
Zuigan-ji (2016)
Majestic Zuigan-ji Temple in northeast Japan is a national cultural treasure. Completed 400 years ago by the feudal lord of the region, Date Masamune, it’s famous as a lavish and glorious example of the culture of the Azuchi-Momoyama period (mid-1500s to 1600). The main hall is decorated with beautiful period-style art created by painters and master craftsmen summoned from Kyoto. With ground subsidence now causing its pillars to tilt, Zuigan-ji has been undergoing comprehensive repairs and restorations since 2009, called "the great Heisei restoration." An essential consideration when repairing Japanese cultural properties is that old and weathered parts must not be replaced and existing original materials must be reused to the greatest possible extent. The restoration's greatest challenge was to reinforce the structure to protect against earthquakes. This program follows the Japanese engineers and craftsmen, striving to clear the hurdle with their conviction and ideas, to preserve the national treasure.
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I'm Taking a Little Trip to North Korea
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Beauty of Japan Series- Season 2
2018 30 minsThere are 2.5 million people from all over the world currently living in Japan. How did they end up there? What drew them to come to Japan in the first place? Or more importantly, what made them want to stay? In this series, we take a look at various non-Japanese...more details -
Trap Master Kunio Katagiri and His Secrets to the Finest Gibier
2018 Kunio Katagiri is a master trapper and has been the legendary owner-chef of a gibier (wild game) restaurant for 45 years. Katagiri, who hunts all of his game meats by himself, never uses a gun. Instead, he uses homemade traps of his own design to capture wild deer and wild...more details