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Fostering the Future of the Countryside
Where We Call Home - S4 - E1
Japan finally eased its restrictions on entering the country - good news for the inbound tourism industry. UK-born Paul Christie is one of the business owners getting ready to welcome tourists from abroad. He organizes countryside tours in Oita Prefecture, but the natural landscape has seriously deteriorated over the past three years under the pandemic. We look at Paul's efforts to reinvigorate the region's forests and mountains. We also meet Nepali Adhikari Santosh, a car mechanic in Tokyo.
Where We Call Home: Season 4 - 26 Episode s
4x1 - Fostering the Future of the Countryside
January 16, 2023
Japan finally eased its restrictions on entering the country - good news for the inbound tourism industry. UK-born Paul Christie is one of the business owners getting ready to welcome tourists from abroad. He organizes countryside tours in Oita Prefecture, but the natural landscape has seriously deteriorated over the past three years under the pandemic. We look at Paul's efforts to reinvigorate the region's forests and mountains. We also meet Nepali Adhikari Santosh, a car mechanic in Tokyo.
4x2 - Hunting with Reverence for Life and Nature
January 23, 2023
This time, we venture into the forested mountains of Miyazaki Prefecture to meet aspiring hunter Antonia Schult from Germany. Working to help restore the balance between humans and nature and stop wildlife from damaging crops, Antonia and her senior hunters pay respect to every life they take, as according to Japanese hunting philosophy, animals are precious blessings from the gods. We also visit Italian Tommaso Puntelli, a craftsman who's been repairing violins in Tokyo for fourteen years.
4x3 - Hitting the Powdery Backcountry in Safety
March 13, 2023
This time we visit the snow-covered mountains in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture, where Canadian Dave Enright runs an outdoor recreation company. A seasoned backcountry skiing guide and avalanche safety expert, Dave welcomes tourists from overseas eager to hit the powdery snow in Japan and makes sure they're prepared for the hazards of the mountains. Tune in for an exciting snowy adventure! We also meet Nepalese Ramala Ghimire, who manages a public bath in Hakone that's a hit with the local elderly.
4x4 - Caring for Patients Like Family
April 3, 2023
On this episode, we meet Nguyen Quoc Dam, a nurse in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture. Nine years ago, Dam took advantage of an economic partnership between his native Vietnam and Japan and was the first Vietnamese to become a certified nurse in his country of adoption. Along with taking care of patients' health, Dam puts effort into helping them cope with the loneliness that comes with hospitalization. We also follow Australian William Rhodes in his work as a garbage collector in Musashino, Tokyo.
4x5 - Life Lessons Learned Through Play
April 10, 2023
On this episode, we head to Sakegawa Village in Yamagata Prefecture, where American Frederick Lauer organizes activities for children to learn invaluable life skills through play. Busy school life leaves Japanese kids virtually no time to have fun outdoors. Determined to change that, Fred set up a forest kindergarten based on a Danish educational method. Join us for some fun in the snow! We also meet Myanmar-born Than Htun Oo who applies a variety of patterns to leather at a factory in Tokyo's Asakusa.
4x6 - Preserving the Memories of 3.11
April 17, 2023
It's been twelve years since the massive earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011 hit northeastern Japan. We visit Richard Halberstadt from the UK, who works at the ruins of an elementary school in Ishinomaki City as a guide introducing the damage caused by the disaster and relating his own experience of the event. We follow him in his efforts to pass on the memories of the tragedy to future generations. We also meet Chinese Zhang Hecong, who works for a Japanese children's clothes brand.
4x7 - Bound in Heart by Sumo
May 1, 2023
On this episode, we step into the ring to meet Gantugs Rentsendorj from Mongolia, a coach for the sumo club of a famous high school in Tottori Prefecture. His dream of a professional sumo career cut short by injury, Gan now imparts his passion for the Japanese national sport to young aspiring wrestlers. We join him and his students as they prepare for an upcoming national high-school tournament. We also drop by Nagano Prefecture to visit Bangladeshi Shovon Majumder, an IT engineer who develops innovative solutions.
4x8 - Chin Up! Let's Dance!
May 22, 2023
Put on your dancing shoes and get ready for some toe-tapping good time in Yokohama with Filipino Eduardo Macarat. Years ago, when Eduardo's wife was battling illness, he helped keep her spirits and energy up by dancing with her. Ever since, he's been holding regular social dance classes for Japanese students. We follow Eduardo as he trains Junko, a beginner student, for her first performance. We also visit a construction site in Mie Prefecture to meet general contractor Yan Zheng from China.
4x9 - Two-Wheelers Like None Other
May 29, 2023
This time we visit Toyonaka in Osaka Prefecture to meet Gerson Aizawa Hara, a third-generation Brazilian of Japanese descent. Passionate about cycling, he's an artisan who crafts unique bicycles. Each of his creations is one-of-a-kind, custom-made for its rider with unusual materials such as wood and bamboo. We tag along with Gerson as he develops a cargo bicycle capable of carrying large baggage with ease. Later on, we drop by a hot-spring inn in Okayama Prefecture where Nepalese Thapa Magar Kumar attends guests.
4x10 - In Search for the Taste of Yashiostan
June 5, 2023
Home to a large Pakistani community, the city of Yashio in Saitama Prefecture is nicknamed Yashiostan. It's here that we meet Mian Ramzan Siddique, who opened a halal food court, a place for his fellow Pakistanis and the locals to gather. But he's having difficulty drawing in Japanese customers. To change that, he's developing a curry recipe featuring both local and Pakistani specialties. Join us for a taste! We also meet Filipino Manalo Lhee Mayrene, a caregiver at a facility for the elderly in Nagoya.
4x11 - Bridging Cultural Gaps in Work and Life
June 19, 2023
This time, we visit Shimane Prefecture to meet Vietnamese Pham Van Toi, the president of an agency that finds employment for his fellow countrymen and women who wish to work in Japan. Toi also helps them get used to life in Japan and overcome linguistic and cultural barriers. We join Toi as he organizes a soccer event to bring the Vietnamese and Japanese communities closer. We also follow French-born Sophie Lekens for a day in her work in public relations for an arts center in Aoyama, Tokyo.
4x12 - For Little Smiles Beyond the Ocean
June 26, 2023
This time, we visit Nagano Prefecture to meet Fidea Kobayashi, who supports orphans in her native Tanzania. Donating the proceeds of fundraising and most of her income, she even set up an orphanage and started the construction of a kindergarten. But the weak yen is now a major obstacle. We follow Fidea as she seeks help from her local community in Japan to keep her charity efforts going. We also head to Mie Prefecture where Nin Sokkcht, a technical trainee from Cambodia, works as a painter of houses and buildings.
4x13 - Never Give Up, Your Chance Will Come
July 10, 2023
On this episode, we visit Fussa, Tokyo, to meet American Frederick Roberts. While stationed at a local US air base, Frederick fought as a pro boxer and won the title of national champion in his country of adoption. Now retired, he runs a gym where he trains boxers, encouraging them to never give up. We accompany Frederick as he coaches promising fighter Suzuki Kensuke through a decisive bout. We also drop by a high school in Toyokawa City in Aichi Prefecture where Brazilian Rodrigo Igi teaches English.
4x14 - A Ugandan Teen's Big-league Dream
July 24, 2023
This time, we take you out to the ballgame! Or more specifically to Sanda City in Hyogo Prefecture, home of the Bravers, an independent league baseball team. A year ago, they welcomed a new player, 16-year-old Kato Edrine, a promising pitcher from Uganda who came to Japan with the dream of one day joining the pro league. We follow Kato as he prepares for his first official match this season. We also meet Feng Li from China, who works in marketing for a long-standing throat medicine maker in Tokyo.
4x15 - Keeping the Fire of Folkcraft Burning
July 31, 2023
Mass-produced items are nice and cheap, but none have the beauty and warmth of handmade objects. This is especially true in Japan, where handcrafted houseware has long been part of daily living. We follow Terry Ellis from the UK, who from his shop in Koenji, Tokyo, promotes the appeal of folkcraft from all over the country and works to adapt it to modern lifestyles. Later on, still in Tokyo, we drop by a beauty salon in Ikebukuro to meet Chinese Shang Haiyi, who trains to become a hairdresser.
4x16 - Glamping Mongolian Style
August 7, 2023
This time we go to Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture to meet Mongolian Chimedtseren Amarzul, or Amura to her family and friends. She opened a glamping facility where guests can experience her homeland's culture from sleeping in a traditional house to savoring Mongolian cuisine. But the local climate and the Japanese palate are obstacles to making her project work. Will she succeed? Join us to find out! We also visit Shiretoko in Hokkaido Prefecture where Taiwanese Lan Ping-Fang is the area's only non-Japanese tour guide.
4x17 - Happiness Rests on the Clouds
September 4, 2023
We follow Alek Pashkowski and Vadym Bezvuliak, a Ukrainian music duo that's been entertaining audiences in Nagasaki Prefecture's Sasebo City since 2014. Though Russia's invasion of their homeland has brought many hardships, they've received support from the people of Nagasaki. To express their gratitude, Alek and Vadym are going to perform Ue Wo Muite Aruko, an iconic song from Japan's postwar recovery, at a local festival. We also visit Spanish-born Anna Fornieles Orti who runs a pottery school in Osaka.
4x18 - Living It Slow in Rural Japan
September 11, 2023
This time, we discover the enchanting natural landscape of Miyama in Kyoto Prefecture. Drawn to the appeal of a slowly paced life in the Japanese countryside, some foreigners have settled down in the region. We follow Spanish photographer Tina Bagué as she captures images of fellow non-Japanese who moved to Miyama - an American yoga master, a French organic farmer and a German shakuhachi player. We also visit Beppu in Oita Prefecture to meet Ukrainian Denys Kralikauskas who makes and mends tatami mats.
4x19 - A Crafter of Wheelchairs and Smiles
September 18, 2023
On this episode, we visit the workshop of Habib ur Rahman, a craftsman from Pakistan who designs and builds power wheelchairs in Kobayashi City, Miyazaki Prefecture. Believing that a wheelchair can change one's life, he custom-makes all his creations to fit each user's needs. We follow Habib as he designs a new wheelchair for a teenager suffering from a muscular disease. We also meet Chinese-born Xia Siya, who works for a children's education support program set up by Yubari City in Hokkaido Prefecture.
4x20 - A Fresh New Breeze in Glass Art
October 2, 2023
The city of Otaru in Hokkaido Prefecture is famous for its glass making tradition. Fascinated by Otaru glassware, Chen Yu-Chin moved here from her native Taiwan to train to become a glass artisan herself. After only a year, she was already an award-winning glass artist! On this episode, we follow Yu-Chin as she prepares her latest piece for an upcoming art exhibition. We also drop by a factory in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, to meet Indonesian Nursalam Hidayat, who trains as a metal caster.
4x21 - A Brazilian's Journey to Buddhist Priesthood
October 23, 2023
In the village of Yamakogawa in Chiba Prefecture, Brazilian Joken Fernandes trains at a temple to be a Buddhist priest. Zen meditation, reading sutras and chores are part of his rigorous daily routine, but Joken faces a bigger challenge. As future head priest, he must earn the trust of the local community that supports the temple. We follow Joken as he prepares a meditation workshop for the villagers. We also meet Indonesian Amani Amiroh who runs an amusement park souvenir shop in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture.
4x22 - A World of Home Flavors in Saitama
November 6, 2023
On this episode, we take you on a culinary tour of Saitama Prefecture's diverse international community as we meet non-Japanese restaurant owners who serve dishes from their homelands to both warm the hearts of their compatriots and delight the locals. We visit Bless from Cameroon who cooks some of her hearty banga soup in Kasukabe, Cypriot Hasan who prepares sweet baklavas in Sayama, Ukrainian-born Luda who whips up a batch of her savory pelmeni dumplings in Kawaguchi as well as a few others!
4x23 - Kayla's Festival of Friendship
November 13, 2023
We visit the Iizuna Highlands in Nagano Prefecture where Canadian Kayla Afrin runs a popular café. Having grown up under foster care due to losing her parents at a young age, she treasures her connection to the people of Iizuna. With local friends, Kayla organizes a big festival. However, as she is getting ready for the event, life brings a new hardship. Join us to find out more. We also meet Tumi Grendel Markan from the UK, an English-speaking guide at a Japanese sword museum in Setouchi, Okayama Prefecture.
4x24 - When Horse, Rider and Bow Become One
November 27, 2023
Performed at Shinto shrines, Yabusame is a ritual in which an archer on horseback shoots arrows at targets. Australian Michael No was so impressed by Yabusame that he moved to Japan to learn it. Now with ten years of experience under his belt, he's going to open the ceremony at the famous Nikko Toshogu Shrine in Tochigi Prefecture. Will his arrows strike true? Join us to find out! We also meet Tantely Rasoanjanahary from Madagascar who works at a food-processing machinery manufacturer in Higashihiroshima.
4x25 - Pastor Istvan's Botanical Blessings
December 11, 2023
We meet Istvan Lorincz, a Romanian of Hungarian origin who's a pastor and expert herbalist in Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture, as well as Vietnamese Hoai Thuong who works at a hot spring inn in Shimane Prefecture.
4x26 - A Personal Chef with a Personal Touch
December 25, 2023
We meet French-born Germain Guibilato who works as a personal chef for events and special occasions in Kochi City, as well as Chinese Liao Haiting, a veterinary nurse in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture.