8x1 - Episode 1

January 13, 2017

8x2 - Episode 2

January 20, 2017

8x3 - Episode 3

January 27, 2017

8x4 - Episode 4

February 10, 2017

8x5 - Episode 5

February 17, 2017

8x6 - Episode 6

February 24, 2017

8x7 - Episode 7

March 3, 2017

8x8 - Episode 8

March 10, 2017

8x9 - Episode 9

March 17, 2017

8x10 - Episode 10

April 7, 2017

8x11 - Episode 11

April 14, 2017

8x12 - Episode 12

April 21, 2017

8x13 - Episode 13

April 28, 2017

8x14 - Episode 14

May 12, 2017

8x15 - Episode 15

May 19, 2017

8x16 - Episode 16

May 26, 2017

8x17 - Episode 17

June 2, 2017

8x18 - Episode 18

June 9, 2017

8x19 - Episode 19

June 16, 2017

8x20 - Episode 20

June 30, 2017

8x21 - Episode 21

July 7, 2017

8x22 - Episode 22

July 14, 2017

8x23 - Episode 23

July 21, 2017

8x24 - Episode 24

July 28, 2017

8x26 - Episode 26

September 1, 2017

8x27 - Episode 27

September 15, 2017

8x28 - When a Man Shines His Shoes

September 22, 2017

It's said that a man's shoes reflect his pride. This time, we spend 3 days in a street side shoeshine shop, a rare sight in modern-day Tokyo. The customers here are particular about polished shoes: from a man getting into the spirit for an important meeting; to a young businessman using stylish shoes to make an impression; to a man taking care of the precious shoes his wife gave him. We take a look at the lives these men lead, from the shoes up.

8x29 - Episode 29

September 29, 2017

8x30 - Born to be Wild: Motorcyclists' Road to Happiness

October 6, 2017

Riding a motorcycle might be hot in summer and cold in winter, but many riders would never consider any other mode of transport. Some even cut back on buying a daily coffee to save money for their bike. There is a large parts store in Tokyo where riders come to seek new accessories or simply to show off their prized vehicle. Among the steady stream of riders drawn to this store are a 75-year-old man who started a part-time job to buy a new bike, a hydroelectric power plant engineer whose career was inspired by a bike, and a man who liked bikes so much he became a courier on 2 wheels. For 3 days, we spoke to these people about why they can't get enough of their motorcycles.

8x31 - Life Without a Smartphone

October 20, 2017

Could you get by if your smartphone stopped working? Our stage this time is a smartphone repair shop in Shibuya, Tokyo. The customers range from a young man wanting to restore precious photos of a summer spent with friends, to a female student worried about being unable to contact anyone. Their phones are filled with personal connections and the memories of daily life. What do they choose to save? What connections are most valuable to them? We spend 3 days filming this repair shop to catch a glimpse of what people keep on their phones.

8x32 - Episode 32

October 27, 2017

8x33 - Episode 33

November 3, 2017

8x34 - Episode 34

November 10, 2017

8x35 - Episode 35

November 17, 2017

8x36 - Episode 36

November 24, 2017

8x37 - Printing Shop: Lives in Print

December 1, 2017

In this age where the shift toward digitization and going paperless seems irresistible, one business in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district still goes through more than 10,000 sheets of paper each day. This 24-hour printing and photocopying shop attracts customers around the clock by offering services such as making posters, bookbinding and printing bulk volumes of beautiful, intricate images that only professionals can deliver. The shop's customers include a company employee desperate to print out materials for an important presentation, and an elderly man who has written his life story and wants it printed so he can leave copies for his family to remember him. What messages do customers want to convey or leave behind on paper? For 3 days, we spoke to people about their personal stories behind the pages copied and printed here.

8x38 - Episode 38

December 8, 2017

8x39 - Bento Tales from a Northern Fishing Town

December 15, 2017

When the herring season starts and winter's icy grip tightens on northern Japan, the locals in the fishing town of Nemuro turn to a convenience store offering warming, satisfying meals with a difference. The 24-hour store close to the port is busy day and night as customers are seduced by its freshly baked bread and extensive range of handmade bento meals. It even sells 150 servings of its signature grilled meat "yakitori" bento each day. Nemuro boasts Japan's largest catches of saury, but the 2017 season was hit by a record-breaking poor haul. What are customers thinking about as they reach for a piping-hot bento at this convenience store? For 3 days, we listened to their personal stories at a store that warms the hearts of many people in Nemuro.