The Mark of Beauty

Dashi refers to the flashy and eye-catching floats that appear in many Japanese festivals, distinct from the mikoshi portable shrines. In some parts of Japan, they are called hoko or yatai. They were originally built to accommodate spirits. Each region has evolved its own particular type of festival float over the ages. This episode will feature the range of floats, including some featuring carvings and metal work produced by generations of famous craftsmen, as well as examples which particular communities have built together from scratch. It will look at the beauty of these floats that add color to festivals, as well as the people who maintain the traditions associated with them.

Zoni is a soup with rice cakes that is an indispensable part of a Japanese New Year. Each part of Japan has its own version making use of the local produce. The broth and the ingredients vary. The soup is consumed in the hope that the coming year will be a happy one. During the Muromachi period, warriors ate a rice-cake soup featuring ingredients which they believed would give them luck and help them overcome their enemies. This episode will also look at an old-fashioned rice-cake soup prepared in the village of Yamazoe in Nara Prefecture, using water and a fire that are regarded as sacred. The cook and culinary expert Tokiko Suzuki will prepare 2 types of zoni from the place of her birth. The episode will also look at some bowls suitable for serving this soup in the New Year.

Shojin cuisine is the term in Japan for vegetarian Buddhist cuisine, which employs a range of know-how and techniques to produce tasty dishes that do not feature any meat and seafood. This episode will provide an extensive introduction to this form of cooking, looking at the etiquette associated with the preparation and the partaking of the breakfast-time rice porridge served at Eihei-ji Temple, the headquarters of Soto Zen sect, as well as a more casual form of Buddhist cuisine (known as Fucha-ryori), which is served at Manpuku-ji, a Zen temple in Kyoto. The dishes mimic the appearance and taste of meat and fish.

This episode focuses on irori, or the traditional Japanese sunken hearth used for cooking and heating the home. It takes a look at a 160-year-old example in a farmhouse in part of Gifu Prefecture, as well as the fish-shaped counterbalances that can adjust the height of the pot-hook above a hearth without the need for any latches or pins. The program features the stylish hearth at the home of rakugo storytelling artist Hayashiya Taihei, and the transformation of a home in Tokyo. It also looks at how one family uses a traditional-style hearth in the course of a day, starting with a western-style breakfast!

This episode delves into the little-known allure of shogi or Japanese chess. We take a look at the shogi pieces used over the years by shogi legend Yoshiharu Habu, as well as gem-like pieces crafted from boxwood featuring stunning designs, and pieces used in prestigious title games that were fashioned by famous artisans in the Meiji period, and other examples that would be the envy of any collector. We focus on a young craftsman who uses lacquer to apply the inscriptions on the pieces, and go behind the scenes of a prestigious title game that takes place at Kakegawa Castle in Shizuoka Prefecture.

This episode makes some alluring discoveries in cut glass, in which artistic designs are cut into the surface of glassware. There is a whole range of patterns in Japan. They sometimes express a wish for prosperous descendants and harmony or are meant to ward off evil. Crafting a gem-like sparkle requires an inordinate amount of skill. The cuts have to be accurate to a level of 10 microns. We feature the story behind the first-ever cut glass crafted from black-colored glass by craftsmen in southern Kyushu, as well as cut glass created in collaboration with a Japanese chef.

Roofs not only provide protection against the rain, wind and the other elements; they are also an important aspect of the overall appearance of a building. This episode features a number of examples and looks at what makes them so special. We focus on the craftsmanship involved in the replacement of a cypress bark roof at Kyoto's To-ji Temple, as well as a roof blending tradition and modernity created by the architect Kengo Kuma and sculptor Kohei Nawa, featuring modern tiles and tiles that were made 1,400 years ago.

This episode features ekiben, the boxed meals sold at railroad stations that add flavor, beauty and fun to a journey. The meals tend to feature local ingredients and come in a range of distinctive containers and wrapping papers. We look at an aficionado who has sampled all 4,500 different versions of ekiben around Japan, and who makes a point of savoring these meals as the scenery unfolds from the train window. We focus on a homely version of ekiben from the Tsugaru region of northern Honshu, and delve into history of some other famous versions from around Japan. Along the way, we introduce you to specialists crafting the wrapping papers.

Bashofu is a traditional Okinawan fabric, which originated about 600 years ago when the islands formed the independent Ryukyu Kingdom. The stalks of a species of banana plant are the source of the fibers, which are painstakingly knotted together into longer strands of thread. The knots are visible in the woven fabric. Bashofu is ideal for the local climate and is treasured by kimono buffs across Japan. This episode looks at some of the distinctive local kasuri designs in which different colored fibers are used to create patterns and images in the fabric. We also introduce attempts to reproduce the fabric of the old kingdom from precious remaining samples.

This episode features chairs, which come in all manner of designs and materials. It looks at some examples crafted from timber from a master furniture maker with a view to providing the ultimate in comfort, as well as some of the outstanding examples among the 1,350 chairs amassed from around the globe by a celebrated collector. We focus on some startling chairs produced by the designer Tokujin Yoshioka, and also look at why there are so many red chairs scattered around Tokyo's Kichijoji area.

Japan is home to all kinds of libraries. The episode features some unique examples across the country, including some historic structuring giving a sense of the periods in which they were built, as well as some futuristic facilities. We visit a library resembling a spaceship amongst trees. Inside is a forest of books stretching for 200m. We look at a university library shaped like the Colosseum of Rome, a place where the intellect engages in combat. Wonder at the futuristic library designed by Shigeru Ban that looks like something out of a science-fiction film. And we look at the transformation of an old spinning mill and an old primary school, the former of brick construction and the latter built entirely from cypress wood, into reading spaces.

This episode features the tiles that adorn floors and walls. They come in all shapes and colors, and change kaleidoscopically depending on how they are arranged. We take a look at some old, rare tiles favored by tile buffs, as well as a modern and stylish tiled wall created by a popular craftsman. Don't miss the astonishing craftsmanship in a place that has been producing tiles for generations. And admire a public bath that has a magnificent picture of Mt. Fuji fashioned from a quarter of a million tiles.

This episode takes us into the world of embroidery crafted by a needle and thread. Embroidery is enjoying popularity in Japan at present. We look at some modern examples in fashion and art, as well as some colorful and enchanting items from Eastern Europe, and realistic depictions of flowers and plants employing a range of different techniques. The show also focuses on the lavish embroidery in late 16th century Noh costumes, and the traditional skills employed to create new embroidered tapestries for decorating the floats in Kyoto's Gion Festival. And we also look at cross-stitch designs from an artist who has become something of a social media sensation.

This episode features chopsticks, which are an essential item of tableware for any Japanese-style meal. Different parts of Japan have their own distinctive designs and patterns. We look at some stylish examples, such gleaming pairs fashioned from 120-year-old Japanese red cedar sourced from the Yoshino region of Nara Prefecture, some examples (praised by chefs) crafted from the same wood that is used for rafters in traditional thatched roofs, as well as chopsticks in the Tsugaru region of Aomori Prefecture with patterns inspired by a type of vegetable seed. We also get a look at some rare and unusual items in the possession of a person who has amassed an impressive collection of around 1,000 pairs of chopsticks from around the world. And don't miss the Spanish architect who also designs chopsticks!

This episode features men's footwear. The fashion-conscious male begins with his feet! We focus on the skills and craftsmanship at a workshop that attracts customers from all over the world with its bespoke footwear, considering the differences in styles between American, British, and Italian shoes. Girolamo Panzetta, a stylish Italian TV personality popular in Japan, shows off a number of casual combinations with some of his favorite shoes. A well-known men's fashion illustrator shares his knowledge of how to look after footwear. We also feature a shoe-shining champion who has won accolades at an international competition for producing a luster in a 50-year-old pair of shoes.