About
These short documentaries take an intimate look at the lifestyles and culinary passions of people across Japan. Their stories are sure to warm the heart and whet the appetite.
Seasons
Episodes
Season 1
Tama Hiyama: Chirashi Zushi Home-party Sushi
Recipes are often developed over several lifetimes of work, lovingly crafted and passed on from generation to generation. These dishes represent much more than home cooking. This program delves into traditional recipes to shine a light on unique food cultures across Japan, and discover the older generation's seasoned philosophies of life. Tami Hiyama, 92 years old, lives alone in Fukuoka City, where she has taught home cooking for more than 60 years. We learn her recipe for "chirashi-zushi," a special kind of sushi eaten at family celebrations. Tami prepares the finest ingredients but she says mindset is just as important -- she cooks the dish imagining those who will soon enjoy it. What does "chirashi-zushi" mean to 92-year-old Tami? We discover her recipes for life and the secrets of her good health.
Akemi and Satsuki: Shojin Ryori, Buddhist Cuisine
Sisters 69-year-old Akemi and 67-year-old Satsuki have embraced "shojin ryori," a kind of vegetarian cuisine practiced by Buddhist priests. What might seem a strict diet has evolved into a project of passion. The sisters have spent 2 decades cooking up a wide repertoire of delicious recipes, which they now share at cooking classes. This program follows preparations for one lesson, and how, through "shojin ryori," they've come to deepen their understanding of themselves and the world around them.
Akio Okamura: Sardines Pickled in Rice Bran
Akio Okamura (75) is a man who lives by the sea in the quaint town of Matsuzaki. He's master builder of the Okamura Marine Craft, known throughout the country for the boats it builds and repairs. Outside of work, his passion is cooking for others - from spiny lobsters and crabs he catches himself, to sardines marinaded in his own secret sauce. We follow Akio as he generously shares food with those around him, both employees and neighbors, young and old.
Sayaka Mori: Seaweed Maki Roll
The town of Monzenmachi in Ishikawa Prefecture is surrounded by both the sea and mountains. Here, Sayaka Mori (38) has decided to open a guesthouse limited to one group per night. Although she originally hated cooking, through learning from local teachers, she cooks dishes with ingredients she sources herself and shares the rich local food culture with her guests. This time, she prepares a special seaweed roll, made with seaweed that can only be harvested during a ten-day window.
Misao Kuwata: Mochi Rice Cakes Wrapped in Bamboo Leaves
Something is always cooking in 92-year-old Misao Kuwata's kitchen. Every week she prepares 600 Sasa-mochi, a sweet steamed rice cake wrapped in bamboo leaves that is much-loved by locals. Drawing on the nature and traditions of Aomori Prefecture, where she lives, she adds a little of her own creativity to make delicious treats, and shares them with those around her. As we follow her hard work and careful methods, we discover Misao's secret to living a life full of happiness and inspiration.
Jiyu Gakuen: Salmon Chirashi Zushi
Jiyu Gakuen is a unique school in the Tokyo suburbs that emphasizes "learning from daily life." Every day, the middle or high school students have to prepare the school lunch themselves. This time, 20 students in the girls' division are tasked with making 280 meals within 2 hours. A leader is chosen, who must devise a cooking schedule as well as instruct the others. With the aim of serving delicious food, the students face hard work and challenges together, gaining valuable lessons in life.
Harie, Shiga: A Town Living with Water
Lake Biwa is the largest body of fresh water in Japan. There's a town, Harie in Shiga Prefecture, on its northwestern shore, with a constant sound of water. Canals run throughout the town, as if to surround each house. Flowing there is all natural water that wells from underground. To make efficient use of this precious water, local people have created a type of kitchen, Kabata, that's unique to this area. Inside of this kitchen, the beautiful water flows from a well. This water has been supporting people's lives for 300 years. We'll visit some families in Harie, and see how these people have been creating the circle of life.
Shimi-konnyaku, Ibaraki
Shimi-konnyaku is a unique, naturally freeze-dried Japanese food, that would be able to be kept for 50 years. It was developed as a form of preserved food in early Japan. Toshi Nakajima, 89 years old, has been making this local specialty for 36 years. In the heyday, there were more than 50 producers in Hitachi-Ota, Ibaraki Prefecture, but it has been produced less and less because of the difficult work and harsh climate in winter. Toshi said, "Someone must keep local traditions." For him, Shimi-konnyaku is not only an ingredient, but also it's full of memories of his hometown and family. Visit the family life and the scenery created by Shimi-konnyaku in a quiet village in the mountains.
Similar Shows
Shows like this one
Recommended for You
Based on this series
