NHK Documentaries

Thatched Living: A Nostalgic Future (2022x8)

Air date: May 21, 2022

North of Tokyo, near Mt. Tsukuba. An old-fashioned farmhouse with a thatched roof still sits here, home to a young couple and their 2 children. Thatched roofs are eco-friendly, and a symbol of Japan's traditional farming communities. Under their roof, the Yamada family enjoy the slow life in harmony with nature. They've fostered a mutual aid network who gather for each season's farming milestones and celebrate their successes. The Yamadas' "thatched living" is at once familiar and new.