Japan's Top Inventions

The behind-the-scenes tales of hit products and creations from Japan: this is Japan's Top Inventions. On this episode, we discover conveyor belt sushi, an invention that's trundled its way to countries and regions around the world. The technology, in which plates of sushi are delivered via a rotating conveyor belt, actually traces its origins to a single eureka moment in a beer factory in 1950's Japan. This time, the inside story of the one man who brought this Top Invention to life.

The behind-the-scenes tales of hit products and creations from Japan: this is Japan's Top Inventions. This time: the Shinkansen, sometimes called the bullet train, which set a new record for high-speed rail, 256km/h, in its trial runs. The inspiration for unlocking that incredible speed came from aerodynamic airplanes. Shinkansen technology is now being adopted around the world in places like the UK and Taiwan. This time, we discover the drama behind the creation of this high-speed invention.

The behind-the-scenes tales of hit products and creations from Japan: this is Japan's Top Inventions. This time, electric rice cookers, which create fluffy, great-tasting rice with the press of a button. Developed in Japan in 1955, these automated rice cookers keep growing in popularity: in 2016, exports hit a record high. In Asia and around the world, this invention plays an essential role in creating rice-based dishes. This time, the unknown story behind the birth of the electric rice cooker.

The behind-the-scenes tales of hit products and creations from Japan: this is Japan's Top Inventions. On this episode, electronic bidet toilets, which clean your bottom with a spray of warm water. On sale since 1980, some 40 million of these toilet seats have shipped, and are now sold in many countries and regions including the U.S. and China. But the creation of this high-tech, revolutionary product was anything but easy. This time, the dramatic tale behind electronic bidet toilets.

The behind-the-scenes tales of hit products and creations from Japan: this is Japan's Top Inventions. This time, quartz wristwatches, which caused a "timepiece revolution" with their accurate timing. Built in Japan in 1969, the world's first quartz wristwatch drifted only 0.2 seconds a day, making it about 100 times more accurate than previous watches. Even now, 96% of watches around the world use the same system. We trace the drama behind the creation of this super-accurate timepiece.

The behind-the-scenes tales of hit products and creations from Japan: this is Japan's Top Inventions. This time, a product first produced in Japan in 1958: instant ramen. With over 100 billion servings eaten every year, this instant meal has become a worldwide staple. The inspiration for this invention came from a surprising source: the deep-fried Japanese dish known as tempura. This time, we bite into the story behind instant ramen, a food loved around the world.