Japanology Plus - Season 3

Episode 1

Japanophiles: Maud Archambault

This time, we present an installment of our special Japanophiles series, which features lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan. Minyo is Japanese folk music, passed down from generation to

Episode 2

Silk

What gives Japanese kimonos their luxurious appeal? Pure silk, a natural fiber made from the cocoons of the silkworm. Strong and elastic, silk is used to make strings for the shamisen, as a canvas for

Episode 3

Underground Tokyo

Hidden beneath Tokyo are underground spaces of many kinds: intricate webs of subways and roads, tunnels carrying utilities, and even shopping malls. This time on Japanology Plus, our topic is "Undergr

Episode 4

Earthquake Preparedness

From volcanic eruptions to torrential rain, Japan is one of the world's most disaster-prone countries. Earthquakes, too, are common. To ensure people are ready to look after themselves and their commu

Episode 5

Japanophiles: Jorge Cabeza Fernandez

This time, we present an installment of our special Japanophiles series, which features lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan. With economies in Asia growing, air travel in the region is b

Episode 6

Japanophiles: Pico Iyer

This time, we present an installment of our special Japanophiles series, which features lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan. Japan serves as the base for the essayist and novelist Pico I

Episode 7

Okinawan Dance

Okinawa Prefecture, the southern tip of Japan, was once home to the ancient independent kingdom of Ryukyu. Through centuries of trade with other countries, the islands of Okinawa developed a unique, i

Episode 8

Whisky

While Japan is halfway around the globe from the world's traditional whisky-making centers, in recent years premium Japanese whiskies have been winning top prizes in big competitions and winning fans

Episode 9

Quest for Perfect Skin

Japanese women are among the world's most passionate about skin care. For centuries, elite and commoners alike have embraced the quest for perfect skin, with Japan's climate and beauty ideals giving r

Episode 10

Bladed Tools

In this edition of of Japanology Plus, host Peter Barakan pays a visit to the city of Sakai, which is part of Osaka Prefecture in Western Japan. Sakai has been known for bladesmithing since the Muroma

Episode 11

Family Crests

Plants, all kinds of creatures and the beauty of nature are among the inspirations for Japanese family crests. Tens of thousands of different crests exist. Simple yet highly sophisticated, they have b

Episode 12

Breakfast

In Japan, a traditional breakfast consists of steamed rice with miso soup and other side dishes. But these days noodles, pancakes, bread and granola are among the many other popular options for breakf

Episode 13

Footwear

Footwear has taken many different forms in many different cultures, but somehow Japan seems to have come up with more variety than most. Through the centuries, cleverly catering to existing or anticip

Episode 14

Running

Japan is a country of 10 million runners and some 2,000 open-entry running events, the most popular of which attract large crowds and live nationwide TV coverage. Japan loves not just the action but a

Episode 15

Emoji

Messages and e-mail are full of emoji, a means of communication that was invented in Japan. Emoji debuted in the 1990s as a way to add emotion to messages on a small screen, and people found they were

Episode 16

Ekiben

In Japan, no leisure trip by rail would be complete without an ekiben: a boxed meal sold at the station that is packed with local flavor. Ekiben are nearly as old as Japan's railways, and have evolved

Episode 17

Bicycles

Japan's first bicycles were made by former gunsmiths around the 1870s. Mid-20th century innovations aimed at women gave rise to the "mama-chari," a type of bicycle for mothers with small children. Tod

Episode 18

Kimono

A garment that embodies Japanese tradition, the kimono fascinates people the world over. It took centuries for the kimono to reach the form familiar to us today, and at every stage in its evolution it

Episode 19

Kokeshi Dolls

The plain, unassuming wooden dolls called kokeshi are believed to have originated about 200 years ago in hot spring resorts in northeast Japan. A popular souvenir for children, they later drew the att

Episode 20

Shinise: Long-Established Businesses

Business. It’s a dog-eat-dog world. And nowhere is that more true than in Tokyo’s uptown Shibuya neighborhood, with its high rents and discerning customers. For those who work in the area, the rise an

Episode 21

Japanophiles: Rezaul Karim Chowdhury

The latest edition of our periodical Japanophiles series focuses on a Bangladeshi who was drawn to a career in Japan by a bond that goes beyond such cosmic coincidences: Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, a chef

Episode 22

Toilets

Toilets in Japan date back 2,000 years. A modern one typically features a heated seat and electronic bidet. Recent trends include new toilets for the elderly and infirm, and for use after a disaster.

Episode 23

Bridges

Few countries in the world can boast as many bridges as Japan. Due to a mountainous terrain and many rivers, Japan has bridges of all shapes and sizes, and is a world leader in bridge engineering. Thi

Episode 24

A Nation of Singers

Enjoyed by Japanese of all ages, choral singing is a feature of school events, tour buses, baseball games and various other everyday situations. Group singing comes from a background of using songs to

Episode 25

Restoring Castles

Japan's castles are a legacy of the samurai era. To maintain their splendor, they sometimes require intricate repairs, such as moving a heavy keep, replacing thousands of roof tiles, or rebuilding wal

Episode 26

Volcanoes

Japan is a volcanic hotspot, with 7 percent of all the world's volcanoes. The archipelago actually contains 110 active volcanoes, and throughout history, Japan has been at the mercy of the terrifying

Episode 27

School Club Activites

Secondary schools in Japan offer extracurricular pursuits where students join sports teams, or clubs reflecting a wide range of cultural interests. Here, they learn values like cooperation and social

Episode 28

Smells

Breath mints, sprays and countless other products that tackle body odors offer evidence of widespread concern about smells. Japan has certified professionals who investigate offensive odors, and even

Episode 29

Paper

No traditional Japanese home is complete without items that incorporate paper, including doors and sliding screens. Japanese papermaking technology continues to advance in the form of high-tech tissue

Episode 30

Japanophiles: Paul Lorimer

This time, we present an installment of our special Japanophiles series, which features lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan. The trademark alcoholic beverage of Okinawa, Japan's southern

Episode 31

Katsuobushi

Katsuobushi: hard blocks of smoked skipjack tuna that are shaved to make flakes which add goodness to soup stock. A method of smoking skipjack was developed centuries ago, and the same basic technique

Episode 32

Day Care for Kids

With more women in Japan entering the workforce, day care for small children is a hot topic. While big cities have too few day-care center, elsewhere many are closing down. This time on Japanology Plu

Episode 33

Sweets and Snacks

From a rainbow of flavored chocolates to regional treats, Japanese sweets and snacks are tasty, and great to look at. Various kinds of snack foods became widely sold more than a century ago when Weste

Episode 34

Hairdressing

One survey of foreign visitors to Japan revealed that 40% of women from other parts of Asia want to try a Japanese beauty parlor. This is one indication of the great appeal of Japan's hair salons, whe