Japanese Documentary TV Shows

An unusual documentary series that delves into human dramas through chance encounters with ordinary people at selected spots. Filmed over 72 hours in a single location, the show captures glimpses into people's lives as they open up and share their stories.

TBS’s ”World Heritage,” is a 30-minute weekly documentary series that is registered by UNESCO under Natural Heritage, Cultural Heritage and Cultural Sciences. The program started in spring, 1996, and over a span of 10 years has covered about 560 topics around the world. To better convey the grandeur of these treasures of the world, TBS has shot the series in High-Definition. High quality images, impeccable narrative, and beautiful music...the elements are simple and straightforward. The producers feel that this style of presentation works best to visually document and preserve the wonders of the world, and continue to do so to this day.

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Bura Tamori (ブラタモリ, sometimes stylized as "BURATAMORI")）is a Japanese weekly geological TV series broadcast domestically on NHK General Television and internationally on NHK World Premium hosted by Tamori. It was launched in 2008. In the program, Tamori, accompanied by NHK's female broadcaster, strolls Japan's city or area with professional or amateur geologists, local historians or curators, and explores the place's terrain features and geological changes, as well as its history, culture and civil engineering.

J-MELO is a weekly Japanese music television program broadcast by NHK. It is recorded entirely in the English language. It began broadcasting on October 7, 2005. The program is available on NHK's World Service television station, Radio Japan, Digital Educational TV and on its Domestic General Channel.

Prominent Japanese wildlife photographer and filmmaker Mitsuaki Iwago loves cats of all shapes and sizes. So he's set out on a journey to film cats all over the world as they live their lives. Join him in a cat's-eye view of many diverse cities spanning the globe in a unique program that perhaps even your own cat will enjoy as well!

Journeys in Japan provides an eye-opening look at the many unique places to visit in Japan. English-speaking visitors travel the length of the country, exploring the culture, meeting the local people, visiting historic sites and offering travel hints rarely found in guidebooks.

Host Peter Barakan delves into various aspects of Japanese culture; exploring practices, history, and modern innovations in such areas as ramen, rice, sushi, geisha, bonsai, and so much more. Local experts discuss their passions at fascinating length, and American Japanophile Matt Alt experiences the food, practices, and cultures in each episode in depth. Viewers will finish each half hour episode with a new understanding of an area of Japanese life through demonstrative videos and explanations, all delivered respectfully and true to the Japanese way of life.

The best of today's sumo! Enjoy daily highlights of this dynamic sport with background info and play-by-play commentary adding to the excitement!

An NHK flagship program, centered around a diverse range of documentaries, delves into the dynamic shifts of society, politics and history, as well as the breathtaking wonders of the natural world.

A full-scale travel documentary program that portrays the beautiful landscapes, lifestyles, and activities of people across various regions in Japan. Presented in an omnibus format, it allows viewers to immerse themselves in the nostalgic and irreplaceable scenery of Japan.

Discover the secrets of Japan's railways, from the newest technologies and systems in use, to travel tips and must-see places.

Horror mockumentary program broadcast by TV Tokyo as a collaboration between director Tokio Omori and the YouTube channel FAKE DOCUMENTARY "Q".

Extraordinary show that reveals how forces of nature through sheer power of evolution shaped life in all it's unexpected and glorious forms, and filled our planet with amazing diversity of animals and plants.

The Many Dream Journeys of Meme is a Japanese anime television show created by Nippon Animation. The show originally aired from 1983 to 1985 and was primarily educational. Episodes usually dealt with scientific discoveries and inventions, though there were also a few futuristic and science fiction stories and situations. The series has been translated into many languages, including Spanish, French, Portuguese, Hebrew, and Arabic and Serbo-Croatian.

The series depicts "Kyoto as Kyoto people love it" in dramas and documentaries.

Sets in the 1910s, this is the story of Hanada Suzuko, a young girl who grew up in a family that owned a bathhouse in downtown Osaka. From a young age, Suzuko loved to sing and dance, and joined the Umemaru Girls Opera Company (USK) in Dotonbori. Suzuko continued to show her talent for singing and eventually became a star of the postwar era.

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Be immersed in nature's beauty. Discover Hokkaido at its wildest and best as our presenter guides you through its amazing experiences.

The timeless heart of Japan's ancient capital. Against its rich backdrop of culture and tradition, today's Kyoto continues to innovate and inspire.

Reboot of the original Manben series from 2014-2017. Naoki Urasawa is returning to visit eight different manga authors, observe them in their daily work and discuss the creation of manga.

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This program visits places across Japan to introduce the charms of their local daily life and festivals fostered by the nation's long history.

BEGIN Japanology invites you into the world of Japanese culture, both traditional and modern, explaining how traditions evolved and the part they still play today in people's everyday lives.

Take a deep dive into the beautiful world of Japan's top male idol groups from number one producer Johnny's in this revealing docuseries.

Find out everything there is to know about Japanese tradition, from food to culture to objects and arts, and the people who are continuing it today.

NHK WORLD PRIME brings you a world of mainly documentaries, and more. Tune in to see special select programs on all sorts of topics and genres.

People from around the globe who put down roots in Japan offer a glimpse into their lives and the hardships they face in Japanese society.

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The next generation of Manzai duos compete in a fierce battle of wits and laughter, unleashing their best material for a chance at comedic glory.

Come ride with us! Bicycle through the scenery of Japan, stay with locals and discover hidden traditions in a Japan you didn't know existed.

"Detective! Knight Scoop" is an amusement programme. Based on requests contributed by the viewers, to protect the public order, morals and peace in society, the chief detective sends out excelling detectives who thoroughly pursuit any task they're presented with.

Meet the real stars of Japanese animation. From crayons to CGI, discover the techniques and inspirations of some of Japan's most amazing animators.

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It is said that "the style of work reflects a person's way of life." This documentary program closely follows top-notch professionals and thoroughly delves into their work. Since its premiere in January 2006, it has observed individuals at the forefront of their respective fields, such as Ichiro (Major League Baseball player), Sayuri Yoshinaga (film actor), Haruko Niitsu (janitor), Ken Takakura (film actor), Kasumi Ishikawa (table tennis player), Hikaru Utada (singer-songwriter), Kumamon (local government employee), and Yoshiharu Habu (professional shogi player).

Explore the richness and depth of the Japanese language and discover how words and expressions reflect history, culture and the natural world.

Urasawa Naoki no Manben (Naoki Urasawa's Manga Exertions) is a TV Documentary airing on NHK Educational TV. It follows acclaimed mangaka Naoki Urasawa (creator of 20th Century Boys and Monster) as he sets out to break new ground for manga even further than he already has. In an attempt to educate viewers about manga and preserve the intricate craftsmanship and process of Japanese artists on video for future generations, he invites a manga artist to have their workplace filmed for a couple of days, so as to display them in the process of crafting chapters for their current serializations. After the footage has been shot, Urasawa meets with the artist and they discuss the footage, talking about the artist's workplace and workflow, the difficulties involved in the mangaka lifestyle, their reasons for drawing manga in the first place, and their perspective on the current industry and their own work.

Eight fictional holidays are taken by actor Ryoma Takeuchi. While taking a break from filming, he visits a spice shop.

Going beyond the horizon. Meet Japan's entrepreneurs whose innovative thinking is changing traditional mindsets in their various fields of work.