[Festivals of Japan Season 2] The "Nagasaki Kunchi" is a festival that holds a 380-year history. Dragons coil and children dance to the many performances, giving life and color to the festival stage. One such performance is the dynamic and flamboyant "Dozamachi Nanbansen". It is a reenactment of the heyday...

[Festivals of Japan Season 1] The Hachinohe Enburi is a traditional festival that takes place in the southern region of Aomori Prefecture. It's held to bring forth good harvests and to welcome the coming of spring. Dancers called tayu wear headdresses made in the shape of horse heads and shake...

[Colors in Japan] Gasho Nishioka, a renowned “sho” (calligrapher) from KudamatsuCity, Yamaguchi Prefecture, is pushing the boundaries of traditional Japanese calligraphy. Known for using only black “sumi” ink, Nishioka seeks to innovate while preserving the timeless beauty of this ancient art form. Click here to preview the episode! Part of...

[Craft Masters of Japan] Automata are Western mechanical dolls. Kazuaki Harada is one of the very few automata artisans living in Japan. However, he has been gathering steady attention and fame worldwide with his unique creations. Harada's automata are very comical and alluring and manage to make people laugh and...