CATCH JAPAN

Explore a colorful variety of modern Japan’s most popular topics, including food, technology, ecology and regional promotions, with a focus on the innovative ideas and passionate effort from the people behind it all.

J-TOWN

Akkeshi, a town in eastern Hokkaido of about 9000 people, is home to an internationally renowned whisky. This segment features the challenges of a distillery creating its original whisky using local ingredients and materials and local townspeople supporting their efforts.

J-STREET

Kagurazaka in Tokyo is a place where Japanese traditional and contemporary shops co-exist in harmony. In this segment, we visit Kagurazaka’s atmospheric and maze-like backstreet alleys where you can sometimes hear the ambient music of the Japanese Shamisen string instrument.

J-TOWN

Kitakata, a city in Fukushima Prefecture, is well known in Japan for its delicious ramen and sake, and locals are determined to take its fame onto the world stage. In this segment, Zoe Vincent, who had lived in the area for 4 years, learns what makes Kitakata's ramen and sake special, and what the community is doing to share the appeal of these local specialties with international visitors.

J-FOOD

Shimo-kitazawa is a vibrant hub of Tokyo culture and trends. A restaurant in the area hosted a pop-up dining event that embodies a new movement in Japanese cuisine; an on-the-spot, improvised dining experience accompanied by information on the origins and concepts behind the dishes. This segment highlights a new form of Japan’s ever-evolving cuisine.