Series

Watch Hometown Stories (2011) Online

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201130mReturning SeriesDocumentaryOfficial site

Synopsis

Stories about people, stories about life. Intimate portraits of people from around Japan, each leading diverse lives while enriching lives of others.

Episodes

Season 1

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1. Night of the Dancing Fire GodNow viewing2011-02-0650mThe "Matsuage" fire festival in Kyoto was admired by essayist Masako Shirasu. In her travelogue titled "Kakure-zato", she described it as "the most touching festival scene that I've ever observed". In this program, actress Mayu Tsuruta visits the festival and reports very expressively on "the dance of flames" that moved Masako Shirasu so deeply.
2. The Mountain God Piggyback2011-02-1350mThis program describes a simple, rustic event called "The Mountain God Piggyback" that has been handed down since time immemorial in a snowy mountain village in Yamagata Prefecture. Carrying the local shrine's object of worship on their shoulders, children make house-to-house visits in the area, so that the local people can offer up their prayers to the deity.
3. A Millennium of Prayers2011-02-2050mThis program shows how ancient religious practices survive on the Kunisaki Peninsula in Oita Prefecture, regarded as the home of the Buddha, and long known as a site for ascetic mountain training. Last year, during a "Mineiri" religious austerity being practiced for the first time in a decade, around 20 ascetics dressed in white made a pilgrimage that included crossing ten mountain ridges.
4. Kagura: The Passion for Dance2011-02-2750mIn ancient times, "kagura" was a form of dance dedicated to the gods. But in modern times, as its original meaning weakened and it took on the color of a local performing art, young people found it rustic and lost interest in it. Today, however, many kagura groups are attracting them and seeking to create original dances while preserving traditions. This program investigates the reasons for kagura's current popularity with the young.
5. Eco-Paddy: Bio-Wonderland2011-10-0250mThe aim of the 'eco-paddy fields' project is to grow rice without using agrochemicals and chemical fertilizers in rice fields full of wildlife created by cutting open uncultivated cedar forests and restoring terraced paddy fields. 30 parents and children from 9 families, chosen from viewer applications, participated in the project for a whole year. At last, the rice that has grown all through the summer with the support of various creatures has fully matured. The harvesting and threshing is carried out manually in the traditional way. How do the participants feel when they taste the rice and who do they want to convey their feelings to? The program presents the thoughts of each family to show what the participants gained from the project.
6. Granny Loves You: The Probation Officer's Tale2011-10-0930m77-year-old volunteer probation officer Chikako Nakamoto was affectionately known as 'The little old lady of Motomachi' by the juvenile delinquents she took care of for 30 years in the Motomachi district of Hiroshima. She opened up her home to them, served her hand-made cooking, listened to their stories, and helped many of them to reform their ways. Last November, however, Nakamoto reached the year of retirement for volunteer probation officers. She often says, "Support from the local community is essential for the rehabilitation of offenders". The program closely describes her daily life as she strives to entrust her role to the community.
7. Honoring the Dead: The Bone Washing Ritual of Yoronjima2011-10-1650mYoronjima in Kagoshima Prefecture is a southern island with a population of 5,600 surrounded by beautiful coral reef and white sand beaches. In the island's unusual ritual called 'Senkotsu', the skeletal remains of family members are dug up from three to five years after burial, cleaned and then returned to their graves. The program introduces the small island's traditional form of family bonding by following members of the Takecrapa family as they carry out the ritual and also includes the history of the island's funerary practices.
8. Mother, I Want To See You2011-10-2350mThis drama set in a remote elementary school centers around the efforts made by a young female teacher called Hikari to help Aya, an uncommunicative exchange student who has problems with her mother.

Cast

Top Billed Cast

No cast is listed for Hometown Stories.

Availability

Where To Watch Legally

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hometown Stories available to watch online?

Vidbox does not currently have a legal streaming, rental or purchase option on record for Hometown Stories in this region.

How many seasons does Hometown Stories have?

Hometown Stories has 15 seasons and 312 episodes.

When did Hometown Stories first air?

Hometown Stories first aired in 2011.

Is Hometown Stories still running?

Yes, Hometown Stories is an ongoing series.

What genre is Hometown Stories?

Hometown Stories is classified as Documentary.