Document 72 Hours: 2022
Season 13 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of Document 72 Hours Season 12.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 13 Progress Shield
Nursing School: Nurturing the Next Nightingales
Jan 14, 2022 · 30 min
The 200 students at a nursing college in Nara Prefecture, Japan, range from new high school graduates to people seeking a change in career. Among the students were a woman inspired
Seeking a Sweet Finish to Another Busy Year
Jan 28, 2022 · 30 min
As 2021 draws to a close, workers in Tokyo's Shimbashi business district flock to a long-established western-style sweets shop famous for its cream puffs and other tasty delights.
Bidding Farewell to an Amusement Park
Feb 25, 2022 · 30 min
Kashiikaen, an amusement park in Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan, closed at the end of 2021 after 65 years of operation. News of the closing prompted a wave of visitors, inc
Tsugaru Railway: A Midwinter Lifeline
Mar 18, 2022 · 30 min
The Tsugaru Railway runs through a remote and snowy part of Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan. As well as being a vital mode of transport for locals, especially in winter, the tr
The Supermarket on Wheels
Apr 8, 2022 · 30 min
A small truck loaded with vegetables, meat, snacks and other items – a mobile supermarket – is a lifeline for residents in remote communities in northern Kyoto Prefecture. Among th
Heartfelt Flowers from a Miyagi Florist
Apr 15, 2022 · 30 min
The Yuriage district in Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture, was devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami that occurred in March 2011. March is also a season of new sta
A Shinjuku Cell Phone Store
Apr 22, 2022 · 30 min
Smartphones have become a vital part of modern-day life. Many people flock to a large cell phone store in Tokyo's Shinjuku district to buy the latest phone models, get their gadget
Capturing Happy Moments in a Photo Booth
May 13, 2022 · 30 min
Photo sticker booths are a magnet for teenagers at a video arcade in Tokyo. Over 3 days in mid-March, we met 2 friends about to graduate from high school; a teen applying makeup to
Plastic Model Shop: A Hobby Making Worlds Come Alive
May 27, 2022 · 30 min
A large plastic model kit store in Osaka Prefecture sells models, miniature trains, diorama supplies and other items. The model market has grown while people of all ages spent more
Nature's Treasure Hunt on a Niigata Beach
Jun 17, 2022 · 30 min
A pebbly beach on Niigata Prefecture's Sea of Japan coast contains pieces of real jade. Some people who come here for a natural treasure hunt find jade right away, others have no l
The Vegetable "Vending Machine" in Tokyo
Jun 24, 2022 · 30 min
An unmanned stall in a residential area of Tokyo's Nerima Ward uses coin-operated lockers to sell locally grown vegetables including cabbage, radishes and spinach. The customers at
Asakusa's Rakugo Theater: Filling Lives with Laughs
Jul 15, 2022 · 30 min
A theater for rakugo comic storytelling in Tokyo's Asakusa district has been tickling funny bones for decades. Visitors to the theater include comedy fans from across Japan, and an
Fluttering Yellow Handkerchiefs at a Seaside Station
Jul 22, 2022 · 30 min
Rows of yellow handkerchiefs fly in the breeze at a small train station in the Shimabara Peninsula, Nagasaki Prefecture. Right behind the platform lies the Ariake Sea. The unmanned
Doronko Park" Children Running in the Rain
Sep 2, 2022 · 30 min
Children enjoy playing with mud, making fire, and water slides. The setting is a playground called “Play Park” in Kawasaki City. It is a municipal facility and admission is free. W
Osaka Shaved Ice Shop: Midsummer Memories
Sep 9, 2022 · 30 min
Kakigori, shaved ice drizzled with flavored syrup, is a summer staple in Japan. An ice shop in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, has been popular for decades thanks to its light, fluffy
The Lure of a 24-Hour Fishing Shop
Sep 16, 2022 · 30 min
A 24-hour fishing gear shop in southern Chiba Prefecture is a haven for anglers stocking up before heading to the coast to try their luck. The shop sells about 6,000 items such as
Udon Vending Machines on Route 9: An Oasis for Drivers
Sep 30, 2022 · 30 min
Why are no-frills udon noodle vending machines irresistible for drivers passing by a small rest area on a busy national road in western Shimane Prefecture? People stop here around
Korokke Pan Shop: Happiness in a Bun
Oct 7, 2022 · 30 min
Korokke pan, or bread rolls filled with deep-fried potato croquettes, topped with sauce are a specialty of a family-run shop in Minamisenju, a down-to-earth Tokyo suburb. Among the
Gunma-Brazil Presidential Election
Nov 11, 2022 · 30 min
A new type of documentary program by the “72 Hours” production team, in which the camera is not stationed at a single site, but rather at multiple sites, filming an event simultane
A Cat Temple: Soothing the Mind and Soul
Nov 18, 2022 · 30 min
Ohta-kun, Futa, Elf, Cowcow... are four of the sixteen cats that live on the grounds of a temple at the foot of the mountains of Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture. The former head pri
Lifting Spirits in a Tokyo Liquor Store
Dec 16, 2022 · 30 min
A small back space of a liquor store in Tokyo's Asagaya neighborhood is a no-frills standing bar where customers can drink their purchases. Patrons dropping in for a tipple come fr
Year-End Special 2022 Viewer Vote #2 On Location Special
Dec 30, 2022 · 5 min
A live broadcast of a scene from the show, as well as information on what happened to the characters after the show!
Year-End Special 2022 Viewer Vote #1 On Location Special
Dec 30, 2022 · 11 min
A live broadcast of a scene from the show, as well as information on what happened to the characters after the show!