Japan has always had a strong sense of national identity.

Washington-based journalist Yumi Araki returns to the country of her birth to get at the heart of what it means to be Japanese today.

She explores the influences that have shaped the Japanese sense of self, from a connoisseur of kawaii to a modern day Buddhist monk. As the country moves into a new era, there are also those seeking to redefine it. Yumi meets the people involved in these changes, from the new wave of mixed race young people to the leader of a radical ultranationalistic political party.