Japanology Plus: Season 2

S2·E1 Mytharc

Japanophiles: Bartholomeus Greb

Jan 8, 2015 · 28 min

This time, we present an installment of our special talk-show series Japanophiles, which features lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan. Bartholomeus Greb, originally f

S2·E2 Core

Japanophiles: Ivan Vartanian

Jan 15, 2015 · 28 min

This time, another installment of our special talk-show series Japanophiles, featuring lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan. Ivan Vartanian, a photobook producer from

S2·E3 Core

Japanophiles: Alex Bennett

Jan 22, 2015 · 28 min

This time, another installment of our special talk-show series Japanophiles, which features lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan. New Zealander Alex Bennett studies th

S2·E4 Core

The Seikan Tunnel

Feb 5, 2015 · 28 min

The Seikan Tunnel, the world's longest undersea tunnel, connects the Japanese islands of Honshu and Hokkaido. Making it took 24 years, and the enormously challenging work claimed m

S2·E5 Core

Snow Country

Feb 12, 2015 · 28 min

The "snow country" that covers nearly half of Japan gets huge amounts of snow every year. Local people have devised various practical ways of coping with harsh winters, and in rece

S2·E6 Core

Comedy

Feb 19, 2015 · 28 min

Japanese comedy has always been different from Western comedy, with its own approach to getting laughs. Japan has a stunning diversity of humorous entertainment - stand-up, sketch

S2·E7 Core

Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway

Apr 2, 2015 · 28 min

The Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway is the capital city's most important road system. Begun 50 years ago, with a 4.5-kilometer stretch built for the 1964 Olympics, it is today a mass

S2·E8 Core

A Season of Change

Apr 16, 2015 · 28 min

Cherry blossom season in Japan is also a season of change. In late March, graduations take place all across the country. Early in April, students and workers attend entrance ceremo

S2·E9 Core

Waste and Recycling

Apr 23, 2015 · 28 min

To many foreign visitors, Japan's streets seem amazingly free of litter. Making the most of what's available is traditionally woven into the culture of this resource-poor island na

S2·E10 Core

Period Dramas

Apr 30, 2015 · 28 min

Plays, movies and TV dramas that depict Japan as it was in the eras up to the samurai times are called "jidaigeki", literally "period dramas". The original period dramas were kabuk

S2·E11 Core

Weight Loss Industry

May 7, 2015 · 28 min

Japan has the lowest obesity rate in the industrialized world, and yet, from schoolgirls to businessmen, it is a country where almost everyone seems to be on a diet. Why is weight

S2·E12 Core

Dams

May 14, 2015 · 28 min

Giant man-made structures dominating steep canyons, dams are a common feature of Japan's mountainous landscape. Dams provide water, prevent floods and generate hydroelectric power.

S2·E13 Core

Izakaya

May 28, 2015 · 28 min

Japan's cherished homegrown pubs, izakaya, offer refreshing drinks, comfort food made with care and a lively, fun atmosphere. Most izakaya fall into two general categories: old-fas

S2·E14 Core

Craft Beer

Jun 4, 2015 · 28 min

For decades, the big breweries dominated Japan's beer market. But in the last few years, so-called "craft beers" from small producers have been in the limelight. Now Japan's craft

S2·E15 Core

Fermented Foods

Jun 11, 2015 · 28 min

Fermented foods are a staple of the Japanese diet, and they come in countless forms: soy sauce, miso, vinegar, pickles, natto and more. Because they keep well and are high in nutri

S2·E16 Core

Umbrellas

Jun 18, 2015 · 28 min

Japan leads the world in sales of umbrellas, with 140 million purchased each year. In rainy Japan, umbrellas are a must, and on sunny days, many people carry parasols to shield the

S2·E17 Core

Job Hunting

Jun 25, 2015 · 28 min

In the business districts of Japan, a major battle plays out each year: the job hunt. Students spend their last year of university working to land a full-time job with benefits. Al

S2·E18 Core

Japanophiles: Amir Takahashi

Jul 9, 2015 · 28 min

This time, we present an installment of our special talk-show series Japanophiles, which features lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan. In the city of Takasaki, north

S2·E19 Core

The English Conversation Business

Jul 16, 2015 · 28 min

Despite years spent studying the language at school, many Japanese feel inept at English. Perhaps that's why Japan's English conversation business rakes in hundreds of billions of

S2·E20 Core

English at School

Jul 23, 2015 · 28 min

Students in Japan receive years of instruction in English, usually starting in elementary school, but how best to teach the language is a question that has never been conclusively

S2·E21 Core

Shrine & Temple Carpenters

Aug 6, 2015 · 28 min

Japan boasts many shrines and temples built using sophisticated techniques that have been passed down through the centuries. This time, we feature shrine and temple carpenters, the

S2·E22 Core

Bunraku

Aug 12, 2015 · 28 min

Bunraku is a traditional Japanese performing art dating back more than 4 centuries. It combines a stylized narration and music with a cast of puppets so expressive that you can alm

S2·E23 Core

Kids' Summer Holidays

Sep 3, 2015 · 28 min

Every year children in Japan eagerly look forward to their summer vacation, which generally runs from late July to late August. How do Japanese kids spend the hottest part of the y

S2·E24 Core

Swimming

Sep 10, 2015 · 28 min

From young children to seniors, Japanese people love to swim. In samurai times, swimming gave warriors an edge in battle, and their techniques have been passed down through the cen

S2·E25 Core

Haunted Houses

Sep 17, 2015 · 28 min

It's Japan's timeless summer thrill...haunted houses! There are dozens of haunted-house attractions around Japan, many of them at theme parks. These creepy experiences are popular

S2·E26 Core

Onsen

Oct 1, 2015 · 28 min

Japan has a lot of active volcanoes, which means it also has a lot of hot springs. Known in Japan as onsen, these natural baths have brought physical and spiritual refreshment for

S2·E27 Core

Japanophiles: Andrew Mancabelli

Oct 8, 2015 · 28 min

This time, we present an installment of our special Japanophiles series, which features lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan. Fascinated with the samurai from an early

S2·E28 Core

Cameras

Oct 15, 2015 · 28 min

From compact point-and-shoot digital cameras to high-end SLRs, and those built into smartphones, cameras are a part of everyday life in Japan. Durability, affordability, and advanc

S2·E29 Core

Wrapping and Packaging

Oct 22, 2015 · 28 min

From the nifty wrapping of convenience store rice balls to intricate cardboard packing, the Japanese have a knack for cleverly packaging just about anything. Both packaging and con

S2·E30 Core

Tokyo Housing

Nov 12, 2015 · 28 min

From detached homes to tower blocks, from micro-houses on tiny lots to large dormitories, a vast variety of housing is jammed into Tokyo. Many homes feature ingenious use of space,

S2·E31 Core

Japanophiles: Adam Zgola

Nov 19, 2015 · 28 min

This time, we present an installment of our special Japanophiles series, which features lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan. Historically, most Japanese houses have b

S2·E32 Core

Kombu

Nov 26, 2015 · 28 min

Scientists think there are around 20,000 species of seaweed. They include many varieties of kombu, a type of edible kelp. Kombu has been harvested and eaten in Japan since ancient

S2·E33 Core

Hotels and Inns

Dec 3, 2015 · 28 min

One important part of any trip is choosing a place to stay. And if you come to Japan, you have a wide variety of options, from traditional Japanese inns called ryokan to capsule ho

S2·E34 Mytharc

Tidying Up

Dec 10, 2015 · 28 min

Since ancient times in Japan, cleanliness has been seen as a moral virtue. It's part of living life well. And now the world is embracing a Japanese approach to keeping things neat

S2·E35 Mytharc

Mt. Takao

Dec 17, 2015 · 28 min

Mt. Takao, a peak that's visited by around 2.7 million people per year, is less than an hour by train from central Tokyo. This lushly wooded paradise has been regarded since ancien