Rice crackers and other rice-based snacks have been widely consumed in Japan for hundreds of years. Each region of the country has its own twist. Some places use seafood, while others use wheat flour. This time on Japanology Plus, our theme is rice snacks. Our main guest is Kodama Kyoko, an independent food journalist and an authority on rice crackers. She talks about their history, and explains how the rice snack industry is diversifying to fit modern needs.

Tokyo is a crowded city. Its rooftops represent valuable space, and they're used in some very creative ways. This time on Japanology Plus, our theme is Tokyo rooftops. Our main guest is Kurakata Shunsuke, an architectural history specialist from Osaka City University. He takes us on a tour of amusement parks, gardens and other unique rooftop spaces. We also meet photographer Takano Akira, who shows us his favorite city rooftops. Along the way we discover rooftop shrines, rice fields and many more surprises.