Season 4 (2013)

Exploring Yatsugatake's Nature and Jomon Legacy
0.0

January 8, 2013 • 28m

On this edition of "Journeys in Japan" we visit the southwestern foot of Yatsugatake, a chain of mountains extending 30 kilometers...Read more

Winter Bliss in Takayama
0.0

January 22, 2013 • 28m

Our destination is Takayama City in Gifu Prefecture. Our reporter Charles Glover discovers the city's traditions by sightseeing on foot.

Zen and the Samurai Spirit: Kamakura
0.0

January 29, 2013 • 28m

The city of Kamakura lies just south of Tokyo. From around 800 years ago, it was the capital of the samurai generals who ruled Jap...Read more

Namahage New Year's Rite
0.0

February 5, 2013 • 28m

On this "Journeys in Japan" our reporter Deborah Ten experiences the rings in the New Year in northern Japan. She visits Oga Penin...Read more

Pure Mt. Fuji: A Winter Journey
0.0

February 19, 2013 • 28m

This week we journey to the foot of Mt. Fuji in winter to discover the area's majestic nature.

Honjima: Treasure House of the Seto Inland Sea
0.0

February 26, 2013 • 28m

Honjima is one of the Shiwaku group of islands in the Seto Inland Sea, between Japan's mainland Honshu and Shikoku. On this editio...Read more

Sanriku Coast: Abundant Sea Part 2
0.0

March 12, 2013 • 28m

The Sanriku Coast of northeastern Japan is a beautiful area with stunning scenery. It was devastated by the great earthquake and t...Read more

Ice Monsters and Warm Hospitality: Zao
0.0

March 19, 2013 • 28m

During the full moon, a special Moonlight Walk is held, giving visitors a chance to walk through the ice monsters.

Discovering Tottori Crafts
0.0

March 26, 2013 • 28m

Tottori is a major folk craft center in Japan. On this trip, our reporter Dario Ponissi travels across Tottori Prefecture from eas...Read more

Nature's Beauty in Microcosm
0.0

April 2, 2013 • 28m

Since ancient times, formal gardens have offered a distinctive expression of Japan's traditional aesthetic. Often featuring lush g...Read more

Spring Colors of Ibusuki
0.0

April 9, 2013 • 28m

In this episode, photogravure artist Peter Miller travels to Ibusuki City, a hot spring town at the southern tip of Kyushu, in search of spring.

A Spiritual Journey in Oita
0.0

April 16, 2013 • 28m

Oita Prefecture, in southwest Japan, is an area with beautiful natural scenery and many sacred sites. It also boasts a remarkable ...Read more

Jazzy Kobe
0.0

April 23, 2013 • 28m

Our destination is the cosmopolitan city of Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture. Actor Charles Glover discovers its unique culture of jazz. I...Read more

Minami-Boso: Seaside Trip With Children
0.0

April 30, 2013 • 28m

Close to Tokyo but far from the city, there are great places to visit in Japan if you're traveling with young children. On this ed...Read more

The Soulful Rhythms of the Amami Islands
0.0

May 7, 2013 • 28m

The Amami Islands are subtropical. Blanketed in dense forests and surrounded by emerald waters, they are located about 400 kilomet...Read more

Textiles from a Royal Tradition
0.0

May 14, 2013 • 28m

In the old days, the islands of southwestern Japan (present-day Okinawa Prefecture) formed an independent nation, called the Kingd...Read more

Ishigaki Island: Living in Harmony with the Ocean
0.0

May 21, 2013 • 28m

Surrounded by pristine water and coral reefs, Ishigaki Island lies at the far southwestern tip of Japan, around 1,900 kilometers f...Read more

Kamakura Tradition: Spring in the Ancient Capital
0.0

May 28, 2013 • 28m

The historic city of Kamakura lies about 1 hour south of Tokyo by train. At the end of the 12th century, Kamakura was chosen to be...Read more

Peach Trees and Rural Retreat: Kofu Basin
0.0

June 4, 2013 • 28m

The Kofu Basin, in Yamanashi Prefecture, lies north of Mt. Fuji. In mid-April, when peach flowers blossom, the landscape becomes a...Read more

Tateyama Peak Experience
0.0

June 11, 2013 • 28m

In this edition of Journeys in Japan, musician JJ enjoys the beautiful snowy scenery of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, one of t...Read more

The Rhythms of Ainu Life: Lake Akan
0.0

June 18, 2013 • 28m

The indigenous Ainu lives in Hokkaido, Japan's most northern main island. Our reporter, Shakuhachi player John Kaizan Neptune, vis...Read more

Tohoku Haiku Journey: Following Basho's Footsteps
0.0

June 29, 2013 • 28m

Haiku are brief poetic snapshots that encapsulate in a few words the essence of a moment, be it the beauty of nature or just a sce...Read more

Hakone and Izu: Classic Hotel Stays
0.0

July 2, 2013 • 28m

Mt. Fuji was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013. Hakone and Izu are popular resorts near the majestic mountain. Our re...Read more

Osaka Art Power
0.0

July 9, 2013 • 28m

Osaka is a vibrant city, full of warm people. But that is only one aspect of Japan's 3rd largest city. This edition of Journeys in...Read more

Oki Islands
0.0

July 16, 2013 • 28m

The Oki Islands lie in the Sea of Japan off the coast of Shimane Prefecture. For countless centuries, people have lived here along...Read more

Living with Horses: Hidaka
0.0

August 13, 2013 • 28m

The Hidaka area on the southwestern coast of Hokkaido is famous for its racehorses. This is where many of the most famous Japanese...Read more

Tsugaru Soul Music - Tsugaru Shamisen
0.0

August 20, 2013 • 28m

Japan's Tsugaru Shamisen is taking off in North America and Europe today. Fans of the lute-type instrument are captivated by its d...Read more

Setouchi Triennale: Art-Island Hopping
0.0

August 27, 2013 • 28m

The Seto Inland Sea is surrounded by 3 of Japan's 4 main islands - Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. An international art festival calle...Read more

Ise Jingu: Man, Gods and Nature
0.0

September 3, 2013 • 28m

Ise Jingu (Grand Shrine of Ise) is one of the most important and most revered Shinto shrines in all Japan. Founded over 1,300 year...Read more

Wonderful Yakushima
0.0

September 17, 2013 • 28m

Yakushima was registered as an UNESCO World Natural Heritage site 20 years ago. Though small, the island has mountains rising more...Read more

Japan's Porcelain Legacy - Arita & Imari
0.0

September 24, 2013 • 28m

In the 17th century, porcelain known as Imari ware was exported from Japan to Europe despite the country's isolation policy. An el...Read more

Life on the Lake: Kasumigaura
0.0

October 1, 2013 • 28m

Kasumigaura is the 2nd largest lake in Japan. Just an hour and a half by train from central Tokyo, Lake Kasumigaura is also consid...Read more

The Festival for the Wind
0.0

October 15, 2013 • 28m

For over 300 years, people in the town of Etchu-Yatsuo, in Toyama Prefecture, have held a festival in early September. The 11 loca...Read more

Deep Into Traditional Japan: Gokayama
0.0

October 22, 2013 • 28m

Deep in the mountains of Toyama Prefecture, not far from the coast of the Sea of Japan, lies the Gokayama region. The traditional ...Read more

The Land of Fire: Kumamoto
0.0

October 29, 2013 • 28m

Kumamoto Prefecture is known as the "Land of Fire", with the active volcano Mt. Aso as its icon. Since ancient times, people have ...Read more

Kagura: Dancing Beyond Time
0.0

November 12, 2013 • 28m

Kagura is a ritual dance of Shinto, the indigenous faith of Japan. Since ancient times, it has been offered to the gods in thanks ...Read more

Iga Ninja Forest
0.0

November 19, 2013 • 28m

The word "Ninja" is known around the world. But the truth remains shrouded in mystery. This episode of Journeys in Japan features ...Read more

Nostalgic Kawagoe
0.0

November 26, 2013 • 28m

Kawagoe City in Saitama Prefecture, famous for the Kawagoe Festival with its dazzling floats, is only 30 minutes away by train fro...Read more

Celebrating Akita Cedar
0.0

December 3, 2013 • 28m

The cedar trees that are found on the mountainsides of Akita Prefecture, northern Japan, have long been prized for their timber. T...Read more

Continuing the Thread of Tradition: Kiryu
0.0

December 10, 2013 • 28m

Kiryu City of Gunma Prefecture is renowned for its textile industry. Kiryu Ori is produced using Jacquard looms for intricate, as ...Read more

The Miniature World of Bonsai: Omiya
0.0

December 17, 2013 • 28m

The traditional art of bonsai recreates intricate scenes of nature in miniature, often called "living art". The Omiya Bonsai Villa...Read more

Mesmerizing Islands at the Crossroads
0.0

December 31, 2013 • 28m

The Goto Islands in the East China Sea, comprise over 140 islands. The influence of diverse cultures has formed a unique architect...Read more