Document 72 Hours · Season 6 · Episode 5
A Discounted Ticket to Happiness
Friday, February 6 · 25 min
Since Japan's bubble economy burst in the early 1990's, saving money has become an established part of life for many people. Shops selling discount coupons and cheap tickets are a magnet for people seeking to stretch every last yen. One such shop in Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo measures only a few square meters, but more than 400 customers go there daily. A temp worker buys subway coupon tickets to save 10 yen; a woman buys vouchers that save her 36 yen so she can enjoy a meal at a nice restaurant; whilst another woman sells vouchers she does not need for a tidy sum of cash. What dreams and happiness are people seeking as they save a few yen here and there? This program looks at people and money, as seen from the counter of a tiny shop.
Guest stars
