Spiritual Explorers

"Itadakimasu" is a short phrase that Japanese people say before each meal. What kind of meaning this short word has to Japanese people? The 2 explorers have traveled to Minamiboso in Chiba Prefecture. A local shrine here worships the deity of cooking which is very rare. Today we will explore the intriguing roots of "Itadakimasu."

February, Japan's coldest month. Nighttime. Devotees gather for the annual SOMIN-SAI Festival. The festival that men pray naked while standing the extreme cold. They pour cold water over themselves, purifying their bodies and their minds. Then they stand atop a bonfire, where the spark and smoke cleanse them further. At the climax of the festival, the men fight over a special "Somin bag" that is said to keep you free from sickness and calamity. What do the men feel in their hearts during this mix of cleansing and conflict?

Japan, it is world's best heavy snow country. How do Japanese people pass this severe winter season? We have visited New year's festival called "Kamakura Matsuri" in Akita Prefecture which have 450 years history. In the snow room called "Kamakura," there is altar and "Suijinsama" (water god) is enshrined. People have depended on "Suijinsama" through the winter season and pray for good harvest in Autumn. We will experience the "Spirit" of people's life spending more than 5 months of the year with the snow.

February 3 marks an important day for Japanese people: the Setsubun festival. Each year, people throw Mame (roasted soybeans) and recite the phrase "oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi." This phrase means "fortune in, ogre out." For Japan, the ogre represents disaster, illness, famine and other calamities outside of one's own control. We visit Iwate Prefecture in northern Japan to explore region's long-standing ogre folklore and experience the Japanese spirit.

The Japanese art of Bonsai is a unique form of horticulture. What is behind the art of cultivating trees into aesthetically pleasing shapes in containers rather than allowing nature to take its course? We explore the essence of the Japanese spirit as reflected in the living art of bonsai.

Long ago, a belief in animism, the idea that deities are present in every aspect of nature, existed throughout the world. This spirit lives on today in Kumano, a spiritual heartland of Japan. Why does nature continue to play such an important role in Japanese spirituality? We visit a trio of revered shrines in Kumano to explore the roots of Japanese animism.

Mikawa, in central Japan. Fireworks have long held a special significance in this region. Every district in Japan has its own tutelary deity who protects the land and its people. Mikawa's traditional Tezutsu fireworks are held as an offering to this deity. The word Tezutsu literally translates to hand-held cannons. The Tezutsu carriers are responsible for making their own cannons. It is here that Antonio begins his journey to explore the spiritual link between fireworks and the people of Mikawa.