Trailer
Synopsis
Journeys in Japan provides an eye-opening look at the many unique places to visit in Japan. English-speaking visitors travel the length of the country, exploring the culture, meeting the local people, visiting historic sites and offering travel hints rarely found in guidebooks.
Episode 34 : Iriomote Island: A Small Piece of Paradise
December. 25,2018
Iriomote is 2,000 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in an ocean of corals. The subtropical island enjoys year-round temperature of over twenty degrees Celsius. With ninety percent of the land blanketed in rain forest, it's a popular destination for outdoor pursuits. On Journeys in Japan, Kyle Card visits Iriomote to take in not only the natural splendors but also to witness a unique, 500-year-old festival called Shichi. He discovers a way of life, on this remote island, where locals live close to the land and benefit from its blessings.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Episode 33 : Kanazawa: A Legacy of Color
December. 18,2018
Kanazawa City in Ishikawa Prefecture developed as a castle town of the Kaga Domain under the Maeda Clan's rule. For about 300 years from the late 16th century onward, the powerful feudal lords encouraged the arts, resulting in gorgeous landscape gardening, gold leaf and other crafts. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, TV personality Leina Bambino explores Kanazawa's deep culture through its colors.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Episode 31 : Fukuoka: A City of Two Faces
November. 13,2018
Fukuoka, the largest city in southern Japan, was a merchant town in ancient times that prospered with foreign trade. It gained two distinctive features in the dawn of the Edo Period (1603 – 1868), when a special district for samurai warriors was established next to the time-honored merchant town. Fukuoka has since nurtured and passed down their respective cultures. Today, you can glimpse such inheritances in amazing spinning top performances and yabusame, the art of mounted archery.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Episode 30 : Mt. Gozaisho: Going Extreme
November. 06,2018
Mount Gozaisho is a popular tourist destination located on the border of Mie and Shiga prefectures, and easily accessible by car from Nagoya. It's famous for its outdoor activities. Michael Keida from the United States gets the thrill of a lifetime, and a hard workout, as a guide takes him up waterfalls, sheer rock faces and through deep gorges and chimneys. He unwinds with good company over great meals… and time spent in the hot springs.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Episode 27 : Iki: Island of Beauty and Promise
October. 09,2018
The island of Iki lies off the coast of Kyushu, facing out towards the Korean Peninsula. In ancient times, Iki was an important crossroads for international exchanges. These days the island is a modest paradise of unspoiled nature, with beautiful beaches, gentle landscapes and excellent seafood. Just an hour away from Fukuoka by high-speed ferry, it makes an ideal tourist get-away. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Mai Rapsh explores Iki and meets some of the people who are keeping its traditional charm alive for future generations.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Episode 25 : Okushiri Island: Secret Gem Off Hokkaido
September. 18,2018
Okushiri Island-about 84 kilometers in circumference-is located southwest of Hokkaido in remarkably blue and transparent waters. The island has rare rock formations shaped over many, many years, beech forests dating back more than 100 years, and unspoiled nature. In summer, many visitors come for tasting fruit-of-the-sea delicacies, such as freshly collected sea urchin and abalone. In 1993, the island suffered damage from a tsunami triggered by a massive earthquake. But the island has recovered. People are dedicated in their efforts to pass on the lessons from the disaster to future generations.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Episode 20 : Misugi: Taking it Slow in the Mountains
July. 30,2018
The town of Misugi is located deep in the mountains of Mie Prefecture, central Japan. 90% of the town is covered with forests, and forestry is the leading industry. Michael Keida from the United States experiences "forest therapy", which is a scientifically proven method for improving body and mind wellness through woodland walking. He experiences logging firsthand, and learns how to forage for wild edible plants and prepare them in cooking. Michael also meets locals who are committed to preserving the age-old community, and others who have relocated to the area.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Episode 18 : Tsuwano: Painted Past, Vividly Present
July. 17,2018
One hundred drawings portray the customs and scenery of 150 years ago. These scenes are still remarkably visible in the old castle town of Tsuwano, Shimane prefecture. In this episode of Journeys in Japan, Australian actor Luke Bridgford uses the ancient Tsuwano drawings as a map to the town's past, present and future.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Episode 13 : Agano River: Green Foliage and Spring Rituals
June. 12,2018
The Agano River flows through northern Niigata Prefecture, about 200 kilometers to the north of Tokyo. It runs from snow-covered mountains down to the sea, and in the old days it formed an important artery for transportation. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, photographer and haiku poet Kit Pancoast Nagamura meets the people living alongside the river and observes how they mark the arrival of spring.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Episode 12 : Okumusashi: Spring Forest Feast
June. 05,2018
Only 50 kilometers away from the capital the mountainous area offers historic scenery and gentle trekking courses. Local residents are passionate about preserving their old townscapes, dating back several hundred years, and promoting awareness of their natural environment through eco-tours. On Journeys in Japan, China-born mountaineering guide Haiyan Huang enjoys spring foraging for sansai wild edible plants, as well as taking in temples and architecture on Okumusashi's gentle hiking routes.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Episode 7 : A Winter Wonderland of Ice: Eastern Hokkaido
March. 27,2018
Every year from February to March, ice floes from Russia's Amur River float across the Okhotsk Sea to the shores of eastern Hokkaido, packing against the shoreline. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Roman Markovtsev from Russia explores this frozen coast and experiences the winter wonderland of ice, both above and below the surface. He joins fishermen who fish in the traditional way on a frozen lake. And he meets with local people who have taken up the sport of curling in a big way.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Episode 6 : Takada: Community and Tradition in Snow Country
March. 06,2018
Joetsu City in Niigata Prefecture is famous for its harsh winters and heavy snowfalls. Since the Edo Period (1603-1868), people here have built covered arcades known as gangi along their streets. One place that's famous for these gangi is Takada. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Kyle Card explores the Takada area and meets the people living there, to find out how they feel about their distinctive traditional townscape.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Episode 4 : Oita: Rest and Recuperation, Onsen Style
February. 20,2018
Oita Prefecture in Kyushu is one of Japan's best known places for onsen - or hot springs. The city of Beppu is especially famous for its numerous hot spring sources and the volume of hot water - and it attracts many tourists. Marie Krause is from Aachen, in Germany, which is also famous as a resort with many hot springs. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Marie visits Beppu to discover the many different kinds of hot springs in the city. And she enjoys Japan's traditional onsen culture to its fullest.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Episode 1 : Traces of History: Exploring Around Hiroshima
January. 09,2018
Hiroshima is home to two World Heritage Sites, the Atomic Bomb Dome and Miyajima Island. Other buildings of architectural significance can be found in, and around, the city. Tokyo-based architect James Lambiasi explores the history of Hiroshima-and the nearby areas of Onomichi and Iwakuni-through iconic architectural sites, as well as simple, old dwellings.
Watch Free
30-Day Free Trial
Seasons
Similar titles
Des Bishop: Breaking China
This brand new six part series follows the adventures of Irish-American writer and comedian Des Bishop as he moves to China for a year in order to learn mandarin and eventually attempt to perform a one-man stand up comedy show for a Chinese audience. There are a couple of problems though - the locals are unaware of the subtleties of western style comedy and are laughing for all the wrong reasons.
Tucci: The Heart of Italy
Follow Stanley Tucci as he returns to Italy for more food-based adventures, seeking out the essence of each region and its people through the food they eat.
Thumbs Up!
David Choe hitchhikes his way across these United States by (other people's) trains, cars, and boats.
Jonathan Meades: Off Kilter
Jonathan Meades takes a quixotic tour of Scotland, a country which has intrigued him since he first encountered lists of towns only known from football coupons
The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan
Comedian and TV presenter Romesh Ranganathan travels way beyond his comfort zone and the world of complimentary breakfast buffets to some of the most beautiful, but dangerous, places on earth.
Dark Tourist
The definition of "tourism" is redefined as New Zealand filmmaker David Farrier sets his sights on the world of dark tourism. From nuclear tourism in Japan to Pablo Escobar-inspired tourism in Columbia to frontier tourism in Turkmenistan, David visits the world’s grisly and offbeat destinations, meeting travelers drawn to them, and the people telling these stories day after day.
Ray Winstone's Sicily
Hollywood actor Ray Winstone takes a trip around Sicily with some old friends, soaking up the island's multicultural history, ancient culture and colourful inhabitants. This Grand Tour covers pretty much all of the island - from the top of Mount Etna, a live volcano, to the palace of a Duchess in Palermo; from the Godfather's palace to Agrigento's Valley of the Temples and on to a cruise around the Aeolian Islands.
Salt Fat Acid Heat
Chef and food writer Samin Nosrat travels the world to explore four basic keys to wonderful cooking, serving up feasts and helpful tips along the way.
The Caribbean: Billionaires' Paradise
Documentary providing an insight into the lives of those who live in the Caribbean, famous as a playground for the rich and famous.
Who Do You Think You Are?
From roots in the Deep South to the slums of New Jersey, "Who Do You Think You Are?" follows the journeys of some of the most well-known names in American popular culture. Watch as celebrities discover unknown details about themselves and their families while researching their ancestry with the help of historians and genealogical experts.