[Beauty of Japan Season 1] “Gameni stew", “Mizutaki hot-pot” and “Hakata Zoni stew” are some of the traditional dishes from the gastronomic city of Fukuoka. This documentary focuses on the regional cuisines, which have been passed on generations by Hakatakko (Hakata local people) who are known for their high-spirited characters....

[Festivals of Japan Season 2] Every year between August 2nd and 7th, the dynamic Nebuta floats of Aomori Prefecture are paraded around the city at night, providing a colorful and exciting summer spectacle for all to enjoy. The city's pride, the Aomori Nebuta Festival, was recognized as an Important Intangible...

[Festivals of Japan Season 2] The "Mikoji Dance" is a 150-year-old dance performed during the Taromaru Shuuraku Spring Festival in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture. In this dance, the sitting doll of an old man and the standing doll of a young woman comically dance to the accompaniment of vibrant drums,...

[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...