Explore Japan (2016)
Japan continues to thrive as it incorporates cultural elements of music, fashion, cuisine, sports, arts and science from around the world. People’s encounters trigger the fusion of Japan’s and the world’s diverse culture, unceasingly producing a myriad of new phenomena and events. This series will feature how various culture in modern Japan and overseas blend together and influence each other.
Seasons & Episode
Ginza, Tokyo. Japan's traditional culture is protected within this modern district. Here, artisans work unseen to preserve time-honored crafts. We visit a small workshop that's been producing tabi, or Japanese-style socks, since the 18th century. We also examine the impressive Mannen Dokei, or perpetual clock, devised by genius engineer Tanaka Hisashige. The specialists who replicated the Mannen Dokei continue to create exquisite timepieces in Ginza. Their respect for their predecessors and determination to preserve their craft provide clues into how a sustainable society can be achieved.
Japanese gardens play a very special cultural role, bringing nature into everyday life. They charmed a young Swede so much that he moved to Japan, changing his nationality. Now known as Murasame Tatsumasa he works as a gardener. He visits four famous authentic gardens in Kyoto and explores their unique beauties with nation’s cultural experts. He visits a tiny courtyard garden, a historic masterpiece by Kobori Enshu, a tea house garden, and a modern Japanese garden. Join Murasame on a 30-minute journey of aesthetic exploration.
"GO ON" is a group of young masters of traditional crafts who continue to take on new challenges in the ancient capital of Kyoto. They are creating new crafts using their unique techniques and advanced technology as a way of passing on the traditions, with the gratitude to their ancestors. The six craftspeople of GO ON continue to take on new challenges both individually and as a team. Their activities are not limited to Japan, but are expanding overseas as well. We followed their challenges.
Japan is a highly forested nation, with forests occupying nearly 70% of its land. The varied altitude of the Japanese archipelago stretching east to west gives rise to regionally and seasonally biodiverse trees. From housing to daily essentials, Japanese people have long built wood into every aspect of their lives, developing a unique culture with the material. We seek out that elusive knowledge and mastery of woodworking, visiting Kiso, Hida, and Kishu, 3 regions of Japan that are known for their connection to wood.
The delectable Japanese confectionary tradition of wagashi dates back to ancient times, featuring shapes and flavors that change with the seasons. Sanno Hiroyuki, 39 years old, is a freelance artisan who is revolutionizing the world of wagashi. His social media posts often go viral, reaching young people all across the globe. He doesn’t have his own shop, but he gets orders from overseas as well. What’s the appeal of his creative approach to wagashi? We’ll follow Sanno as he forges delicious new paths in this age-old craft.