Journeys in Japan: Season 16
Season 16 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 15.
- 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 16 Progress Shield
The Mountain Spirit of Shiiba Village
Feb 4, 2025 · 28 min
Shiiba, one of Japan's three great unexplored regions, is hidden in mountains over 1,000 meters tall. The people in this secluded village have preserved their traditional landscape
Kyushu: Land of Samurai Swords
Feb 18, 2025 · 28 min
Kyushu is a region where the traditional skills of kenjutsu – Japanese swordsmanship – remain deeply embedded, with more dojo (practice halls) for kendo than anywhere else in Japan
Enku's 120,000 Smiles Over Gifu
Feb 25, 2025 · 28 min
Roughly hewed, smiling statues of deities and Buddhas... A monk named Enku is believed to have sculpted some 120,000 in Gifu Prefecture, which are beloved to this day. We discover
Hokuriku 1: Foods and Flavors of the Trading Ships
Mar 4, 2025 · 28 min
The Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train connects Tokyo with Toyama, Ishikawa and (since March 2024) Fukui Prefecture. This region along the Sea of Japan has its own distinctive histor
Hokuriku 2: The Golden Age of the Trading Ships and Their Legacy
Mar 11, 2025 · 28 min
The Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train connects Tokyo with Toyama, Ishikawa and (since March 2024) Fukui Prefecture. This region along the Sea of Japan has its own distinctive histor
Gunma: Raking in Good Luck
Mar 18, 2025 · 28 min
For centuries, Daruma dolls have been popular in Japan as talismans to bring good fortune. The largest producer of Daruma dolls in Japan is Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, where t
Hida: Deep Winter Escape
Mar 25, 2025 · 28 min
We visit Furukawa, an old district of Hida City in Gifu Prefecture, which is surrounded by mountains and stunning scenery. Furukawa flourished as a castle town 400 years ago, and t
Hokkaido Sapporo: Sensing the City Through Its Architecture
Apr 1, 2025 · 28 min
Sapporo is known for its rich architectural heritage, a symbol of its place as Hokkaido's hub of politics, economy, and culture from the 19th century. Architect James Liambasi visi
NIIGATA: SNOW COUNTRY WONDERLAND
Apr 15, 2025 · 28 min
Niigata is renowned for its heavy snowfall. Each winter it is transformed into a wonderland where the snow covers the landscape for nearly half the year. Despite these harsh condit
Wakayama: The Cradle of Japan's Flavors
May 13, 2025 · 28 min
Wakayama is famous for shoyu, miso and umeboshi—staples in Japanese cuisine. In this episode, Shizuka Anderson meets artisans and farmers who make them, savors their distinctive fl
Kure Port, Kochi — The Lure of Katsuo
May 27, 2025 · 28 min
Katsuo-bushi (bonito flakes) are one of the key ingredients in Japanese cuisine, for preparing dashi stock. They are made from the large migratory fish known in Japanese as katsuo
Izu Peninsula: Volcanic Beauty
Jun 10, 2025 · 28 min
The Izu Peninsula was formed by long ago volcanic eruptions. It was designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark for its unique geological features. The peninsula boasts a distinctive nat
Nagaoka: Water, the Wellspring of Abundance
Jun 24, 2025 · 28 min
Located in the heartland of Niigata Prefecture, the city of Nagaoka is blessed with an abundance of water. It lies on the banks of the Shinano River, the longest river in Japan, wh
Matagi: Yamagata’s Spiritual Hunter-Gatherers
Jul 1, 2025 · 28 min
Japan is known for its fisheries and agriculture. But deep in the mountains, people called Matagi still maintain a hunter-gatherer lifestyle that has been passed down since long be
Nishio: Whisking up the Global Matcha Boom
Jul 8, 2025 · 28 min
The city of Nishio lies in the Mikawa district of Aichi Prefecture, central Japan. Thanks to the elegance of its traditional architecture, the town has been nicknamed the "Little K
Tochigi: Life Away from the Sea
Jul 22, 2025 · 28 min
Tochigi prefecture, which lies inland, is home to distinctive culinary traditions featuring fish. Leina Bambino visits the Nakagawa River to try its cherished ayu sweetish and then
Okinawa: A World in Bloom
Aug 5, 2025 · 28 min
Okinawa is a subtropical paradise blooming with vivid flowers. Photographer Alfie Goodrich captures the profound beauty of the island's nature. Along the way, he meets a couple who
With Isabella Bird — Part 6: On the Road to Biratori
Aug 12, 2025 · 28 min
British explorer and writer Isabella Bird arrived in Japan in 1878, just 10 years after the Meiji Era began. Accompanied by a young man who served as both interpreter and attendant
SHAKOTAN: Out of the Blue, Into the Flames
Aug 19, 2025 · 28 min
The Shakotan Peninsula in the west of Hokkaido is known for the vivid color of the sea, which has come to be known as "Shakotan Blue." This craggy land is the stage for a mysteriou
The Ontake Kodo Path to Sacred Peak
Sep 16, 2025 · 28 min
Standing over 3,000 meters, Mt. Ontake is Japan's second-highest volcano. It has long been revered as sacred. In the 18th century, many pilgrims set off for its peak from Kiso-Fuku
Mishima: Festival Rhythms Run Deep
Sep 30, 2025 · 28 min
Mishima lies at the foot of Mount Fuji, in Shizuoka Prefecture. Its main shrine, Mishima Taisha, is said to have been founded in the 8th century to enshrine the deities of the moun
Higashikawa: Picture-Perfect Town
Oct 14, 2025 · 28 min
Higashikawa, just 15 minutes from Asahikawa Airport, is known as a leading rice producer in Hokkaido. Its lifestyle, connected to the land and a spirit of "live as you like," has c
Kochi Shimanto River: Pristine Water and Premium Fishing
Oct 28, 2025 · 28 min
The Shimanto River flows for 196 kilometers through Kochi Prefecture in the south of Shikoku. It is known for its crystal-clear water, which nourishes the fish and other river crea
Discovering Japan's Hidden Christians
Nov 18, 2025 · 28 min
Although Christianity was banned in Japan for over 250 years, some communities refused to abandon their faith. Worshipping in secret, these "hidden Christians" developed some uniqu
Hiking the San'in Coast: Tottori
Nov 25, 2025 · 28 min
The San'in Kaigan Geopark Trail is a 230-kilometer-long course connecting the Sea of Japan coastline along Tottori, Hyogo, and Kyoto prefectures, which were designated as a UNESCO
Unearthing a Love for Seto
Dec 16, 2025 · 28 min
Seto City, in Aichi Prefecture, is a leading ceramic hub, and also one of the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan. Its pottery tradition has continued uninterrupted for over 1,000 years. Ce
SHIMANE: In Search of Izumo's Gardens Past and Present
Dec 23, 2025 · 28 min
Shimane Prefecture, formerly known as Izumo, is home to a number of superb Japanese gardens — some traditional, others laid out more recently. At the Adachi Museum of Art, visitors