Is Hometown Stories coming back?
Hometown Stories (2011–present) on NHK World
The answer: Between seasons — last episode April 13, 2026, no return date announced yet.
15seasons
303episodes
About Hometown Stories
Hometown Stories is currently between seasons. The most recent episode aired on April 13, 2026, and no new episodes have been announced yet. The show is on a seasonal break, with the latest season having concluded in April 2026.
Hometown Stories is a documentary series that first premiered on February 6, 2011, on NHK World. It explores themes ranging from ancient traditions to contemporary social issues through intimate portraits of people's lives across Japan. The series has featured a wide array of stories that highlight the diverse experiences and cultural practices in different regions of the country.
Each episode has a runtime of approximately 40 minutes. The series has been on the air for over a decade, with multiple seasons covering different periods and topics related to Japanese society and culture.
Hometown Stories episode schedule
303 aired
Aired · 303
| Date | Ep. | Title |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2026 | S2026·E9 | Soul-Searching in a Mikan Orchard |
| April 5, 2026 | S2026·E8 | Breaking Barriers by Farming |
| March 24, 2026 | S2026·E7 | A Morning Market in Early Winter |
| March 2, 2026 | S2026·E6 | A Ten-Year-Old Takes the Reins |
| February 23, 2026 | S2026·E5 | A Doctor Duo: Songs to Comfort the Heart |
| February 16, 2026 | S2026·E4 | Hope At Your Fingertips |
| February 2, 2026 | S2026·E3 | Tradition and Innovation: Tochigi's Sake Masters |
| January 26, 2026 | S2026·E2 | The Island of Boze Deities |
| January 5, 2026 | S2026·E1 | Aiming for Glory : Japan's Senior Esports Team |
| December 22, 2025 | S2025·E30 | A Place to Prepare for Dementia |
| December 15, 2025 | S2025·E29 | Talking With the Eyes |
| December 1, 2025 | S2025·E28 | Preserving the Site of a Plane Crash |
| November 24, 2025 | S2025·E27 | Survivors: Capturing Life After the Atomic Bomb |
| November 3, 2025 | S2025·E26 | Chasing a Dream With a Horse |
| October 27, 2025 | S2025·E25 | Playing Ping Pong with Parkinson's |
| October 20, 2025 | S2025·E24 | Tuning a Piano to the Sound of the Heart |
| October 6, 2025 | S2025·E23 | A Beloved Local Paper in a Flood-hit Village |
| September 30, 2025 | S2025·E22 | Following in the Footsteps of a National Treasure |
| September 8, 2025 | S2025·E21 | A Rookie Fisher & His Grandpa in the Sanriku Seas |
| September 1, 2025 | S2025·E20 | Revitalizing Cherry Trees in Fukushima |
| August 18, 2025 | S2025·E19 | The Future of an A-bombed Shrine |
| August 4, 2025 | S2025·E18 | Holding on to Peace: Atomic-bomb Survivor's Message |
| July 29, 2025 | S2025·E17 | A Doc's Best Friend |
| July 7, 2025 | S2025·E16 | Lasting Memories of a Vanishing Town |
| June 23, 2025 | S2025·E15 | Reinventing a Small Town Supermarket |
| June 16, 2025 | S2025·E14 | Factory Groove: Wakayama's Textile Industry |
| June 2, 2025 | S2025·E13 | Loved Ones Reunited on Canvas |
| May 27, 2025 | S2025·E12 | An Ace Soccer Player Lights Up a Small Town |
| May 5, 2025 | S2025·E11 | Becoming Gods for a Night |
| April 28, 2025 | S2025·E10 | Puppet Tale: Foxes, a Princess and a Sacred Lake |
Show next 200 of 273 earlier episodes
| April 14, 2025 | S2025·E9 | Calligraphy Creating Hope for Revival |
| April 7, 2025 | S2025·E8 | Life in a Land of Grass |
| March 23, 2025 | S2025·E7 | Unfolding a Life with Origami |
| March 9, 2025 | S2025·E6 | Chasing the Dream of Being a Jockey |
| February 23, 2025 | S2025·E5 | An Island Stays Awake for Sumo |
| February 9, 2025 | S2025·E4 | Planting Seeds of Peace in Hiroshima |
| February 2, 2025 | S2025·E3 | Bull Battles – A Community's Beloved Tradition |
| January 19, 2025 | S2025·E2 | Framing Family Memories |
| January 12, 2025 | S2025·E1 | Searching for Closure: 10 Years Since a Deadly Eruption |
| December 29, 2024 | S2024·E31 | Sailing the Seas on a Sabani |
| December 15, 2024 | S2024·E30 | Plum Promoter-in-Chief |
| December 8, 2024 | S2024·E29 | Making Art with Autism |
| November 24, 2024 | S2024·E28 | Living with the Bounty of the Sea: 13 Years on from the Tsunami |
| November 10, 2024 | S2024·E27 | Together Through Dementia |
| October 27, 2024 | S2024·E26 | Making a Home in Osaka |
| October 20, 2024 | S2024·E25 | A Country Town's Woolly Heroes |
| October 6, 2024 | S2024·E24 | Reviving a Pottery Tradition in Fukushima |
| September 29, 2024 | S2024·E23 | Leaving No Stone Unturned: A Potter's Quest |
| September 15, 2024 | S2024·E22 | Modern Maiko Diaries |
| September 8, 2024 | S2024·E21 | Carrying on in a Quake-hit Town |
| August 25, 2024 | S2024·E20 | A Year as a Young Rural Doctor |
| August 11, 2024 | S2024·E19 | Hiroshima's A-Bomb Survivor Trees |
| July 28, 2024 | S2024·E18 | A Ranch for Retired Racehorses |
| July 21, 2024 | S2024·E17 | Holy Fire on the Mountain |
| July 7, 2024 | S2024·E16 | Mending Hearts with Mandarin Oranges |
| June 30, 2024 | S2024·E15 | New Face for a Centuries-Old Dance |
| June 9, 2024 | S2024·E14 | From Seed to Shop: Grandma's Pickles |
| May 26, 2024 | S2024·E13 | Forging Bonds Under a Starry Sky |
| May 19, 2024 | S2024·E12 | Pearls for Remembrance |
| May 5, 2024 | S2024·E11 | Navigating a World with Words |
| April 28, 2024 | S2024·E10 | New Approach to an Old Festival |
| April 14, 2024 | S2024·E9 | Hiking Guide Connects Hearts |
| March 24, 2024 | S2024·E8 | Life Lessons by a Crystal-Clear River |
| March 10, 2024 | S2024·E7 | Taxi Drivers in a Tsunami-hit Town |
| February 25, 2024 | S2024·E6 | Nepalese Students Find a Taste of Home |
| February 18, 2024 | S2024·E5 | Conquering Peaks on One Leg |
| February 4, 2024 | S2024·E4 | Nagasaki's Long-Forgotten Choir |
| January 28, 2024 | S2024·E3 | A Mosque in a Japanese Community |
| January 14, 2024 | S2024·E2 | A School for Two |
| January 7, 2024 | S2024·E1 | Korean Family Meals for Rural Japan |
| December 24, 2023 | S2023·E29 | Inheriting a Thousand-Year-Old Craft |
| December 10, 2023 | S2023·E28 | Grandma's Hands Reap Nature's Bounty |
| November 26, 2023 | S2023·E27 | Sparking a Chain of Kindness |
| November 19, 2023 | S2023·E26 | A Heart-Warming Tokyo Veggie Stand |
| November 5, 2023 | S2023·E25 | Countryside Diaries |
| October 22, 2023 | S2023·E24 | Egg Wars – Father vs. Son |
| October 8, 2023 | S2023·E23 | Japanese Paper Supports War-torn Ukraine |
| September 24, 2023 | S2023·E22 | Reviving a Fukushima Brewery |
| September 10, 2023 | S2023·E21 | A Song for a New Fukushima School |
| September 3, 2023 | S2023·E20 | A House-call Doctor in Fukushima |
| August 20, 2023 | S2023·E19 | Life on a Sloping Farm |
| August 6, 2023 | S2023·E18 | The Final Journey |
| July 23, 2023 | S2023·E17 | A Cut Above the Rest |
| July 9, 2023 | S2023·E16 | Kintsugi: Mending Memories with Gold |
| July 2, 2023 | S2023·E15 | Mailing Letters to the Lost |
| June 18, 2023 | S2023·E14 | Waiting for the God's Crossing |
| June 11, 2023 | S2023·E13 | Our New Classmate from Ukraine |
| May 28, 2023 | S2023·E12 | Amashi: Japan's Freediving Fishers |
| May 14, 2023 | S2023·E11 | Bonding Through Soba: A Story of Four Grannies |
| May 7, 2023 | S2023·E10 | Hard Rain: A Village Divided |
| April 23, 2023 | S2023·E9 | A World Heritage Town: Past and Future |
| April 9, 2023 | S2023·E8 | Modern Methods Sustain Metalwork Tradition |
| March 19, 2023 | S2023·E7 | Flying Like an Arrow |
| March 5, 2023 | S2023·E6 | Small Factory Reaches for the Stars |
| February 19, 2023 | S2023·E5 | Seeking a Chance to Learn: Students with Overseas Roots |
| February 5, 2023 | S2023·E4 | Soccer Team Raises Community Spirit |
| January 22, 2023 | S2023·E3 | Magical Forest: Okinawa's Natural World Heritage Site |
| January 15, 2023 | S2023·E2 | A Float Artisan & His Muse |
| January 1, 2023 | S2023·E1 | Stable Fishing Jobs Steer a Community |
| December 18, 2022 | S2022·E30 | A Fresh Start on a Small Island |
| December 4, 2022 | S2022·E29 | Lighting the Way for Tradition |
| November 20, 2022 | S2022·E28 | Ainu: Engaging the Power of Dialogue |
| November 13, 2022 | S2022·E27 | Okinawan Dance Flowers Far From Home |
| November 6, 2022 | S2022·E26 | Building a Thatched-Roof, Building New Bonds |
| October 23, 2022 | S2022·E25 | Building Bonds With Books |
| October 16, 2022 | S2022·E24 | A Burger Hangout in Okinawa |
| October 2, 2022 | S2022·E23 | Discovering Myself Through Dementia |
| September 18, 2022 | S2022·E22 | The Future of an Ancient Ritual |
| September 11, 2022 | S2022·E21 | The Drumbeat of a Mother's Heart |
| September 4, 2022 | S2022·E20 | Saving Lives on an Isolated Island |
| August 21, 2022 | S2022·E19 | Building On a Sacred Tradition |
| August 7, 2022 | S2022·E18 | A Blind Teacher's Farewell |
| July 24, 2022 | S2022·E17 | Nuclear Waste Splits a Town |
| July 17, 2022 | S2022·E16 | The Future of Fukuoka's Food Stalls |
| July 3, 2022 | S2022·E15 | Auntie Baseball |
| June 19, 2022 | S2022·E14 | Finding Freedom in the Pool |
| June 5, 2022 | S2022·E13 | When the Sea Turned Red |
| May 22, 2022 | S2022·E12 | Rebuilding Lives After the Kumamoto Earthquake |
| May 15, 2022 | S2022·E11 | Bomb Disposal Quest in Okinawa |
| May 8, 2022 | S2022·E10 | Many Vines, One Family |
| April 17, 2022 | S2022·E9 | The Power of Memories |
| April 10, 2022 | S2022·E8 | Swordfish Fishing With My Father |
| March 13, 2022 | S2022·E7 | A Small Village with Big Ideas |
| March 6, 2022 | S2022·E6 | Rapping for Fukushima |
| February 20, 2022 | S2022·E5 | Longing for the Power of Touch |
| February 6, 2022 | S2022·E4 | Behind the Artist's Hand |
| January 23, 2022 | S2022·E3 | Conversations Without Words |
| January 16, 2022 | S2022·E2 | Life Lessons From the Homeless |
| January 9, 2022 | S2022·E1 | A Toast to the God of Sake |
| December 19, 2021 | S2021·E28 | Mending Your Cherished Clothes |
| December 5, 2021 | S2021·E27 | Making Peace With My Father |
| November 21, 2021 | S2021·E26 | Fond Farewell for a Beloved Train |
| November 14, 2021 | S2021·E25 | A 94-Year-Old Culinary Wizard |
| November 7, 2021 | S2021·E24 | Crisis in "Japan's Kitchen" |
| October 24, 2021 | S2021·E23 | Living Alongside Disaster |
| October 17, 2021 | S2021·E22 | Being LGBT+ in a Small Town |
| October 3, 2021 | S2021·E21 | Shared House, Shared Lives |
| September 19, 2021 | S2021·E20 | Light on a Raging River |
| September 5, 2021 | S2021·E19 | The Unorthodox Karuta Champion / Ruludaisy: Drag Queen Farmer |
| August 22, 2021 | S2021·E18 | Baseball Heals Kids |
| August 15, 2021 | S2021·E17 | Building Robots, Fostering Happiness |
| August 1, 2021 | S2021·E16 | Sushi with Heart and Soul |
| July 11, 2021 | S2021·E15 | Rediscovering Ainu Heritage: Part 2 |
| July 4, 2021 | S2021·E14 | Rediscovering Ainu Heritage: Part 1 |
| June 20, 2021 | S2021·E13 | The Deities of Gion |
| June 6, 2021 | S2021·E12 | Haircut Magic |
| May 23, 2021 | S2021·E11 | A Legendary Chef's Last Lessons |
| May 16, 2021 | S2021·E10 | Why Did She Pose in a Bikini?: Challenges of an "Ostomate" Doctor |
| May 2, 2021 | S2021·E9 | A Place for Every Child |
| April 18, 2021 | S2021·E8 | Spring Splendor in Hirosaki |
| April 4, 2021 | S2021·E7 | The Power of Giving Up |
| March 21, 2021 | S2021·E6 | Selfie Diary of Mr. "One Team" |
| March 7, 2021 | S2021·E5 | Rescuing Pre-Disaster Memories |
| February 14, 2021 | S2021·E4 | Analog Buddies in a Digital Age |
| February 7, 2021 | S2021·E3 | A Haven Called Bethesda |
| January 17, 2021 | S2021·E2 | Connecting People in a Pandemic |
| January 10, 2021 | S2021·E1 | Why She Runs |
| December 20, 2020 | S2020·E24 | Follow Your Heart: The Green-haired Gardener |
| December 6, 2020 | S2020·E23 | Drawing Our "New Normal" |
| November 15, 2020 | S2020·E22 | The Treasures of Toyama Bay |
| November 8, 2020 | S2020·E21 | Steering Through Tough Times |
| October 17, 2020 | S2020·E20 | Breast Cancer Diary 2020: Keeping a Dream Alive |
| October 10, 2020 | S2020·E19 | A Pillar for Brazilians in Japan |
| September 19, 2020 | S2020·E18 | Unread Messages |
| September 5, 2020 | S2020·E17 | Community Newspaper |
| August 15, 2020 | S2020·E16 | A-Bomb Paintings |
| August 8, 2020 | S2020·E15 | The Shadow of Nagasaki: Nurses' Stories |
| July 18, 2020 | S2020·E14 | Bullfights & Big Dreams |
| July 4, 2020 | S2020·E13 | Uncle and Nephew in a Tsunami-Hit Town |
| June 20, 2020 | S2020·E12 | Bitter and Sweet: A Strawberry Farming Family |
| June 6, 2020 | S2020·E11 | Being There for Foreign Patients |
| May 23, 2020 | S2020·E10 | Avatar Robots Open New Doors |
| May 16, 2020 | S2020·E9 | He Has a Dream: A Novice Fisherman's Challenge |
| April 18, 2020 | S2020·E8 | Fruitful Connections |
| April 4, 2020 | S2020·E7 | Rock Ptarmigans: Reviving the Divine Birds |
| March 14, 2020 | S2020·E6 | Revealing the Final Moments |
| February 29, 2020 | S2020·E5 | No Going Back: New Ideas from a Tsunami-hit Fishing Town |
| February 15, 2020 | S2020·E4 | Expressing the Ainu Spirit |
| February 2, 2020 | S2020·E3 | A Young Soba Chef's Challenge |
| January 18, 2020 | S2020·E2 | Strength and Hope - The Power of Azaleas |
| January 11, 2020 | S2020·E1 | Look to the Night Sky |
| December 21, 2019 | S2019·E27 | The Bounty of the Mountains |
| December 7, 2019 | S2019·E26 | Paddling Our Hometown Lake |
| November 16, 2019 | S2019·E25 | Soap That Gives Hope |
| November 2, 2019 | S2019·E24 | A Will to Survive |
| October 19, 2019 | S2019·E23 | Welcome to Maru-chan's Café |
| October 5, 2019 | S2019·E22 | Home for Good - Health Care at the End of Life |
| September 21, 2019 | S2019·E21 | Fukushima's Grandpa Troop: Restoring a Deserted Town |
| September 14, 2019 | S2019·E20 | Why We Dance - Children's Kagura Troupe |
| August 17, 2019 | S2019·E19 | A Late Dreamer |
| August 3, 2019 | S2019·E18 | Where Are My Roots? - One Orphan's Search |
| July 20, 2019 | S2019·E17 | Two Worlds, One Dream: Vying for Powerlifting Glory |
| June 22, 2019 | S2019·E16 | Serving Up Memories |
| June 8, 2019 | S2019·E15 | Praying for Flowers, Praying for Life |
| May 18, 2019 | S2019·E14 | A Community in the Sky |
| May 4, 2019 | S2019·E13 | Yuko Kuroda's Legacy of Care |
| April 20, 2019 | S2019·E12 | A Geisha in Nara: Bridging Past and Future |
| April 6, 2019 | S2019·E11 | The Revival of "Mikan Valley" |
| March 24, 2019 | S2019·E10 | Stories of Fukushima: Giving Their All |
| March 17, 2019 | S2019·E9 | Fukushima Ramen: Bowlful of Spirit |
| March 10, 2019 | S2019·E8 | Sharing Their Stories |
| March 3, 2019 | S2019·E7 | For the Love of Lettering |
| February 17, 2019 | S2019·E6 | Drawing to Find a New Me |
| February 10, 2019 | S2019·E5 | "Super Volunteer": Driven to Help in Disasters |
| February 3, 2019 | S2019·E4 | From Handsome to Beautiful |
| January 20, 2019 | S2019·E3 | Yuka and Her New Classmates |
| January 13, 2019 | S2019·E2 | A 26-Year-Old's Breast Cancer Diary |
| January 6, 2019 | S2019·E1 | Finding Happiness in Bathhouses |
| December 23, 2018 | S2018·E37 | Night School - Learning for Living |
| December 16, 2018 | S2018·E36 | Apprentice Geisha: Making Dreams Come True |
| December 2, 2018 | S2018·E35 | The Maturing Sake Expert |
| November 18, 2018 | S2018·E34 | Tears, Laughter and Motherhood |
| November 11, 2018 | S2018·E33 | Onikenbai: the Demon Sword Dance |
| November 4, 2018 | S2018·E32 | Making Udon to a Different Beat |
| October 21, 2018 | S2018·E31 | "Crazy Mike" the Artist |
| October 14, 2018 | S2018·E30 | The 100km Walk: Two Life-Changing Days |
| October 7, 2018 | S2018·E29 | A Budding Forestry Career |
| September 23, 2018 | S2018·E28 | Sculptures with Soul |
| September 16, 2018 | S2018·E27 | Pursuing the Ultimate Awa Indigo |
| September 2, 2018 | S2018·E26 | Brewing a Future for Local Tea |
| August 19, 2018 | S2018·E25 | Auntie's Candy Store – Sweets & Life Lessons |
| August 12, 2018 | S2018·E24 | Grandmas' Goodbye to an Old Market |
| August 5, 2018 | S2018·E23 | Soaking Up a Hot Spring Dream |
| July 22, 2018 | S2018·E22 | Remembering Our Railway |
| July 15, 2018 | S2018·E21 | Opening Doors to Newcomers |
| July 8, 2018 | S2018·E20 | The Colors of the Forest |
| July 1, 2018 | S2018·E19 | A Teacher's Passion |
| June 17, 2018 | S2018·E18 | Mr. Grandpa in Nursery School |
| June 10, 2018 | S2018·E17 | Sweet Taste of Hope |
| June 3, 2018 | S2018·E16 | Giving Dreams a Boost |
…and 73 earlier episodes not shown. Long-running show.