[Colors in Japan] Tochigi City has a long history of producing wooden barrels for fermenting food. Despite the rise of plastic containers, one dedicated craftsman continues to make barrels using traditional techniques. The barrels are crafted from cedar heartwood and tied with local timber bamboo. Click here to preview this...

[Craft Masters of Japan] Kunimasa Matsuba is a Japanese swordsmith who has received the prestigious excellence award ten times at the exhibition of newly made swords in Japan. His strong, muscular body has undergone years of training in the smothering heat which enables him to create beautiful swords that gleam...

[Festivals of Japan Season 1] The Namahage of Akita is an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan that is both extremely popular and well-recognized. One of the three largest festivals in Japan, the "Namahage Sedo Festival" is a combination of this "Namahage" and local shrine festivities. This episode describes the...