Seasoning the Seasons
TV-G
10
2012
Documentary
This program visits places across Japan to introduce the charms of their local daily life and festivals fostered by the nation's long history.
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Episode 26 : Nara: An Ancient Capital Filled with the Sound of Prayer
November. 13,2013
Nara, with a history of 1,200 years, is Japan's first capital city. The city is home to many temples, even older than the city itself, where people pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation. In addition to shrines protecting the whole country, there are also smaller deities that guard individual villages. In Nara, the ancient capital, Shinto and Buddhism are interwoven into daily life, and someone, somewhere is always putting their hands together in a quiet prayer. We see how various aspects of religion are infused into the fabric of the city.
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Episode 23 : Yokohama - A Harbor Town Full of Spirit
October. 09,2013
Since it opened up its harbor in 1859, Yokohama has been the gateway to Japan. Along with beautiful scenes of Yokohama, we tell the story of Japanese people living in a city with strong foreign influences. There is a ship pilot who knows Yokohama Harbor like the back of his hand. The first to greet vessels from far-flung nations, he is sometimes called "a diplomat without a title". And this story of Yokohama even includes things such as the storied, grand cruise vessel "Hikawamaru", sailing international lines and symbolizing the Showa Era, eventually pressed into service during World War II.
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Episode 21 : Nikko: World Heritage and Mountain of Prayer
September. 18,2013
With awe-inspiring shrines and temples ranked as a World Heritage Site, Nikko is a sacred place. Its history dates back 1,200 years, but it was not until the creation of Tosho-gu, a shrine dedicated to shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, that it began to flourish. By the early 19th century, Nikko grew popular with foreign visitors, and even Albert Einstein and Helen Keller stayed here at Japan's oldest resort hotel. This episode introduces the people who still maintain the glory of Nikko's traditions.
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Episode 20 : Kiso: The Forest of the Japanese Cypress
September. 11,2013
Located in the center of Honshu, Japan's main island, the Kiso region is known for its countless towering Hinoki, or Japanese cypress trees, some of them more than 300-years-old. The Japanese cypress trades at high prices for building timber, with its condensed high-quality wood grain. Since time immemorial, the people of Kiso have enjoyed the blessings of the mountain, and have offered thanksgiving to the mountain gods. This is an untold story that follows the relationship between the Japanese and the mountains.
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Episode 19 : Sakurajima: Volcanic Island
September. 04,2013
Sakurajima, an active volcano. Each year, around 900 eruptions occurs. Yet despite the risks and the ash falling each day, Sakurajima is a special place in the hearts of the 600,000 people living nearby in Kagoshima City. Sweet potatoes were brought in to use volcanic soil. Fishermen hunt shrimps 200 meters below the sea surface. Through hardship, the residents have built a special existence there. Our program covers the people who live next to Sakurajima, with its violence and its blessings.
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Episode 16 : Gujo Hachiman 400 Years of All-night Dancing
August. 14,2013
On summer nights, the residents of Gujo Hachiman throw themselves into the o-bon dance. Dances are held on 33 nights from July to September, but for 4 nights during o-bon, everyone dances until dawn. In the evening, dancers gather in the narrow streets of the old castle town, forming a circle around festival floats carrying drummers, singers and shamisen players. The Gujo Hachiman O-bon dance is for dancers not spectators, and no one comes along just to watch. Locals and visitors, young and old, all dance through the night. We travel to Gujo Hachiman to enjoy this 400 year old tradition.
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Episode 15 : The Miracle Mile - Kokusai Street, Okinawa
August. 07,2013
At the center of Naha City lies Kokusai Street, a symbol of modern Okinawa Prefecture as it was one of the first areas to reemerge after the grueling battles of the war. Stretching for 1.6km, the street was in fact once called "The Miracle Mile." Originally a black market bordering the American-occupied zone, it became Okinawa's busiest shopping street, with 500 souvenir shops and restaurants. This episode focuses on the street's history and source of its prosperity: the diversity and dynamism of Okinawa.
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Episode 13 : Kusatsu: A Town that Warms the Body and Soul
July. 03,2013
Kusatsu has the largest natural spring water flow of any spa in Japan. It is popular among tourists, attracting 2.7 million visitors annually. Waters are extremely hot and strongly acidic. For centuries, people have traveled to Kusatsu to benefit from the water's medicinal properties. The town which developed around the spa, includes numerous inns for long-term recuperation. Even today, people still follow the rules of jikan-yu, a unique bathing method introduced in the Edo Period. Our story focuses on the spa water, natural surroundings and people of Kusatsu.
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Episode 12 : Wild Shiretoko - World Heritage Site
June. 19,2013
Listed as a Natural Heritage site, Shiretoko is a treasure trove of flora and fauna. A remote land, closed by snow and ice in winter, it was embraced by pioneers who came to find new lives on land wrestled from nature. This program showcases the beauty of Shiretoko's transition through the seasons, and offers a glimpse of the lives of those who have reached a hard-won yet delicate accord with nature.
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Episode 9 : The Shrine of Konpira-san - Answering Everyone's Prayer
May. 15,2013
Konpira-san, the Kotohira-gu Shrine in Kagawa Prefecture, Shikoku, is a place to pray for anything from good health to success in exams or love and draws 3 million visitors a year. It stands on Mt. Zozu, a peak once revered by seafarers of the Seto Inland Sea, and became a holy place for everyone during the Edo Period. It is also a place of culture and entertainment with a collection of artworks by Maruyama Okyo, Itoh Jakuchu and other famous painters and Japan's oldest extant kabuki theater, Kanamaru-za. We discover the varied history of the Kotohira Shrine, a place of both faith and desire, through its rituals and customs.
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Episode 8 : Japan in Full Bloom - The Flower Gardens
May. 08,2013
Japan has many sorts of flower garden. They are a place of relaxation, solace and encouragement through the changing seasons. One lone gardener spent half a century planting flowers across a broad wasteland. Another has sown a floral oasis in a gap in a concrete jungle. Garden visits are also a time to reflect on precious moments in their creators' lives and those of their families. With glorious images, the program addresses the Japanese people's feelings and sense of beauty through how they view flowers.
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Episode 7 : Asakusa Celebration and Devotion
May. 01,2013
The Asakusa district has a long history. It grew up around Senso-ji Temple, and still retains much of the flavor of Tokyo back in the days when it was still known as Edo.
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Episode 5 : Tokyo in Springtime - The Taste of Tradition
April. 10,2013
Tokyo's old downtown district, where the TOKYO SKYTREE tower was opened last year, has always been a welcoming place for strangers and novelties. It also retains an old human warmth and vitality, not to mention great food at cheap prices. Those downtown flavors, too, produce chance encounters and bond people across the generations. Join us for a trip to old Tokyo in the springtime to enjoy the treats of the season and the particular downtown friendliness.
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