3,400 babies per year. In Kumamoto Prefecture, well known for Kumamon, there is an obstetrics and gynecology clinic that boasts the highest number of births in Japan. Mothers fight day and night against labor pains and give birth to a new life with all their might. The program set up a camera in the waiting room of such a hospital to listen to the voices of families anxiously awaiting the birth of their newborns. A young father weeps in the hallway, nervous and moved. A little brother is bewildered by the arrival of his new family. The story of each family member who can only watch over their mother, but pray hard for the birth. 　

At the end of last year, the long-established bowling alley “Milano Bowl” in front of the Shinjuku Koma Theater closed its 47-year history. It had gained popularity for its all-night hours of operation until 6:00 a.m., but its closure was decided due to a decline in the bowling population that could not be halted. People gather to lament the last days of the bowling alley. Young people drop by to say goodbye after a night of drinking. Elderly men come first thing in the morning. Some are in tears when they learn for the first time that the restaurant is closing.... And those who met by chance at the bowling alley played the "last game.

The setting for this episode is Sakae, Nagoya, at Christmas time. With the bustling downtown area booming with economic activity, there is a place where people rush into in a panic. This is the “Lost and Found” counter, which handles lost and found items left behind on Nagoya's buses and subways. It handles more than 100,000 items a year. The most common items are umbrellas and gloves, but there are also unexpected items such as dentures and sotoba. At the end of the year, the lost-and-found warehouse is overflowing with lost-and-found items during the year-end party and Christmas season. Who in the world comes to pick up forgotten items and for what reason?

Awake, my lost dream, wake up." The residents of the student dormitory at Hokkaido University, which has a history of more than 100 years and is home to 400 students, are one of the few self-governing dormitories in the country that are run entirely by the students themselves. Rent is about 10,000 yen per month. Some stay up late at night drinking with their friends, others devote themselves to their studies, and so on. Recently, many students enter the dormitory for financial reasons, but some gradually fall in love with it and end up staying. This is a coming-of-age story of the “bunkaras” who still live and breathe in the northern lands of Japan.

Since the bursting of the bubble economy, a saving boom has taken root. People who want to reduce their expenses as much as possible are flocking to ticket stores. A dispatched worker comes to buy a subway ticket to save 10 yen; a woman enjoys eating out at a department store with a gift certificate that costs 36 yen less; and a man buys an expensive gift certificate and buys it at the same time. On the other hand, there are also foreigners who buy expensive gift certificates in bulk. What kind of happiness do people dream of beyond saving money? A story of people and money in a small storefront.

Slugs in the bathroom.“ ”Assemble the plastic model by tomorrow!" Calls for help ring out throughout the night from a Tokyo handyman, who receives 300 requests a day, many of which are small matters that he could have asked his family or friends for in the past. Many of the 300 requests a day are for small things that one could have asked family or friends for in the past, such as “just a little companionship,” or "buy a cake from the store I remember. The number of one-person households is on the rise, and neighborhoods are becoming less friendly. What are the real wishes of modern Japanese people hidden under the seemingly trivial advice?

Akabane is known as a sacred place for non-humans with its unpretentious izakaya (Japanese style pubs). In one corner of the area, there is a “standing oden shop” with a long line of customers standing in line from morning. The customers range from security guards on their way home from the night shift who enjoy a morning drink alone, to mothers who buy oden for their families, to businessmen who enjoy a night out in Akabane by visiting a number of izakayas. Chewing on their signature hanpen and drinking a cup of sake with hot broth and “dashiwari,” a drink made from a cup of sake, will keep your body and soul warm and refreshed. This is the story of a man and a woman who huddle together under a cold windy sky and enjoy oden. 　

Pai-yama," as it is commonly known, is located in front of Sannomiya Station in the heart of Kobe. An object resembling a boob in the center of the square has become a landmark for people waiting to meet. In January of this year, 20 years after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, the atmosphere of the plaza changed drastically. Countless people headed for the memorial service even in the dim light of day. Young people began to talk about their own experiences of the disaster in front of the cameras.... What are people thinking as they live their lives in this city that has recovered?

Akita Port in January, with gusty winds blowing. In a corner, there is an old vending machine. After 25 seconds of waiting, hot soba or udon noodles come out. The machine was installed 40 years ago. It was very popular as the original fast food, but recently the machine has become old and broken down, and the taste has become weak. However, the warmth of the noodles keeps customers coming in 24 hours a day. A mysterious father and son slurping noodles in a snowstorm. A man working as a driver looking up at the starry sky late at night. Numerous lives emerge from the udon noodles eaten in the extreme cold.

Trucks, buses, excavators.... A driving school in the suburbs of Chiba where you can get a license for all kinds of vehicles. Every spring, people rush to the school to get a driver's license in preparation for their new lives. A former hairdresser is seeking a large-size driver's license for a new job. A Filipino woman came to get an automatic transmission license to use for nursing care work. The number of people who want to get forklift and other certifications to increase their salaries is also increasing rapidly. This is a story of people who are trying to grasp something by getting a license at a turning point in their lives.

Men lying naked in the blue light.... A cold wind blows in February in Ikebukuro. In a tanning salon inside a multi-tenant building, men in wheat-colored tanning suits are sweating, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a tropical country. The men close their eyes and say, "Tanning is vitality. Their minds are filled with thoughts of their failing jobs, their estranged wives, and their uncertain futures. What will people grasp by getting dark skin here?

Capsule hotels are suddenly popular these days. Through word of mouth, travelers from all over the world come to these hotels to stay, and the languages of countries around the world fly about the inns night after night. Japanese students studying for entrance examinations are often seen in the hotel. Some young people talk about their dreams for the future, while others are unable to return home for some reason or another. For three days, we set up our cameras in this urban wonderland, where each small room is filled with a completely different kind of life.

Four years have passed since “that day” in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. In this episode, we listen to the unpretentious conversations between passengers and drivers that take place in cabs. A person involved in the nuclear power plant goes out for a drink in between hard work. Fishermen gather at a snack bar because they are unable to go fishing due to the disaster. As reconstruction progresses, the number of people moving to Iwaki from the surrounding areas is rapidly increasing. What kind of conversations are going on in the cab cabs driving through the ever-changing city? The tweets inside the cabs reveal the real daily life of the people. 　

A study, a ritual room, a school infirmary.... People dressed in anime and game cosplay pose and shutter each other in various settings. The cosplay building in Koto-ku has 80,000 members, and more than 20 studios are visited daily by women who come to take pictures of themselves in a completely different way than usual. Some of the women say, “I want to erase myself to become a character,” or "I'm cosplaying in memory of my deceased lover. What are the thoughts of these women in their gorgeous costumes?

Spring. There is a place where many people rush to buy their own cars to start a new life. Among the 30 dealerships lining the national highway, the used car sales area is the busiest. A man buys a car for his son who is getting a job, and a young man buys a sports car with a loan. A young man buys a sports car with a loan. Each used car reveals a different aspect of a person's life.

In April, Kanto was intoxicated by a blizzard of flowers. One of the most “famous places for secret cherry blossom viewing” is the Tama River, which runs 138 kilometers from Haneda to Okutama. In this program, the participants loaded their bicycles with cameras and rode along the riverbanks in search of cherry blossoms admired by the locals. Fishermen in Haneda look up at the cherry blossoms. Cherry blossoms in Setagaya, where he has fond memories of his children. The young men we met late at night along the 2-kilometer-long row of cherry trees in Fussa. This is a three-day flower journey in search of cherry blossoms that are not well known to everyone, but are important to each of us.

Thousands of years old giant trees tower in the forests of Yakushima, a World Heritage Site. Many people from all over Japan are now visiting the island to see the “Jomon cedars,” which can only be seen by climbing a half-day mountain trail 1,000 kilometers south of Tokyo. A young man says he visits whenever he feels lost in life. Fathers travel with their sons who are on the verge of adulthood. The 30-meter-high giant tree sometimes glistens in the drizzle, sometimes glows red in the morning sun, and changes its appearance from moment to moment. What do people think when they see the awe-inspiring Jomon cedars? 　

“I won gum!” How was your class change?" The lively voices of children echo in a candy shop in Hyogo Ward, downtown Kobe, where a girl, clutching a 10-yen coin, ponders what to buy. A boy spends his time at the store until his working parents return home. At night, young people who used to be regular customers come to the store to soak up the nostalgic atmosphere. They eat candy, fight, make up again, and grow up. The camera is set on the small but profound "world of children.

At the foot of Tokyo Tower. Near the Roppongi intersection, there is a kebab shop where people from various countries come and go 24 hours a day. The staff are all Turkish. Because they are inexpensive and quick to eat, foreign businessmen visit the restaurant during the daytime, and in the evening, people from all over the world who work in the nightlife district visit the restaurant to fill up on food. The bustle of the city reaches its peak when the last train runs out... For three days, we listened to the unknown thoughts of foreigners who have left their hometowns and wander the night streets of Tokyo.

Three days in Mt. Takao, an “easy mountain” that can be reached in an hour from central Tokyo. During the season of fresh green leaves, the summit is crowded with people who have escaped from the urban hazards. People drinking beer with the city in the distance, children on excursions, people contemplating.... At night, however, the atmosphere changes drastically. Couples aim for the summit in the darkness as flying buzzards fly overhead. A man walks alone along a dark mountain path. We listen to the hearts of city dwellers on Mt. Takao, which is said to have the most climbers in the world.

In April, a huge container was brought into a small port town in Iwate, where bare land from the tsunami was noticeable. It is an impromptu mobile karaoke box loved by the locals who have few entertainment options. Some mothers bring their children to the box because they cannot speak out loud in their temporary housing. A young craftsman sings Go Nagabuchi songs with his friends. A former fisherman who sings only songs about the sea.... What kind of feelings will people entrust to the songs in the six-room container box?

The May holidays were a time of excitement in Japan, with people traveling abroad and returning home. In the residential areas of central Tokyo, where the number of people had decreased, there was one place that was secretly bustling with activity: a 24-hour video rental store. Couples who dare to spend this time of year in the heart of the city, enjoying their free time. Women who stay home to watch horror movies instead of returning to their hometowns. Men who work tirelessly to provide for their wives and children who live far away from home relax with dramas set in foreign countries. Somewhere other than here.... We looked at the people who visit these places in search of the “other world” that fiction invites them to.

Oldies playing from the jukebox. An old lady chomping down on steak and an American soldier chomping down on fried rice. This is an old drive-in along Route 58, which runs through the main island of Okinawa. The restaurant, which began serving U.S. soldiers during the occupation, still offers the same nostalgic scene as it did in the U.S. in the 1960s. Some came from Taiwan during the Vietnam War, while others followed their loved ones to the United States. What is the soul food of the Okinawan people who have lived with the swell of the times?

Near Mito Station, there is a shopping street with a rather unusual signboard cat. His name is Hachi. The “figure eight” pattern on its forehead has made it very popular, with people saying that it brings good luck and that its pitiful face is cute. The tobacco store where he tends to his store is inundated with people who come to buy lottery tickets and make wishes. Whether he knows it or not, Hachi sleeps at his own pace or retreats to the back of the store.... The people of the shopping street are happy or sad as they make their wishes on the “cat that brings good fortune” over the three days of the festival.

Along the national highway in Hitachi City, the castle town of a giant corporation, there is a mysterious retro space that seems to have slipped back to the Showa period. It is commonly known as Hanawayama Cabaret, a row of tin taverns and other establishments along a narrow unpaved alley. It has been about 50 years since it was born during the high-growth period of Japan's economic boom. More than a dozen establishments have hung their signs in the area, providing a place for factory employees and local residents to relax. Some are fun and boisterous, some are open to complaints, and some are like a relative's home. This is the story of three days in the life of the customers and mothers who are attracted by the atmosphere of "Hanakaba.