Known as hikikomori, the phenomenon of social withdrawal has become increasingly commonplace in Japan. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese shut themselves away, spending months and sometimes years in isolation. RTD travels to Japan to hear the stories of Ito and others, who ended up trapped inside their bedrooms. We question why the epidemic of hikikomori has gripped modern Japan, and what drives the people into seclusion and how some of them eventually decide to get out.From personal stories of hikikomoris and their relatives, and from those who reach out to them, RTD offers an intimate portrait of Japan’s modern hermits.