Journeys in Japan: Season 12
Season 12 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 Journeys in Japan Season 11.
- 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 12 Progress Shield
Kyoto: Tango Chirimen
Jan 5, 2021 · 28 min
The Kyotango area of northern Kyoto Prefecture is known as the birthplace of Tango Chirimen, a variety of crepe silk with a finely crimped texture and luxuriously soft feel. For 30
Tsu: A Path to the Heart
Jan 26, 2021 · 28 min
Tsu in Mie Prefecture prospered as a castle town during the Edo period (1603-1868). Situated close to Ise Jingu, one of Japan's most significant Shinto shrines, it has been a cross
Tsushima: Slow Living on a Frontline Island
Feb 9, 2021 · 28 min
The island of Tsushima, in Nagasaki Prefecture, lies between Japan and South Korea, just 50 kilometers from the South Korean port city of Busan. Thanks to its location, the island
Moji: Gateway to the World
Feb 16, 2021 · 28 min
Moji, just over 800 kilometers west of Tokyo, is on the northernmost tip of Kyushu. Facing the Kanmon Strait -- an easy access route for Japan's main island and mainland Asia -- Mo
Frozen Beauty at Dawn and Dusk: Hokkaido in Midwinter
Feb 23, 2021 · 28 min
Hokkaido Prefecture in mid-winter is a frigid land of snow and ice, where temperatures can drop below minus 20 degrees Celsius for weeks on end. But this is the perfect time to see
Poetic Beauty of Wintry Kussharo
Mar 30, 2021 · 28 min
Winter in Hokkaido Prefecture... It's a fascinating time to visit for the stunning snowscapes and natural phenomena caused by the severe cold. Kussharo, located in a huge caldera,
Otaru: Herring and Glassware; Keeping Alive Otaru's Tradition
May 3, 2021 · 28 min
The city of Otaru, on the Sea of Japan coast of Hokkaido Prefecture, was founded about 150 years ago and grew rapidly as the main port for shipping coal from mines in the region. I
Eye on Nagoya: A City's Identity through Architecture
May 11, 2021 · 28 min
Nagoya is in Aichi Prefecture in central Japan. While it is sometimes compared unfavorably to Tokyo, Kyoto Prefecture and Osaka Prefecture, there is more to the city than meets the
Yamatokoriyama: Water Brimming with Goldfish
May 25, 2021 · 28 min
Elegant and charming, goldfish have captured the hearts of people in Japan for centuries. One of the main areas where they are produced is the historic city of Yamatokoriyama in Na
Minami Shinshu: A Solo Alps Journey
Jun 8, 2021 · 28 min
Outdoor guide Daniel Moore gets a taste of deep mountain life on a drive around Minami Shinshu in southern Nagano Prefecture. On his way he stays in an abandoned old post town, hik
Rainy Nights, Summer Mysteries
Jun 29, 2021 · 28 min
As spring changes to summer in Japan, there is a period of about a month when rainy, cloudy conditions persist. This transitional season is known as Tsuyu. On this episode of Journ
Go Deep! Underwater Paradise
Jul 6, 2021 · 28 min
Islands -- stringing along 3,500 kilometers, north to south, in the Pacific -- so narrow that no point is ever far from the sea. Coastlines alone spanning 35,000 kilometers… We dip
Toba Islands: Life and Love in a Traditional Community
Jul 13, 2021 · 28 min
The Ise-Shima National Park is one of Japan's most popular sightseeing areas, but not so many people visit the islands that lie offshore from Toba City. On this episode of Journeys
Cultivating a Taste for Summer Vegetables
Jul 20, 2021 · 28 min
Because Japan's landmass extends north-south through a number of different climatic zones, farmers can cultivate a wide variety of different produce, reflecting the local environme
The Trail to Chiyanoki: Mountain Biking Revives Village
Jul 27, 2021 · 28 min
A stunning mountain bike course has been carved into a mountain of a Genkai-shuraku -- a marginal hamlet where more than 50% of the population is aged 65 or over -- in Saga City. T
Lifting the Spirit through Architecture: Nikko Okinawa Osaka
Aug 3, 2021 · 28 min
On Journeys in Japan, we've discovered the history and culture of many places through their architecture. On this episode, we revisit Nikko, Okinawa Prefecture and Osaka Prefecture
Summer Festivals to Celebrate Around Japan
Aug 10, 2021 · 28 min
Festivals are an essential element of summer in Japan. Held around the country, some feature music and dancing, others spectacular lights or massive floats. On this special episode
Ishinomaki: A Decade On - Remembering and Moving Ahead
Aug 17, 2021 · 28 min
Located on the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, Ishinomaki City long flourished through fisheries. The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake ravaged the city, leaving 4,000 people dead or mi
Ascending the Sacred Peaks
Aug 24, 2021 · 28 min
Modern mountaineering was born in Europe in the second half of the 18th century. Offering vigorous exercise along with magnificent views, the sport of Alpinism soon caught on aroun
An Ode to Live Music
Sep 21, 2021 · 28 min
With the world pandemic, music venues across the globe have gone silent. So this time on Journeys in Japan, American actor Charles Glover takes us back in time to get lost in live
Creative Solutions Spark Rural Revival
Sep 28, 2021 · 28 min
Across Japan, communities highlight their distinctive charms to attract visitors. On this episode of Journeys in Japan we revisit 3 locales that have come up with creative ways to
Legacies of Samurai Culture
Oct 5, 2021 · 28 min
When people think of the samurai they imagine fearless warriors skilled in the martial arts. But that's just one side. In this episode, we look at how elite samurai promoted artisa
Hokkaido: Catching the Northern Lights
Oct 19, 2021 · 28 min
On Journeys in Japan, photographer Alfie Goodrich framed his lens on Hokkaido Prefecture's Muroran and Rausu in 2019. Muroran is an industrial city that flourished on steel. Though
Oki, Iki, Tsushima: Frontline Islands in the Stream
Oct 26, 2021 · 28 min
Japan has about 6,800 islands that are larger than 100 meters in circumference. More than 500 of them are classified as "remote border islands." On this episode of Journeys in Japa
Shinto Rituals: Linking Communities and Deities
Nov 2, 2021 · 28 min
Since ancient times, Shinto rituals have been held at sacred sites across Japan, bringing people together and creating bonds between the participants through their shared faith. Ma
Northern Alps for All Seasons
Nov 16, 2021 · 28 min
The Northern Alps, which extend some 150 kilometers, are the most popular among climbers in Japan. Many of its peaks tower more than 2,000 meters with 10 topping 3,000. Along the r
Rising from the Ruins
Nov 23, 2021 · 28 min
Around the turn of the 20th century, mining towns sprang up around Japan to meet the nation's growing demand for mineral resources. Communities flourished and grew rapidly, develop
Michinoku the Legend of Gold
Dec 14, 2021 · 28 min
This time, we trace Japan's legend of gold. The precious metal was actually first mined in Michinoku -- an old name for northern Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures -- in the 8th century
Kasama: A Pottery Community in Evolution
Dec 28, 2021 · 28 min
The traditional pottery town of Kasama lies about 100 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, about 1.5 hours away by train or car. Surrounded by verdant hills, it enjoys an abundant natura