Living in real time

The Chinese team localized the documentary based on the three principles of the original show: shooting for only 72 hours, authenticity and following the original sequence of the appearance of interviewees.

"They've been guiding us with practical methods to operate, including very detailed tips to help us observe people, to identify which passers-by would be likely to have a story to tell. These are experiences they've accumulated over years of exploration," Li says.

On Nov 1, an episode from the first season of the Chinese version about a city park in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province, was on show on NHK.

The episode features retired people who, in pursuit of more agreeable weather, resettle in the city that feels like spring all year long, just like the black-headed gulls migrating to the city during winter.

A Japanese viewer commented on Twitter that the episode made him realize that elderly Chinese people are facing the same problems as their Japanese counterparts.

"We want our audience, especially foreigners, to know about authentic China. Our work is beyond ideology and will make them realize that these are situations people encounter everywhere-we do have difficulties in common and this is worth knowing," Li says.a