
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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The Wind’s Song
2006 Commended, TV Drama Category, ABU Prize, 2010. The Yagizawa family, made up of three generations, owns a hops farm in Furano, Hokkaido. But after appearing in a beer commercial for a new product, the young couple reveals they’ve been thinking of abandoning the farming business for good. Father and son...more details -
Zuigan-ji (2016)
2016 48 minutesMajestic 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...more details -
Jizo-bon Festival -Choraku Temple of the Valley-
2018 30 mins[Festivals of Japan Season 2] Jizo-bon is a festival that celebrates the Jizo Bosatsu, or "Kshitigarbha," and takes place in the Kinki Region of Japan. The Jizo-bon culture of Choraku Temple in Kakogawa City, Hyogo Prefecture, has been passed down from the Edo Period. In the evening, men carrying large...more details -
1300 Years of Prayers The Rebirth of the East Pagoda
2023 55 min.Yakushiji Temple is a World Heritage site in Nara. Its East Pagoda is a National Treasure of Japan and the only remaining building from the Heijo-kyo capital, built in the year 730. Yet due to severe deterioration and the potential threat of earthquakes, it became necessary for it to be...more details