Shiba Eizaburo

Shiba Eizaburo was a Japanese screenwriter born in Kojimachi, Chiyoda, Tokyo. His real name was Maeda Kosaburo (前田孝三郎). He graduated from the Army Officer Academy and experienced the end of World War II while at the academy. After that, he attended Hokkaido University but dropped out. He apprenticed…

Chigiri Kosai

Chigiri Kosai was a Japanese radio scriptwriter, playwright, novelist, and folklorist born in Kure, Hiroshima. He studied under Kubota Bantaro. After World War II, he worked as a writer for NHK and conducted research on supernatural phenomena, including demons, tengu, and hermits. (Source: MyDramaList)

Ezaki Eiko

Ezaki Eiko is a Japanese actress and singer from Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. She graduated from the Takarazuka Music School. She made her debut as a singer in the late 1960s. In 1969, she joined NHK's Young 101 as a member of the first generation. After graduating from Young 101 on April 1, 1973, she pursued…

Kitamura Hisao

Kitamura Hisao was a screenwriter and children's literature writer born in Tokyo, Japan. He dropped out of Waseda University. He studied under Oyama Kaoru and became a member of the "Geki to Hyoron" literary magazine. In 1936, he became a chief writer at NHK's literary department. In 1947, he took turns…

Peter Barakan

Peter Barakan, born in London, England, is an English-born DJ, freelance broadcaster, and an author of books on music and English language education. He is best known as the presenter of "Begin Japanology" and "Japanology Plus" on NHK World. (Source: Wikipedia)

Okamoto Yoshihiko

Okamoto Yoshihiko was a Japanese film director, television drama director, and journalist, born in Korea during the Japanese colonial period. He attended the Army Officer School (陸軍士官学校) and witnessed Japan's defeat in World War II. Afterward, he joined the Japan Socialist Party (日本社会党)…

Fukushima Mototake

Fukushima Mototake, a Japanese actor born in Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan, graduated from Meiji University. During his university years, he began his career in the entertainment industry as a stagehand with the Gekidan Mingei theater troupe. He later transitioned to acting with the Seihai theater troupe.…

Ueki Mariko

Ueki Mariko is a former Japanese actress born in Numata, Gunma, and originally from Tokyo, Japan. She graduated from Chuo University with a degree in literature and was affiliated with the Nishioka Akira Office. Ueki began her acting career at age four with the Wakakusa Theatre Company, later joining…

Dazai Hisao

Dazai Hisao was a Japanese actor born in Senzoku, Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. During middle school, due to the impact of military training where he was fired at close range by a machine gun, his hearing deteriorated slightly, and since then, his voice became about one octave higher than others. Although…

Tendo Yoshimi

Yoshimi Yoshida better known by her stage name, Yoshimi Tendo is a professional enka singer. She debuted in 1970, but only became popular in 1985 with a label change her first hit single "Tonbori Ninjo" (道頓堀人情). She has regularly attended NHK's Red and White Festival since 1996. She has recently…

Talking About Periods

7.7

How do people around the world talk about menstruation? We look at the values and attitudes that people bring to this subject and offer some fresh ideas about something that we are all familiar with. (Source: NHK World-Japan)

Venue101

Together with two MCs, Hamaie Ryuichi and actor and singer Ikuta Erika, this is a music program that delivers highly enthusiastic live performances created by various artists. (Source: Japanese = NHK || Translation…

My Street Piano

Pianos are placed in airports, stations and street corners around the world for anyone to play. Join us as we unfold life stories of each piano player and watch them through fixed camera lenses. (Source: NHK World-Japan)

Feel English

Grasp the feelings of native English speakers when using phrases and improve your conversation skills! (Source: Japanese = NHK || Translation = MyDramaList)

Kadono Eiko's Colorful Life: Finding the Magic Within

A documentary that closely follows the daily life of Kadono Eiko, best known as the author of "Kiki's Delivery Service". Based on the NHK program of the same name that was broadcast from 2020 to 2022, directed by Miyagawa…

Return to Sender

A quiet little shop in downtown Tokyo serves as a haven for Japan's lost young souls. They share their innermost feelings with their future selves in letters they'll receive exactly one year later. (Source: nhk.or.jp)

New Era of J-Pop and K-Pop: Setting the World on Fire

K-Pop has taken the world by storm, thanks to its unique performances and business strategy. This documentary follows its growth and the ways in which J-POP artists are rising to the challenge. (Source: NHK.or.jp)

Mitsuhide no Smartphone

7.0

In the 16th century, during The Sengoku Period, Akechi Mitsushide uses a smartphone to meet people, search about himself, and fight his enemies. (Source: Japanese = NHK || Translation = MyDramaList)

Otoko no Misao

6.8

A struggling enka singer and single father tries to raise his only daughter and realise their family's dream of him performing on the NHK Kouhaku show.

The Yangtze River

From 2010 to 2011, Ryo Takeuchi filmed a documentary about the Yangtze River for the Japanese public broadcaster NHK. Ten years later, starting in 2021, he spent about two years retracing the 6,300-kilometer-long river…