｜Length : 47min. ｜Year : 2005 ｜

While young men may eye a professional sumo career as away to make their fame and fortune, in reality, a fair deal of guts is needed before glory even enters the picture. Each year, several dozen young people take on the sumo world, hoping to one day become grand champion. But on top of winning bouts, rikishi, or wrestlers, must also conquer a long and disciplined road. This program follows the lives of three teenage rikishi new to the esteemed Sakaigawa stable as they and their families adjust to the demanding world of sumo.

｜Length : 58min. ｜Year : 2002 ｜

Giant masks from ancient times are stored at Shosoin, a repository in Todaiji Temple and at Horyuji, a temple in Nara. The curious expressions and lavish colors of these masks can only be described as strange and unusual. Who used the masks and for what purpose? The questions prompted by the existence of these masks stir the imagination. With roots in the masque of ancient Greece, gigaku traveled along the Silk Road, picking up aspects of local performing arts as the masked drama journeyed through Asia.

｜Length : 43min. ｜Year : 2000 ｜

Yakushi-ji is a temple in Nara, which is located in Honshu Island. It is World Heritage listed and its buildings are the second oldest wooden structures in the world. A bold plan is in progress to reconstruct the temple buildings. Today, common nails last for around 50 years. The question is: can a contemporary craftsman recreate the 1000-year nail? This program tells the story of Yukinori Shirataka, the last surviving blacksmith in Japan who can make 25-centimetre nails using traditional Japanese methods.

｜Length : 30min ｜Year : 2022 ｜

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has become widespread in Japan. About 90 percent of people who are diagnosed with a high risk of fetal disabilities like Down syndrome choose to end their pregnancy. I, the director of this program, have a younger sister, Sae, who has Down syndrome. When I asked my mother if she would have been tested, had NIPT been available, she responded, “Given my state of mind then, I would have, and if risk had been detected, Sae might not have been born.”
I interviewed people who have faced these decisions. After a prenatal test that indicates abnormalities, some people chose to end the pregnancy and others gave birth. I discovered realities behind these decisions that I hadn’t imagined. What is needed in society today, and what can each of us contribute? This is a personal documentary centered on dialogue with those who grappled with these issues.

｜Length : 24min ｜Year : 2020 ｜

The Small Journeys series focuses on the regions of Japan and the lives local people. In this episode we look at the umbrellas of Gifu; traditional craft products that are painstakingly and skillfully made from bamboo and washi paper.

The area surrounding Gifu City has been Japan’s premier umbrella-producing region ever since the Edo Period (1603-1868). After WW2, however, output shrank to a mere fraction of the peak as Western-style umbrellas became popular, and today the traditions are under threat.

Nevertheless, a few individuals continue to sustain Gifu’s craft heritage. One is a 70-year-old man who produces “runners,” the complex wheel-shaped parts connecting spokes to the shaft. He is the only runner artisan in Japan. Another is a woman who specializes in umbrella assembly. Captivated by the beauty of Gifu’s umbrellas, she spent 10 years perfecting her craft while overcoming opposition from traditionalists. She hopes to keep the tradition alive, to pass on to her young son’s generation and beyond. The Umbrellas of Gifu is a moving story of superlative craftsmanship and deep pride in local traditions.