Journeys in Japan: Season 15
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 Journeys in Japan 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
Morioka: Slow Life, Indie Spirit
Jan 16, 2024 · 28 min
In January 2023, the New York Times newspaper introduced Morioka as one of its "52 Places to Go" - second only to London. The capital of Iwate Prefecture was highly praised for its
360 Degrees of Mt. Fuji: Hiking the Long Trail - Part 1
Feb 6, 2024 · 28 min
In 2021, a long trail course was established that encircles Mt. Fuji. By following this trail, one can explore not only the natural beauty but also the profound allure of Mt. Fuji,
360 Degrees of Mt. Fuji: Hiking the Long Trail - Part 2
Feb 13, 2024 · 28 min
In 2021, a long trail course was established that encircles Mt. Fuji. By following this trail, one can explore not only the natural beauty but also the profound allure of Mt. Fuji,
On the Sugar Road from Saga to Fukuoka
Feb 20, 2024 · 28 min
The Nagasaki Kaido was an important trade road from the 1630s that connected Nagasaki's port—the only one open to overseas trade in those days—to Kokura in Fukuoka Prefecture. Nick
Isumi Shines as Liveable City
Feb 27, 2024 · 28 min
Isumi in Chiba Prefecture was voted most desirable place to live in the Tokyo area for its accessibility and great outdoors with both the ocean and mountains. This time, Alex and B
SILK Road: Threads of History from Gunma to Yokohama
Mar 5, 2024 · 28 min
In 1859, when Japan reopened its doors after more than two centuries of isolation, goods flowed in and out of newly expanded ports. At the time, raw silk became the country's large
Geto Kogen: Deep Powder Dreams
Mar 19, 2024 · 28 min
Geto Kogen lies in an area of Japan known as a gosetsu chitai—a region with extremely heavy snowfall. In an average year it gets as much as five meters of snow, and that means it c
Akita's Festivals Light Up Long Winters
Apr 2, 2024 · 28 min
The city of Senboku in Akita Prefecture is made up of three towns: Tazawako, which has the deepest lake in Japan; Nishiki, home to farming scenery: and Kakunodate, called the littl
Tomonoura: Tradition and Community in a Historic Port
Apr 30, 2024 · 28 min
Tomonoura is a port town on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, in Hiroshima Prefecture. It occupies an important location because this is the point where the tides from each end of
Okinawa: Whispers of the Ryukyu Kingdom
May 14, 2024 · 28 min
Across Okinawa's islands, you will find the stone walls of castle ruins. The Ryukyu Kingdom was a country for 350 years before it was absorbed into Japan. From the 12th to 15th cen
Taketa: Onsen Bathing Old and New
May 28, 2024 · 28 min
People in Japan love bathing in hot springs, or onsen. And since the old days, it has been common for people to check into residential hot-spring inns for extended stays to boost t
With Isabella Bird — Part 4: On the Road to Akita
Jun 4, 2024 · 28 min
British explorer and writer Isabella Bird arrived in Japan in 1878, just 10 years after the country opened its doors to the West. Accompanied by a young man who served as both inte
Okayama: Divine Beings Up Close
Jun 18, 2024 · 28 min
Okayama Prefecture is a magical place where ancient myths live on. Shinto shrines venerate unique gods and Buddhist temples feature rare rituals. Kanoa, from Hawaii, explores the e
Ogaki: The City of Water
Jul 2, 2024 · 28 min
Ogaki in Gifu Prefecture is called "the city of water." Its abundant groundwater has fed countless spring water wells, and a river running through the city center makes for relaxin
Yamagata: Heartland of Wood Architecture
Jul 16, 2024 · 28 min
Yamagata Prefecture, some 300 kilometers north of Tokyo, is a mountainous region. Around 70% of its land covered by forests and to this day it boasts a long tradition of using that
Shodoshima: Island of Discoveries
Aug 6, 2024 · 28 min
Shodoshima, the second largest island in the Seto Inland Sea, is known for its beautiful landscapes, natural scenery and traditional life. Visitors can enjoy panoramic views of dee
Deep Dive in Sugashima: The Island of Women Fishers
Aug 20, 2024 · 28 min
Japan's legendary Ama free-diving women still plumb the waters around Sugashima Island in search of abalone, turban shell and Ise spiny lobster. We glimpse the island through this
NISEKO IN SUMMER: Natural Fun in the Great Outdoors
Aug 27, 2024 · 28 min
Niseko is renowned as one of Japan's leading winter sports destinations. But these days it's also becoming famous as an exciting summertime resort. Visitors can experience a wide v
Kumano Kodo: Fast Hiking to Nirvana
Sep 3, 2024 · 28 min
The Kumano Kodo, leading to Kumano, the sacred land of the Gods, is one of the few pilgrimage roads designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Twenty years after the designation,
Nagasaki's Obon: A Time for Remembrance
Sep 17, 2024 · 28 min
Obon is a summertime ritual when Japanese people welcome ancestors' spirits home from the Buddhist Pure Land. The people of Nagasaki have a distinctive way to commemorate this. The
With Isabella Bird — Part 5: On the Road to Aomori
Oct 1, 2024 · 28 min
British explorer and writer Isabella Bird arrived in Japan in 1878, just 10 years after the country opened its doors to the West. Accompanied by a young man who served as both inte
Osaka: OSAKA HEART AND SOUL
Oct 8, 2024 · 28 min
Osaka is a dynamic city with a dynamic history. Photographer Alfie Goodrich captures the food culture of the "Kitchen of Japan," the waterways that made it a commercial center, and
Tokushima: Heartland of Fermentation
Oct 22, 2024 · 28 min
Tokushima Prefecture, in the eastern part of Shikoku Island, is renowned as a heartland of traditional fermentation. It is especially famous for its indigo dyeing tradition which b
OITA Kunisaki Peninsula: A Land of Buddhas and Gods
Nov 19, 2024 · 28 min
The Kunisaki Peninsula, known for its temples, shrines and pilgrimage paths, abounds with rites enduring from ancient times. The Kebesu Festival, held every October, is one of them
Another Kobe: A Thatched Roof Village
Dec 3, 2024 · 28 min
North of Kobe's neon lights you can enjoy another side of the city—a hidden village with over 650 thatched homes. It's another world that takes you back in time. American actor Cha
Fukushima: Trekking with Volcanoes & Hot Springs
Dec 17, 2024 · 28 min
Japan is a land of volcanoes, many of them very active. And anywhere there are volcanoes, you will almost always find hot springs. On this episode, Michael Keida treks down a trail
Ise-Shima: Timeless World of Pearls
Dec 24, 2024 · 28 min
Called "tears of mermaids" or "dewdrops from the moon," pearls have captivated people since antiquity. The world's first cultured pearls were born in Ise-Shima in Mie Prefecture. O