The "snow country" that covers nearly half of Japan gets huge amounts of snow every year. Local people have devised various practical ways of coping with harsh winters, and in recent years, innovative ways of attracting visitors have been breathing new life into the region. This time on Japanology Plus, Natsuo Numano, a professor who has pioneered the field of snow country studies, will guide us through Japan's snow country. And in Plus One, learn the secrets of shoveling snow the right way!

The Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway is the capital city's most important road system. Begun 50 years ago, with a 4.5-kilometer stretch built for the 1964 Olympics, it is today a massive, complex web of roads that runs more than 300 kilometers and carries more than 1 million vehicles per day. Our guest this time is Kenichi Kawabe, an expert on transportation systems and the technology used to build them. And in Plus One, navigating the expressway like a pro!