Where We Call Home
People from around the globe who put down roots in Japan offer a glimpse into their lives and the hardships they face in Japanese society.


The city of Otaru in Hokkaido Prefecture is famous for its glass making tradition. Fascinated by Otaru glassware, Chen Yu-Chin moved here from her native Taiwan to train to become a glass artisan herself. After only a year, she was already an award-winning glass artist! On this episode, we follow Yu-Chin as she prepares her latest piece for an upcoming art exhibition. We also drop by a factory in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, to meet Indonesian Nursalam Hidayat, who trains as a metal caster.