Episode guide
Japanology Plus: Season 3
34 episodes · premiered Jan 6, 2016
TMDB has no overview for this season.
- Episode 1: Japanophiles: Maud Archambault Jan 7, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 2: Silk Jan 14, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 3: Underground Tokyo Jan 28, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 4: Earthquake Preparedness Feb 11, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 5: Japanophiles: Jorge Cabeza Fernandez Feb 25, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 6: Japanophiles: Pico Iyer Mar 3, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 7: Okinawan Dance Mar 17, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 8: Whisky Apr 7, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 9: Quest for Perfect Skin Apr 14, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 10: Bladed Tools Apr 21, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 11: Family Crests May 5, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 12: Breakfast May 12, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 13: Footwear May 19, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 14: Running Jun 2, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 15: Emoji Jun 16, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 16: Ekiben Jun 23, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 17: Bicycles Jun 30, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 18: Kimono Jul 7, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 19: Kokeshi Dolls Jul 28, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 20: Shinise: Long-Established Businesses Aug 4, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 21: Japanophiles: Rezaul Karim Chowdhury Aug 11, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 22: Toilets Aug 18, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 23: Bridges Aug 25, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 24: A Nation of Singers Sep 1, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 25: Restoring Castles Sep 8, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 26: Volcanoes Sep 29, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 27: School Club Activites Oct 6, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 28: Smells Oct 13, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 29: Paper Oct 20, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 30: Japanophiles: Paul Lorimer Nov 3, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 31: Katsuobushi Dec 1, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 32: Day Care for Kids Dec 8, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 33: Sweets and Snacks Dec 15, 2016 · 28m 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…
- Episode 34: Hairdressing Dec 22, 2016 · 28m 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…