Added to inquiry!
TRAVEL

The Mooka Steam Locomotive, Cherry Blossom, and Rape Blossom Highway

TRAVEL 2017 30 mins Episode(s): 1 english Japanese
[Festivals of Japan Season 1]

Mooka, in Tochigi Prefecture, is a city that prides itself on its steam locomotive, cherry blossoms, and rape blossoms. Within the city, there is an area called "Sakuramachi," where 1,000 cherry blossom trees line the railway line. Every spring, the steam locomotive runs through a carpet of cherry and rape blossom petals, and the Sakuramachi Thousand Cherry Tree Festival is held. This episode details the festival that continues to grow along with its cherry blossom trees and the people of Sakuramachi, who try to preserve its tradition.

Click here to preview the program!

Part of "Festivals of Japan - Season 1."

  •  

    Oni-kenbai: Prayer in Motion
    2012 30 mins

    The Oni-kenbai demon sword dance has been passed down from fathers to sons to grandchildren, with no additions or amendments for generations. Not simply a dance to pray for happiness, it's to ensure the spirits of ancestors of both dancers and viewers are kept alive, while driving away evil. This...
    more details
  •  

    Me and Another Me - Living with Tourette Syndrome -
    2024

    2025 WorldMediaFestivals Silver 2025 WorldMediaFestivals Special Award: Global Awareness 2025 US International Awards: Silver This program confronts the hidden struggles of Tourette's syndrome in Japan, a neurological condition marked by involuntary tics that affect many yet remain widely misunderstood. Through the insights from experts and personal accounts and the poignant...
    more details
  •  

    Ofune Festival -Parishioners Who Support the Festivals-
    2017 30 mins

    [Festivals of Japan Season 1] The Ofune Festival is held at the Suwa Taisha (Suwa Grand Shrine) in Nagano Prefecture every fall. During the Senzasai in spring, the sacred dolls of the old man and woman are carried from the Fall Shrine to the Spring Shrine. However, in the Ofune...
    more details
  •  

    World Heritage OKINOSHIMA
    45 minutes

    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...
    more details