Decisions of the Heroes

Time and Tide

December 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.

Ukiyoe EDO-LIFE

December 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

December 2025 •English

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

NINJA TRUTH

December 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".

Japanology Plus

December 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.

Yotoden: Chronicle of the Warlord Period

December 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.

Neko Neko Nihonshi

December 2025 •Japanese

The story imagines if Japanese historical figures such as Queen Himiko, the warlord Oda Nobunaga, and samurai Sakamoto Ryouma were cats.

Neko Konogoro: Country Unification Arc

December 2025 •Japanese

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

信長のスマホ

December 2025 •Japanese

Comedy Connections

December 2025 •English

Comedy Connections was a BBC One documentary series produced by BBC Scotland that aired from 2003 to 2008. The show looked at the stories behind the production of some of Britain's comedy television programmes, showing how they tied in with the production of other comedy shows. The show featured interviews with some of the cast and crew of the subject programme, as well as footage from the series. Comedy Connections mostly documented BBC comedies and sitcoms, although two programmes have been from ITV and two from Channel 4. The first series consisted of six episodes, however the rest of the series consist of eight episodes each, the first two series were narrated by Julia Sawalha, however the rest of the series were narrated by Doon Mackichan.

Mystery Hunters

December 2025 •English

Mystery Hunters is a Canadian Documentary television series aimed at a young audience. It aired on YTV in Canada and on Discovery Kids in the United States. It was also dubbed in Japanese and aired in Japan on NHK. Teenage hosts Araya and Christina investigate real-life reports of mysteries such as spirits, legendary creatures, monsters, dinosaurs and UFOs. They use scientific rigour to try to find plausible explanations for the sightings and eye-witness accounts that trigger their investigations. In another section of the show, Doubting Dave, a scientist played by David Acer, attempts to explain mysterious personal experiences that have been emailed in by viewers, in a feature called "V-Files", as well as a way to create your own versions of the mysteries in the show in his "Mystery Lab" segment. Produced by Apartment 11 Productions, four seasons and 78 episodes of the series have been made, and it has garnered awards and accolades from around the world, including eight Gemini Award nominations, a 2006 Parents' Choice Award, and a 2007 Japan Prize for the "Stonehenge" episode, awarded the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Prize in the Early Education category.

TransGeneration

December 2025 •English

TransGeneration is an eight episode documentary series depicting the lives of four transgender college students during the 2004/2005 school year as they attempt to balance college, their social lives, and their struggle "to merge their internal and external selves" while gender transitioning.

A Cook's Tour

December 2025 •English

Bad-boy chef and author Anthony Bourdain goes off the beaten track in search of foods that are rare, highly esteemed and sometimes downright dangerous. The show, which aired for two seasons on the Food Network, was an offshoot of a best-selling book Bourdain wrote in 2001.

Eden: Untamed Planet

December 2025 •English

Explore six of the last untouched locations on earth. The documentary series presents life as nature intended, following the unique way wildlife has adapted to these environments and continues to rise to new challenges over the course of a year.

Trevor McDonald’s Indian Train Adventure

December 2025 •English

Following his travelogues on the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Mississippi, Las Vegas and last year’s visit to South Africa, the former newsman embarks on yet another epic journey this week in ITV’s two-parter Trevor McDonald’s Indian Train Adventure.

discover science

December 2025 •Japanese

SHINee's BACK

December 2025 •Korean

Hunting Atlantis

December 2025 •English

The Lost City of Atlantis has fascinated philosophers and historians for nearly 2,400 years and is known as one of the most extraordinary mysteries of the world. With a new trail of evidence, expert Stel Pavlou and volcanologist Jess Phoenix set out on a quest to solve the greatest archaeological mystery of all time – the rediscovery of Atlantis.

Top Secret UFO Projects Declassified

December 2025 •English

Though claims of extraterrestrial encounters have long been dismissed, many believe the existence of UFOs is not just likely, but a certainty.

Walking Tudor England

December 2025 •English

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb wends her way around the country on the trail of history's most fascinating dynasty.