In Japan, people often wear slippers inside their homes, schools or workplaces. It's a well-known custom, but how did it come about, and how is it evolving in modern Japan? This time on Japanology Plus, our theme is slippers. Our guest is footwear history expert Kunihiro Takechi, who tells us how and why they were invented in Japan. He also introduces some new trends in the slipper industry. And in Plus One, Matt Alt decorates a pair of indoor shoes using a technique called decoupage.

Tokyo was once known as the "city of water," but many of its rivers and waterways are now hidden from view. This time on Japanology Plus, we look at water in Japan's capital from various angles. Master brewer Shunichi Saito explains how tap water is used to make excellent sake. Tour guide Masahiro Inagaki takes us on a river cruise. And pleasure boat operator Ken Ito explains how land reclamation changed the face of water-based industries in the Tokyo Bay.