Japan From Above: Up Close

In this episode, we meet an underwater photographer who has been diving among the ice floes of Shiretoko for over 30 years.

In this episode, we visit the snow-covered region of Aomori Prefecture and travel along the famous Tsugaru railway.

In this episode, we meet a couple who are dedicated to preserve the art of Japanese paper-making in Mino, Gifu Prefecture.

In this episode, we meet a tea grower in Saga Prefecture.

In this episode, we meet a "hot spring doctor" in Noboribetsu, Hokkaido Prefecture who is in charge of managing the resort town's water sources.

In this episode, we meet a man who runs a salmon hatchery in the Shonai plains of Yamagata Prefecture.

In this episode, we meet a wasabi farmer in Azumino, Nagano Prefecture.

In this episode, we meet a woman who is determined to preserve the memories of atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima Prefecture.

In this episode, we visit the famous hot spring resort of Beppu located on the east coast of Kyushu.

In this episode, we meet a woman in Hokkaido Prefecture who takes care of retired racehorses.

In this episode, we take a last look at Tsukiji Fish Market, the world's largest seafood market which was moved to a new location in 2018.

In this episode, we visit Nara Prefecture and meet one of the great masters of Japanese sword-making.

In this episode, we meet an oyster farmer in Etajima Island located off the coast of Hiroshima Prefecture.

In this episode, we meet a family in Okinawa Prefecture as they celebrate a festival dedicated to their ancestors.

In this episode, we travel to Lake Furen in the east part of Hokkaido Prefecture, located in the northern part of Japan.

In this episode, we fly above Tokyo, Japan's capital. We meet a mural painter who specializes in painting the walls of sento or Japanese public baths.

In this episode, we meet a traditional salt maker in Noto Peninsula.

In this episode, we meet an olive grower in Shodoshima, a small island in the Seto Inland Sea.

In this episode, we travel to the city of Nagasaki Prefecture and Goto Islands to visit various monuments that tell the history of Christianity in Japan.

In this episode, we meet 3 women who are trying to preserve and pass on the traditional music of Ainu, the indigenous people of northeastern Japan.

In this episode, we meet a "plant hunter" in Osaka Prefecture who uses creative ways to connect people with nature.

In this episode, we follow an elderly couple as they walk along the pilgrimage trail in Shikoku Island.

In this episode, we visit Yonagunijima, Japan's most western point. Here we meet a free diver who takes us on an underwater adventure.

In this episode, we visit Kushiro in the eastern part of Hokkaido Prefecture and meet a woman who is dedicated to the conservation of red-crowned cranes.

In this episode, we visit a rice farmer in Shonai Plains in the northeastern part of Japan.

In this episode, we visit Kyoto Prefecture, the old capital of Japan, and enter the world of geiko. Geiko, meaning "a girl of the arts," is how geisha are referred to in Kyoto. We meet a young apprentice, or maiko, who is learning the tricks of the trade.

In this episode, we meet an artist in Okayama Prefecture who uses local clay to create a new kind of pottery that builds on the traditions of Bizen ware.

In this episode, we visit Sakurajima, one of the volcanic islands in Kyushu. Here, we meet a children's book illustrator who wrote a story that depicts the relationship between the volcanoes and the local people.