Decisions of the Heroes

Japanology Plus

September 2025 •Japanese

Host Peter Barakan delves into various aspects of Japanese culture; exploring practices, history, and modern innovations in such areas as ramen, rice, sushi, geisha, bonsai, and so much more. Local experts discuss their passions at fascinating length, and American Japanophile Matt Alt experiences the food, practices, and cultures in each episode in depth. Viewers will finish each half hour episode with a new understanding of an area of Japanese life through demonstrative videos and explanations, all delivered respectfully and true to the Japanese way of life.

Ukiyoe EDO-LIFE

September 2025 •English

Centuries ago, Tokyo was known as Edo. More than a million people enjoyed life in this small but abundant city. They live on in ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Each episode is a deep dive into a single print, and an exploration of the soul of Old Tokyo. We examine works by artists like Hokusai and Hiroshige not just for their aesthetic and historical value, but for the stories they tell of everyday life. That is how the people of Edo themselves enjoyed this mass-produced medium.

Magical Japanese

September 2025 •English

Explore the richness and depth of the Japanese language and discover how words and expressions reflect history, culture and the natural world.

Time and Tide

September 2025 •English

"Time and Tide" transcends time to detail extraordinary historical events in Japan and the larger world. Join NHK WORLD-JAPAN on a journey that reveals the truth behind some of the turning points of the past.

NINJA TRUTH

September 2025 •English

Ninja are now seen in popular media around the world. But as their profile rises, their reality gets muddied amid legends and fantasies. The truth about authentic ninja lies unknown, shrouded in mystery. This program carefully examines the fighting skills and tools used by actual ninja, and conducts experiments to determine the "Ninja Truth".

Yotoden: Chronicle of the Warlord Period

September 2025 •Japanese

In the year 1580, a man named Lord Nobunaga Oda sends hoards of unholy armies across Japan, slaying all who stand in their way. A young ninja escapes her villages' destruction with a short sword, one of the three mystical weapons that can end Oda's rule. During her quest, she is joined by two other ninjas who wield the other two weapons of legend, the sacred sword and spear.

信長のスマホ

September 2025 •Japanese

Neko Konogoro: Country Unification Arc

September 2025 •Japanese

Follows Nekotarou, a cat from Kagoshima who aims to unify the country.

Living Undocumented

September 2025 •English

Eight undocumented families' fates roller-coast as the United States' immigration policies are transformed.

Dwars door de Middellandse Zee

September 2025 •Dutch

Ten Oorlog

September 2025 •Dutch

Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan

September 2025 •English

Dynamic reenactments and expert commentaries bring to life the tumultuous history and power struggles of a warring 16th-century feudal Japan.

Ärger im Revier

September 2025 •German

When problems arise, Falk and Ingo from Bielefeld and Nadine and Holger from Berlin are the first on the scene. The four are patrol officers and have learned that a good knowledge of human nature helps them most on the street. Keeping calm is their top priority. But when a troublemaker causes trouble three times during their shift, the police officers can get really angry...

The Birth of Europe

September 2025 •English

The series reveals how the success of peoples and nations of Europe was controlled by the natural mineral resources of the land: from Stone Age flints to the uranium of the Nuclear Age.

Japan with Sue Perkins

September 2025 •English

From sumo wrestling to robots, Japan's traditions and high-tech innovations fuel host Sue Perkin's cultural exploration in this docuseries.

Someone You Thought You Knew

September 2025 •English

This true-crime series tells stories of actual murders committed not by strangers but by someone the victim knew, someone hiding in plain sight, or someone leading a double life. These wolves in sheep's clothing use deception as a weapon to try to get away with murder.

World War II: Battles Won and Lost

September 2025 •English

This sweeping World War II series examines the outcome of battles fought in every major theater. It shows that these battles were decided by strategy and by which armies could capitalize on the terrain or gain better access to supplies. Whether waged by the Allies or by Hitler and the Axis powers, victory or defeat could determine possession of territory, resources, or the will to go on fighting.

De sjældne danskere

September 2025 •Danish

Birth of Europe

September 2025 •English

Crushed, flooded and exploded into life – Europe is a battlefield of Nature. Discover the extraordinary and shocking geological story of how Europe was created by nature’s most titanic forces.

香巴拉深处

September 2025 •Chinese