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The Best Episodes of Hometown Stories Season 14

Every episode of Hometown Stories Season 14 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Hometown Stories Season 14!

Stories about people, stories about life. Intimate portraits of people from around Japan, each leading diverse lives while enriching lives of others.

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NHK NHK WORLD-JAPAN

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#1 Fan Favorite
0.0/10(0 votes)
#1 - Searching for Closure: 10 Years Since a Deadly Eruption
S14:E11/12/2025
Summer 2024 marked the 10th anniversary of the eruption of Mt. Ontake, Japan's worst volcanic disaster since the end of WWII. We follow bereaved family members who joined this year's memorial climb.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
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#2 - Framing Family Memories
S14:E21/19/2025
Fuga is a professional frame maker who offers clients the chance to display treasured items in custom-made frames. Meet some of the families that are preserving their precious memories.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
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#3 - Bull Battles – A Community's Beloved Tradition
S14:E32/2/2025
In a remote Japanese village, people have long used bulls for farming and in a unique form of competition. But as the local population shrinks, the future of this beloved ritual seems uncertain.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
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0.0/10(0 votes)
#4 - Planting Seeds of Peace in Hiroshima
S14:E42/9/2025
Mito Kosei, 78, was exposed to radiation in the womb when an atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima. For 20 years or so, he's been a volunteer guide, telling foreign visitors the truth about the bombing.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
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#5 - An Island Stays Awake for Sumo
S14:E52/23/2025
Oki Traditional Sumo has been practiced on an island in the Sea of Japan for over 200 years. In 2024, an all-night competition was held after a 12-year hiatus. We follow a summer of sumo excitement.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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#6 - Chasing the Dream of Being a Jockey
S14:E63/9/2025
North of Tokyo, young trainees are working hard to become jockeys. For 2 years, they will live away from their families with no mobile phones allowed. We follow their first steps toward their dream.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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The 20 BEST Episodes of Hometown Stories

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#7 - Unfolding a Life with Origami
S14:E73/23/2025
Artist Fuse Tomoko discovered origami as a child. For over 60 years, she has created large-scale geometric works, earning global acclaim. We take a look into the art of creating worlds through paper.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
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#8 - Life in a Land of Grass
S14:E84/7/2025
After a lifetime's work, dairy farmer Yoshikawa Yuji was diagnosed with cancer and had to retire. As his son takes over the farm, what joys and struggles does he encounter?
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
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#9 - Calligraphy Creating Hope for Revival
S14:E94/14/2025
A high school team from a city northeast of Tokyo took part in a nationwide calligraphy performance championship. They hope to send wishes for a revival to people affected by a massive earthquake.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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#10 - Puppet Tale: Foxes, a Princess and a Sacred Lake
S14:E104/28/2025
An iconic story from bunraku puppet theatre features the legendary Princess Yaegaki. See how people living near the lake where the story is set work together to bring the tale back to its roots.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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0.0/10(0 votes)
#11 - Becoming Gods for a Night
S14:E115/5/2025
On New Year's Eve, families in northeast Japan are visited by monster-like figures called namahage. We follow a group of men trying to keep up their proud tradition as the local population dwindles.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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#12 - An Ace Soccer Player Lights Up a Small Town
S14:E125/27/2025
A women's soccer team was created to energize an aging community. The team's top striker has built strong friendships with older neighbors. But now that player might have another goal in mind.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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#13 - Loved Ones Reunited on Canvas
S14:E136/2/2025
More than a decade after the Great East Japan Earthquake, two women who lost their daughters ask a painter to portray them as grownups. Will the portraits bring solace to the bereaved families?
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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#14 - Factory Groove: Wakayama's Textile Industry
S14:E146/16/2025
With colorful pile fabric and comfortable knits, Wakayama prefecture is drawing global attention as a textile hub. We bring you striking images of its machines and the beat of its factories.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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#15 - Reinventing a Small Town Supermarket
S14:E156/23/2025
A local supermarket specializing in seafood closes after nearly 50 years. To keep its legacy alive, the founder teams up with a supermarket chain. Can it survive amidst fierce competition?
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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#16 - Lasting Memories of a Vanishing Town
S14:E167/7/2025
A former farming community east of Tokyo is soon to disappear due to an expansion project at Narita International Airport. Saito Koyata has been taking photos there to record local people's lives.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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#17 - A Doc's Best Friend
S14:E177/29/2025
When orthopedic surgeon Nakamura Kaoru developed an intractable disease, his life lost its meaning. But then a service dog named Juliette came along, filling his days with renewed determination.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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#18 - Holding on to Peace: Atomic-bomb Survivor's Message
S14:E188/4/2025
Kiriake Chieko helped cremate schoolmates after the atomic bombing in Hiroshima. At 95, as the oldest surviving witness, she continues to give her testimony, urging people to hold on dearly to peace.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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0.0/10(0 votes)
#19 - The Future of an A-bombed Shrine
S14:E198/18/2025
A shrine in Nagasaki City, and its legendary camphor tree, survived the atomic bomb. But its beloved annual festival is in danger of extinction. How can the local community keep its traditions alive?
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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0.0/10(0 votes)
#20 - Revitalizing Cherry Trees in Fukushima
S14:E209/1/2025
Tree surgeon Kobayashi Masaru helps people in Fukushima prefecture revitalize cherry trees neglected after the 2011 earthquake and nuclear accident. We follow him and local volunteers over one year.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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0.0/10(0 votes)
#21 - A Rookie Fisher & His Grandpa in the Sanriku Seas
S14:E219/8/2025
A young fisher is learning the art of aquaculture from his grandfather. But rising temperatures and labor shortages pose challenges. The grandson is reviving traditions, but will it save the day?
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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0.0/10(0 votes)
#22 - Following in the Footsteps of a National Treasure
S14:E229/30/2025
The grandson of a famous ceramicist once resented the idea of pursuing his grandfather's path. Now an artisan himself, he seeks the older man's advice while exploring new forms of expression.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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0.0/10(0 votes)
#23 - A Beloved Local Paper in a Flood-hit Village
S14:E2310/6/2025
Miyahara Osamu publishes a small newspaper in Kuma Village, western Japan, hit by heavy rains in 2020. We follow him as he encourages disaster-hit villagers in their efforts to rebuild their lives.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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0.0/10(0 votes)
#24 - Tuning a Piano to the Sound of the Heart
S14:E2410/20/2025
Shiomi Hirokazu is one of the few experts in Japan entrusted with tuning pianos for concert halls. Whether tuning for a top pianist or a small child, his aim is to capture the sound in their heart.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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0.0/10(0 votes)
#25 - Playing Ping Pong with Parkinson's
S14:E2510/27/2025
Koyama Rie was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease several years ago. An avid table-tennis player, she now teaches the sport to fellow Parkinson's patients to improve their health and their outlook.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Season 14 Ratings Summary

"Searching for Closure: 10 Years Since a Deadly Eruption" is the best rated episode of "Hometown Stories" season 14. It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 1/12/2025. This episode is rated 0.0 points higher than the second-best, "Framing Family Memories".