Once a poor fisher boy, John Manjiro became the first Japanese person to receive a formal education in the US and played a key role in Japan's modernization. Peter Barakan visits his hometown in Tosa.

Tosa: The Life of John Manjiro

Peter Barakan

Tosa: Blessings and Perils of the Kuroshio Current

Stationery

Onigiri are becoming a global phenomenon. Colorful new styles are generating a buzz on social media, and convenience stores continue to develop new products. We investigate the latest developments.

Onigiri

As the need for circular economies grows, there's a new focus on repairing products. We look at how people in Japan maintain items using approaches ranging from traditional kintsugi to modern skills.

Repair

Johan Leutwiler, from Switzerland, is currently Japan's only foreign swordsmith. In a Japanophiles interview, he tells us about being drawn to the world of Japanese swords and sword making.

Japanophiles: Johan Leutwiler

Octopuses are not only eaten in Japan but also depicted in works of art. They may be regarded as objects of worship or even kept as pets. We untangle Japan's long relationship with these creatures.

Octopuses

Japan's bespoke leather shoes are admired around the world, and there is even a Japanese leader in the realm of shoeshining. We explore the skills and services in Japan's leather shoemaking industry.

Leather Shoes

Found all over Japan, torii are gateways to Shinto shrines and the deities within. We meet people trying to rebuild torii after a huge earthquake and examine what torii mean to Japanese people.

Torii

Mamachari bikes, which originated in Japan, are designed to meet the needs of all kinds of people. They even helped women enter the workforce. We discover what makes them so unique and special.

Mamachari

Stephen Turner, from the UK, loves Japanese trains so much that his passion became his job. We join him on a trip through Chiba Prefecture and explore the appeal of Japan's regional railways.

Japanophiles: Stephen Turner

Family restaurants are uniquely Japanese establishments that are also popular with solo diners. We see how innovative services have helped them survive the ups and downs of the restaurant industry.

Family Restaurants

With its unique smell and stickiness, people either love or hate natto. But eating natto has been linked to longevity, and a substance in this powerful food could even help solve environmental issues!

Natto

Japanese stationery is famous for its quality, design, and functionality. We look at many unique items, including products for research labs, left-handed users, and even writing in virtual space.

Peter Barakan visits the region of Tosa, famous for the mighty Kuroshio Current and bonito fishing. It is also the place where the high priest Kobo Daishi is said to have attained enlightenment.

Johan Nordstrom, a film scholar from Sweden, specializes in early Japanese cinema. He tells us about movies from over a century ago and Japan's unique tradition of live narration for silent films.

Japanophiles: Johan Nordstrom

Origami is the art of folding paper into a wide variety of shapes, from animals and flowers to highly complex designs. Lately, its principles have even been applied to space exploration and medicine.

Origami

Sake is enjoying a global boom, but in Japan, breweries are facing a crisis as consumption falls. We explore the future of sake through artisanal skills, technology, and a new generation's efforts.

Sake

Japanese offices used to prioritize order and efficiency, but today they're becoming spaces that foster conversation, with cafe-like layouts and even saunas. We explore how the workplace is evolving.

Offices

Ziaul Karim, an agricultural scientist from Bangladesh, practices unique farming methods in Okayama to show how accessible agriculture can be. He works with locals to grow and use uncommon crops.

Japanophiles: Ziaul Karim

The number of bookstores in Japan is decreasing, but both major chains and independent stores are finding creative ways to attract book lovers. We look at the next chapter for Japan's bookstores.

Bookstores

Japan's convenience stores stock more than just food. Some sell clothes or provide administrative services. Others even use avatars and robots alongside human employees. We look at Japan's "konbini."

Convenience Stores

Interest in sleep has been growing in Japan. From futuristic high-tech beds to advanced sleepwear, many new products are designed to improve sleep quality. We look at Japan's latest sleep trends.

Sleep

For over 35 years, Italian-born Astrid Klein and UK-born Mark Dytham have worked together as architects in Tokyo, designing not just buildings but also spaces for communication and creativity.

Japanophiles: Astrid Klein & Mark Dytham

The 19th-century educator Yoshida Shoin lived only 29 years, yet his teachings helped shape Japan's modernization. His words, published as books, remain popular today. We visit his birthplace, Hagi.

Hagi: The Life of Yoshida Shoin

Hagi in Yamaguchi Prefecture is dotted with volcanoes. Their volcanic rock was used to shape the townscape, and the area's unique clay and soil fostered its pottery tradition and citrus cultivation.

Hagi: Castle Town Forged by Magma

Host Peter Barakan delves into various aspects of Japanese culture; exploring practices, history, and modern innovations in such areas as ramen, rice, sushi, geisha, bonsai, and so much more. Local experts discuss their passions at fascinating length, and American Japanophile Matt Alt experiences the food, practices, and cultures in each episode in depth. Viewers will finish each half hour episode with a new understanding of an area of Japanese life through demonstrative videos and explanations, all delivered respectfully and true to the Japanese way of life.

Tosa: The Life of John Manjiro

Seasons13

Season 12 Episodes24

Cast1

Discussion

Episode Summary