This is a new program about the sacred island of Okinoshima, situated between the Japanese archipelago and the Korean peninsula. It has attracted the devotion of the local population in the Munakata region, who possessed advanced nautical skills. Large-scale rituals utilizing an enormous quantity of precious votive offerings were conducted...

[Beauty of Japan Season 2] When asked where they would like to visit in Japan, the most popular answer that foreign tourists give is “Shibuya.” Yet with major developments planned, the site is about to change drastically. We shift our view to observe “Shibuya” from the perspective of foreigners and...

[Festivals of Japan Season 2] Kintaikyo is one of the three most famous bridges in Japan. Located in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, the bridge provides the stage for the annual Kintaikyo Bridge Festival in spring. Welcoming its 40th time, the festival showcases a colorful reenactment of feudal lords returning from...

[Beauty of Japan Season 2] Tonami City's Yotaka Festival is said to bring good harvests. Its show-stopping parade consists of 6-meter-tall red decorative paper lanterns, and its highlight is the great paper lantern fight. Fighting bravely but gracefully, it showcases the very moment in which the lanterns look the most...