[Festivals of Japan Season 1] In the spring festival of Handa City,  Aichi Prefecture, a total of 31 floats are pulled through 10 districts. Once every five years, the Handa Floats Festival sees the gathering of all 31 floats in one place, vastly entertaining its large crowd of onlookers. Following...

[Festivals of Japan Season 1] The Hitachi Furyumono is an important tangible and intangible folk cultural property of Japan, recognized as one of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Assets in 2009. Originating from the Edo Period when the parishioners of Kamine Shrine dedicated floats, the colorful float carrying dancing mechanical dolls are...

[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,...

[Beauty of Japan Season 2] Totsugawa in Nara Prefecture is the largest village in Japan. Jolan settled in this village from France after he fell in love with its serenity and beauty. Using his expertise in European forestry, he works to revitalise the Japanese forests as well as the local...