Document 72 Hours: 2024
Season 15 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 14.
- 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 15 Progress Shield
“Rental Room” Life Story
Jan 5, 2024 · 30 min
The setting is a “rental room” inn in Beppu, a hot spring resort. Accommodation is inexpensive. There is no formal service. But its mysterious charm attracts people. The inn began
The Bench by Lake Biwa
Jan 12, 2024 · 30 min
On the east side of Lake Biwa there's something simply known as "the bench." What goes on in the minds of visitors as they take a seat? We spent 3 days by this lakeside bench.
Nature's Bounty at an Okayama Community Garden
Jan 19, 2024 · 30 min
A community garden in Okayama City is a popular spot for people from all walks of life to try their hand at farming. For three days, we watched the produce and relationships they g
Ueno: A Discount Women's Clothing Store
Jan 26, 2024 · 30 min
A discount women's clothing store in Ueno, Tokyo. The shop attracts customers for many reasons. We spent 3 days listening to their stories.
Ehime, Imabari At a sauna that has been in existence since the Showa Era
Feb 9, 2024 · 30 min
Sweat dripping from the body at temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Celsius. This time, the setting is a long-established sauna. Located in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture, known for
At Shinjuku's 24-Hour Drugstore
Feb 16, 2024 · 30 min
A drugstore in Tokyo's busy Shinjuku district sells medicine, cosmetics and snacks around the clock. Why do people shop there? For three days and nights near the end of 2023, we as
Kerosene Delivery Service in Snowy Sapporo
Mar 1, 2024 · 30 min
Kerosene home delivery is a key lifeline for residents of Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture. For three days in midwinter, we followed trucks delivering this heating oil and spoke to peo
Fukushima: An Ice Cream Shop in Winter
Mar 8, 2024 · 30 min
In the mountains of Fukushima Prefecture, there's an ice cream shop that people go to, even during winter. This shop has been with the locals for 3 decades. We spent 3 days listeni
Spinning On at a 24-Hour Osaka Laundromat
Mar 15, 2024 · 30 min
A 24-hour laundromat in Osaka Prefecture is a vital part of daily life for residents from all walks of life. For three days, we asked customers why they wash and dry their clothes
National Route 4, Drive-in Never Sleeps
Apr 5, 2024 · 30 min
Motsu stew, fried rice, stamina set menus, curry, and more. National Route 4 stretches north from Tokyo. The setting is a 24-hour drive-in along the road in Fukushima Prefecture. A
A 24-Hour Discount Supermarket in Osaka
Apr 12, 2024 · 30 min
A 24-hour supermarket in Osaka Prefecture is known for its brightly colored exterior and very cheap bento meals and prepared foods. For three days, we talked to people filling thei
Kagoshima Airport, In the Spring of Departure
Apr 19, 2024 · 30 min
It is close to Kagoshima Airport in the spring and the season of departure. Parents who see off their children who are leaving for work, friends who are separated from their childr
A look at anime people in Ikebukuro in spring
Apr 26, 2024 · 30 min
Anime goods such as dolls, key chains, and badges. The story takes place in a store that buys these items. Located in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, the anime town, many people come here every
A Midnight Soba Shop in Akita
May 17, 2024 · 30 min
There's a soba joint in Akita City that opens late at night until lunch the next day. All kinds of people come for drinks and food. Amidst the late March snow, we document this mid
Fresh Starts at a Yokohama Electronics Store
May 24, 2024 · 30 min
An electronics retail store in Yokohama, Japan, has six floors filled with home appliances. For three days in spring, we asked customers what they came to buy in this season of new
Asakusa Underground
May 31, 2024 · 30 min
In Asakusa, there is a mysterious underground shopping arcade that is said to be the oldest in Japan. Going down the stairs, one is in a different world. 69 years old, this old und
Racecourse in the Northern Territories
Jun 14, 2024 · 30 min
Banei Horse Racing" in Obihiro, Hokkaido, is the stage for this year's event. The horses are large horses that were once used for farming. This is a rare race in the world in which
China Cancer Hospital, Rental Kitchen in the Back Alley
Jun 21, 2024 · 30 min
Meatball soup, stewed tofu and crucian carp. This time the setting is Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China. It is a rented kitchen in a back alley. In fact, a large hospital specializ
Life Voyages on a Sea of Japan Ferry
Jun 28, 2024 · 30 min
A ferry takes 16 hours to sail between Niigata Prefecture and Otaru, Hokkaido Prefecture. For three days, we asked passengers why they take this leisurely mode of travel when faste
Gifu Nagara River, Watching the Current
Jul 12, 2024 · 30 min
The Nagara River is a clear stream that flows through the city of Gifu City. The river is also known for its cormorant fishing, which attracts many people to its riverside during t
A Low-priced Gas Station in Wakayama
Jul 19, 2024 · 30 min
A 24-hour gas station with prices that entice drivers from both near and far. From a couple who travels and sleeps in their car to a professional driver, join us as we listen to cu
Paris, France - At a manga cafe on a street corner
Jul 24, 2024 · 45 min
What are the most popular Japanese manga in Paris today? The setting is a manga cafe on a street corner in Paris. It has 20,000 French-language Japanese manga. With a system simila
Lives Inside a Huge "Danchi" Housing Complex
Jul 26, 2024 · 30 min
A huge "danchi" housing complex in Chiba is home to 7,000 households. Built in the 1960s, this complex is a community in itself. For three days, we asked residents about what life
Beyond the Books at a Kanazawa Library
Aug 30, 2024 · 30 min
A public library in Kanazawa resembles a sublime theater and offers more than 1.1 million books. For three days, we asked people what books piqued their interest and how they spend
A Local Penny Candy Shop in Tokyo
Sep 6, 2024 · 30 min
Gum, chocolate, candy and snacks are crammed into a penny candy shop in Akabane, Tokyo. What is the store's enduring appeal to customers of all ages? Explore the answer over three
A Midsummer Service Area on Awaji Island
Sep 13, 2024 · 30 min
Up to 12,000 vehicles pass through a service area on Awaji Island every day. People stop for a break at the food court, observation deck or even the Ferris wheel. We find out where
A Farmers' Market in Inadani, Nagano
Sep 27, 2024 · 30 min
Inadani, Nagano Prefecture is home to a farmers' market which sells a wide array of vegetables, mushrooms, game and even edible insects. Explore local food culture and approaches t
Obon in Tottori, at a seaside cemetery.
Oct 4, 2024 · 30 min
On the coast overlooking the Sea of Japan, there are twenty thousand graves. The stage this time is "Hanamigata Cemetery" in Kotoura Town, Tottori Prefecture. It is a natural cemet
Why I Wear Glasses
Oct 11, 2024 · 30 min
Tens of thousands of glasses are lined up in a glasses shop. There are a wide range of glasses, from attractive products with a cheap lens for less than 4000yen to fashionable item
A Mobile "Warabi Mochi" Cart in Fukuoka
Oct 25, 2024 · 30 min
A mobile food cart selling a traditional Japanese sweet has been plying the streets of Fukuoka for over 75 years. For three days, we talked to customers fond of a snack unchanged o
Praying for Blue Skies at Tokyo's Weather Shrine
Nov 1, 2024 · 30 min
A shrine in Tokyo is dedicated to a deity believed to control the weather. For three days in fall, a season of fickle weather in Japan, we asked people why they wanted divine help
An Everyday Family Diner in Tokyo
Nov 8, 2024 · 30 min
At a family diner, we meet customers of all ages, from solo diners to families and big groups. These diners' stories may seem ordinary, but all kinds of quiet dramas lie within the
At a Huge Thrift Store in Saitama
Dec 6, 2024 · 30 min
Bargain-hunters and people decluttering their homes flock to a huge thrift store near Tokyo. For three days, we asked customers what drew them to this place filled with an array of
A Martial Arts Gym in Tokyo
Dec 13, 2024 · 30 min
From beginners to pros, this gym in Tokyo welcomes people of all ages and skill levels. Each member has a unique reason for training here. We find out what they're wrestling with i
A Winding Road Through the Kii Mountains
Dec 20, 2024 · 30 min
A national road winds through a rugged mountain range on the Kii Peninsula. We drove the length of this road over three days to meet some of the residents in this remote region.