Document 72 Hours: 2026
Season 17 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 16.
- 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 17 Progress Shield
Toyama's Coast with a Mountain View
Jan 23, 2026 · 30 min
Toyama Prefecture's Amaharashi Coast offers a stunning view of the sea against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains. For three days, we talked to visitors drawn by this rare and bea
Winter in Hiroshima's Food Stalls
Feb 27, 2026 · 30 min
People eat and drink at a line of food stalls in Kure, Hiroshima while rubbing shoulders with strangers who quickly become friends. Listen to the conversations that unfold during a
Diary of Rental Cars in Snowy Kanazawa
Mar 13, 2026 · 30 min
Even as record-breaking snow blankets Kanazawa on the Sea of Japan coast, a car rental business stays open for its customers. For three days in January, we asked them where they wi
A Retro Bicycle Parking Lot in Tokyo
Apr 10, 2026 · 30 min
At a bicycle parking lot in an old neighborhood of Tokyo, customers enjoy heartwarming conversations with the attendants. From late-night workers to students, everyone can find a h
Journeys on the "Mizoca" Propeller Plane
May 15, 2026 · 30 min
"Mizoca," a 48-seat propeller plane featuring a dolphin design, is a key mode of transport based in Kyushu's Amakusa region. For three days, we took to the skies to ask passengers
At a Fountain Park in Central Tokyo
May 29, 2026 · 30 min
A fountain park near Tokyo Station is like an oasis in the heart of the city. For three days in spring, a time of new beginnings in Japan, we asked people young and old what lures
Embracing the Heat at Kagawa's "Ancient Sauna"
Jun 26, 2026 · 30 min
An ancient, fire-heated sauna in Kagawa Prefecture hits 160 degrees Celsius. Users must wear clothes and cover themselves to go inside. For three days, we asked why they came to fe
Remote Kagoshima Islands with No Dentist
Jul 24, 2026 · 30 min
Every six months, a mobile dental team travels to remote islands of Kagoshima Prefecture that have no dentist. For three days, we watched locals get checkups to get a glimpse of li
Talking All Night at a 24-Hour Diner in Nagoya
Jul 31, 2026 · 30 min
A 24-hour diner in Nagoya is a daytime oasis for locals and elderly folks, and full of young people at night. Whether broken-hearted or facing unemployment, people find comfort in