Japanology Plus: Season 4
Season 4 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 Japanology Plus Season 3.
- 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 4 Progress Shield
Japanophiles: Carine Lafitte
Jan 5, 2017 · 28 min
We meet a nakai, a waitress at a luxury Japanese restaurant. In a Japanophiles interview with Peter Barakan, Carine Lafitte from France talks about the challenges of her demanding
Noh Theater
Jan 26, 2017 · 28 min
Noh theater is said to be the world's oldest contemporary performing art. After emerging 650 years ago, it survived a time of national turbulence with the help of samurai warlords,
Moving Services
Feb 2, 2017 · 28 min
In Japan, where real estate is at a premium, houses can be very cramped inside, especially in major cities. Maneuvering large items of furniture along narrow corridors and stairs r
Okinawan Karate
Feb 9, 2017 · 28 min
Karate is practiced by more than 60 million people around the world, and its roots are in Okinawa. Okinawan karate, the most traditional form, is known for the brutal power of its
Sleep
Feb 16, 2017 · 28 min
Japanese spend less time asleep each night than people in many other countries, a situation that may derive from a 24-hour, on-the-go culture, and a strong work ethic. Demand for q
Tokyo Rail Network
Feb 23, 2017 · 28 min
Tokyo's highly efficient rail network is known for safe and punctual operation. Most trains run on schedule, almost to the second. What are the key factors contributing to its outs
Denim
Mar 2, 2017 · 28 min
Jeans are among the world's most popular clothes, and Japanese denim has a great reputation. Harnessing craft traditions, manual dexterity, and the latest technology, makers of Jap
Japanophiles: Randy Channell Soei
Mar 9, 2017 · 28 min
The "Soei" in Randy Channell Soei is a name this Canadian was given to mark his ascent to mastery of the Way of Tea. He is one of very few foreigners qualified to teach every aspec
Japanophiles: Zoe Vincent
Mar 30, 2017 · 28 min
Zoe Vincent from the United Kingdom works for an organization that promotes tourism in Fukushima. She travels around the prefecture, seeking out traditional culture and events, the
Buddhist Altars
Apr 4, 2017 · 28 min
A Buddhist altar, or butsudan, is a feature of many homes in Japan. Family members kneel before them seeking guidance from the realm of enlightenment, and engaging with memories of
Driving Schools
Apr 12, 2017 · 28 min
In Japan, most people aiming to get a driver’s license go to a driving school. On closed courses complete with railway crossings and hills, driving schools helps students learn how
Curry
Apr 19, 2017 · 28 min
Curry is one of Japan's favorite foods. A thick Japanese-style curry sauce is very different from the kinds typically associated with Indian cuisine. Japan's love affair with curry
Cafes
May 2, 2017 · 28 min
Coffee first reached Japan in the 17th century, but it wasn't until the 19th century that it started to catch on. Drinking coffee was one of many elements of Western culture eagerl
Japanophiles: Yoram Ofer
May 23, 2017 · 28 min
Yoram Ofer from Israel runs a bar in Kyoto that offers a chance to explore the world of nihonshu, or Japanese sake. He focuses on junmaishu, a form of sake that contains no added b
School Lunch
Jun 6, 2017 · 28 min
The school lunch is a key part of a child's diet in Japan. Meals are nutritionally balanced and designed to nurture health. School lunches also play a role in education. Behind the
Capsule Toys
Jun 20, 2017 · 28 min
Capsule toys, also known as gachapon, are small toys purchased from vending machines. Though the cost of these toys is extremely reasonable, their fine attention to detail and hand
Buses
Jun 27, 2017 · 28 min
In Japan, around 60,000 buses run along designated routes to designated stops, and operate on a timetable. For commuting, shopping and getting around, 4.1 billion passengers a year
Traditional Music
Jul 4, 2017 · 28 min
Modern Japanese music is influenced both instrumentally and stylistically by Western music, but the country has its own indigenous music, the history of which stretches back over a
Traditional Music in Modern Life
Jul 11, 2017 · 28 min
For centuries the art of playing traditional music on Japanese instruments was passed down through apprenticeships. But traditional music ended up isolated from other musical forms
Japanophiles: Nsenda Lukumwena
Jul 18, 2017 · 28 min
Nsenda Lukumwena is an architect from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who has carved out a niche for himself in the highly competitive construction market in Japan. Dismissing
Urban Renewal
Aug 1, 2017 · 28 min
In 1872, when Japan’s first railway opened between Yokohama and Tokyo, the population of Tokyo was less than one million. Fast-forward 150-odd years, and it has increased to well o
Fireworks
Aug 15, 2017 · 28 min
Along with the hum of cicadas, the twinkling of wind chimes and the cracking of baseball bats, nothing quite defines Japanese summers like the bursting of fireworks. Literally thou
Anthropomorphism
Aug 22, 2017 · 28 min
In any Japanese city, you'll see countless signs and posters featuring anthropomorphic characters. This preference seems closely entwined with culture and the national character. T
2D Characters - Origins and Evolution
Aug 29, 2017 · 28 min
In countless everyday settings, individuals, companies, administrative bodies and others in Japan use anthropomorphized 2D characters to enhance communication. Following a recent J
Children and Sports
Sep 5, 2017 · 28 min
Swimming, soccer, gymnastics and more: Japanese children these days are increasingly enthusiastic about sports. Sports-focused kindergartens have become very popular, as have after
Amusement Parks
Sep 12, 2017 · 28 min
As in other countries around the world, the local amusement park is an essential part of childhood for many in Japan. But Japan’s local parks currently face multiple challenges, su
Japanophiles: Tyler Lynch
Sep 26, 2017 · 28 min
This edition of "Japanophiles," the series within Japanology Plus that profiles foreign residents leading exceptional lives in Japan, centers around Tyler Lynch, an American who ru
Particle Physics Research
Oct 3, 2017 · 28 min
Though the title of this edition of Japanology Plus might inspire a few double-takes, rest assured, you have not accidentally tuned into the wrong program: as it turns out, particl
Shrine Duties
Oct 17, 2017 · 28 min
Walk through any neighborhood in Japan, and before too long you'll come across a shrine devoted to Shinto, the native religion of the country. Many visitors to Japan are charmed by
Special Rescue Teams
Oct 24, 2017 · 28 min
Japan is prone to an array of natural disasters: earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis, and more. It's also home to some of the world's best equipped and best trained special rescue team
The Wonders of Air Travel
Oct 31, 2017 · 28 min
At Japan's busiest airports, a flight may arrive or depart every two minutes or so. In spite of this, Japanese airlines are frequently ranked among the world's leading on-time flig
Japanophiles: Fernando Lopez
Nov 21, 2017 · 28 min
Fernando Lopez, originally from Guatemala, runs an okonomiyaki restaurant in Hiroshima. Made on a hot griddle, okonomiyaki from western Japan resembles a thin crepe loaded with cab
Changing Perceptions of Cars
Nov 28, 2017 · 28 min
For as much as we talk about Japanese food, music, movies and other cultural exports, Japan's greatest contribution to the world—at least in terms of pure volume—may be its cars. J
The Way of Tea: Wellspring of Omotenashi (1)
Dec 12, 2017 · 28 min
Tea ceremony, tea gathering, the way of tea, cha-no-yu, chado, sado...no matter what you call it, this elegant, centuries-old practice is often said to be the key to understanding
The Way of Tea: Wellspring of Omotenashi (2)
Dec 19, 2017 · 28 min
In this special two-part edition of Japanology Plus, we look at how the tea ceremony is performed, its complex set of rules, and its ties to modern Japanese life, in which it serve