopping and a shortage of truck drivers. For 3 days, we spoke to the men and women making sure these cargoes reach their destinations - safely and on time.
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#16 - Shibuya Post Office: Countdown to a New Era
S10:E166/7/2019
A few minutes' walk from the famous intersection in Shibuya, Tokyo, is a 24-hour post office. In recent years, this post office has handled an increasing volume of packages for delivery, mainly due to the popularity of online flea market apps among people of all ages. In late April and early May 2019, Shibuya was abuzz as people celebrated the dawn of the Reiwa era. For 3 days spanning this period, we spoke to customers around the clock at Shibuya Post Office, including a woman sending clothes she sold online, an elderly man who has collected stamps for over 60 years, and a woman sending heartfelt messages to her 3 adult children. What else were people posting? And what sentiments were being delivered along with their postcards and packages?
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#17 - People Who Live for ‘Saba-ge’
S10:E176/21/2019
As you drive through the farm roads of Chiba Prefecture, a mysterious spot suddenly appears. People dressed in camouflage uniforms run around a vast field with air guns in their hands. This is survival gaming, commonly known as “Saba-ge,” which is currently gaining popularity. It's not just children and young people who are hooked. There's an older man who came to find a hobby after retirement. There's also a woman who came alone, away from household chores and childcare. What is it about this activity that captivates adults?
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#18 - Fasting Retreat: A Break for the Body and Mind
S10:E186/28/2019
Amid the ongoing health boom, many people have been tempted to try "short-term fasting" to improve their physical and mental condition. Visitors to a facility in Izu Kogen in Shizuoka Prefecture, willingly fast for several days not only to become healthier, but also to shake off feelings of gloom and unhappiness. The visitors include a man who manages a real estate agency who says that the fasting has given him a whole different perspective on life, a woman needing a break from caring for her elderly father, and a woman who took over her husband's design company after he died of cancer 10 years ago. During their stay, they eat only a rice porridge and a bland bowl of miso soup each morning and night. What do these people want to change, and what do they hope to achieve by fasting at this facility?
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#19 - Catching Goldfish at a Fishing Pond in Tokyo
S10:E197/5/2019
A few minutes' walk from Asagaya Station, Tokyo, is a traditional goldfish fishing pond that has been operating in a quiet residential area for more than 90 years. Anybody can casually stop by and drop a line in the pond, which is popular with adults and children alike. The customers we encountered included a man who has been regularly fishing there for more than 50 years, a man who drives for 3 hours every weekend to try his luck at the pond, and a woman who catches up to 200 goldfish in just one day. What are they thinking about as they sit around this pond richly stocked with various varieties of goldfish?
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#20 - Wig Shop: A New Appearance, A New Self
S10:E207/26/2019
For some people, a wig is a "secret item" that dramatically transforms their appearance and mood. An underground shopping mall in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is home to a wig shop that has been providing all manner of wigs to men and women, young and old, for more than 40 years. Some of the customers we meet include a woman in her 40's worried about her thinning hair, a fitness instructor seeking a wig that would suit her costume for a dance performance, and a middle-aged man who enjoys cross-dressing. Each customer carefully selects a wig that matches their needs. What are they hoping to change about themselves, and who do they want to become?
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#21 - Bargain Shoes for the Next Step in Life
S10:E218/2/2019
A huge footwear store in Kobe attracts customers from far and wide. About 100,000 pairs of shoes, sandals, and boots fill the shelves of this store, which covers over 3,000 square meters. But the biggest surprise inside the store is the prices. Sandals are priced from just 499 yen (less than $5), pumps start at 980 yen, and 2 pairs of business leather shoes cost a total of 5,000 yen. Every day, customers seeking a bargain on footwear are drawn to this store. But for many of them, shoes are more than just something worn on their feet. For 3 days in early summer, we listened to the personal stories of the customers who come here to save money for the next step in their life.
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#22 - Climbing the Walls of Life
S10:E228/9/2019
An indoor climbing gym in Kawasaki City, near Tokyo, gives climbers a venue to test their physical limit and improve their skills while experiencing thrills - and a sense of achievement - not often found in daily life. The facility's 4-meter-tall bouldering wall and towering climbing walls more than 10 meters high provide challenging obstacles for enthusiasts of all ages and abilities, ranging from novices to some of Japan's finest climbers. For 3 days, we spoke to the climbers determined to reach the top of these walls - and to overcome other challenges they face in life along the way.
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#23 - Okinawa Driving School: Dreams Beyond a Driver's License
S10:E238/30/2019
Okinawa is seeing an increase in tourists every year. Construction of hotels and department stores is booming throughout the city. Behind the scenes, driving schools where you can obtain truck and bus licenses are also bustling. A woman in her 20s is changing careers and aiming to become a large truck driver. A man who retired and moved to his dream destination of Okinawa, now aspires to become a bus driver. A college student who is attending driving school with money earned from part-time work dreams of becoming a civil servant in the future. What are the dreams they envision beyond obtaining their licenses?
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#24 - A New Life Away From Bustling Tokyo
S10:E249/6/2019
Japan's population continues to gravitate to the Tokyo area, but some people long to move from the capital to different corners of the nation. A consultation center in Tokyo's Yurakucho district is a magnet for anyone considering such a shift. At the center, consultants from 39 prefectures offer free advice, information, and handy tips about housing, employment, and any other aspect of daily life that awaits new residents. About 70% of people who come seeking for advice are aged 40 or younger. Among the visitors we met over 3 days was a man in his 60's looking for a new place to live after a recent divorce, and a man who took early retirement so he could return to Kyushu and spend more time with his children. Why do people want to move from Tokyo? And what do they hope to find after moving to their new home?
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#25 - At a coin car wash after the rainy season
S10:E259/13/2019
The setting is a self-service car wash in Shinagawa, Tokyo, where people line up to wait their turn. Using spray bottles filled with water and detergent, they take their time polishing their beloved cars. A woman who bought a car for work but has since become so fascinated by it that weekend drives have become indispensable. A couple who wash their car instead of going on a date. A man in his 70s who is considering returning his driver's license. Each with their own circumstances, they silently wash their cars. At the end of July, after the rainy season ended, what do they want to wash away along with the dirt on their cars?
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Season 10 Ratings Summary

"Shinjuku Music Studio: Why We Formed a Band" is the best rated episode of "Document 72 Hours" season 10. It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 1/11/2019. This episode is rated 0.0 points higher than the second-best, "A Matchmaking Lounge in Sendai".