Journeys in Japan

Toyama is a city surrounded by tall mountains and has a population of 400,000. It's a place where unique businesses have sprung up since the days of old. Toyama's medicine became famous, in particular, for this gastric medicine, first made here three centuries ago - it's a blend of over 20 ingredients extracted from medicinal herbs found in the mountains of Toyama. The recipe may have changed slightly over the years but the medicine is still used today. Traveling salesmen used to peddle this medicine all over the country. In an age when there was little medicine available, the cures these salesmen offered were very much appreciated. This was how Toyama's medicine spread to households nationwide. (Excerpt)

Furano, located just about in the center of Hokkaido Prefecture is becoming a popular destination for foreign skiers. The winter season in Furano presents various options to enjoy the great outdoors. The most exciting of all is an adventure trip on a dog sled. Our reporter Sotaro Nagasawa visits Hidetaka Matsubara in Minami Furano. Matsubara owns 29 sled dogs which are hybrids of Siberian husky and wolf. This edition introduces you to an adventure which can be experienced only in deep snow of Hokkaido during winter. (Excerpt)

The navigator for this episode of "journeys in japan" is opera director Dario Ponissi. His destination is Naoshima of Kagawa Prefecture, a small island in the Seto Inland Sea, with a population of some 3300. Naoshima has gathered global attention as a center of contemporary art. (Excerpt)

Kamakura lies on the coast to the south of Tokyo, surrounded on three sides by hills, and looking out to the sea. Eight centuries ago, a samurai warrior seized power and set up his capital here. Today on "journeys in japan", our reporters search out the samurai spirit that's been passed down since ancient times. (Excerpt)

This week, "journeys in japan" visits a city of science—Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture, at the foot of Mt. Tsukuba. In 1963, under a national policy, the city was opened up as a place for research on advanced technology. It's now home to 300 research institutes. Our reporter Judit Kawaguchi discovers the charms of the city and its state-of-the-art technology. (Excerpt)

In this episode of "journeys in japan", our reporter, Adeyto, visits Oshino Village in Yamanashi Prefecture, in the northern foothills of Mt. Fuji., Japan's highest mountain. Her guide is the well-known actor Hatsunori Hasegawa. He lives in Tokyo but he loves the natural environment around Oshino Village so much that he built a villa there seven years ago. He shows Adeyto some of the beautiful spots in the area, and introduces her to the local people. (Excerpt)

In this week's Journeys in Japan, we visit the Tottori Sand Dunes, the largest in Japan, in Tottori Prefecture. The Tottori Sand Dunes skirt the Sea of Japan in the southwestern part of Japan. The dunes were created naturally over 100,000 years by sediments carried from the mountains down the river and eventually blown up onto the shore. Our reporter, Vincent Giry, wonders into the land of majestic dunes and meets people who live together with sand. (Excerpt)

In this edition, JJ goes to a secluded part of northern Izu Peninsula, facing Suruga Bay. Suruga Bay, the deepest bay in Japan, extends 2,500 meters below sea level. It's famous for its rich variety of seafood. Heda, a small fisherman's town, is especially famous for its catch of deep-sea fish and the Japanese spider crabs-the largest crab in the world, which lives at the depth between 150 to 800 meters. (Excerpt)

In this week's journeys in japan, we visit the Toyokawa Inari in Aichi Prefecture, one of the largest Inari temples in Japan. Many of temples and shrines are protected by special guardian deities which is foxes. The animals are also believed to be messengers of the gods. Such temples and shrines are called Inari. (Excerpt)

On this edition of 'journeys in japan', we visit Himeji Castle, one of the few castles in Japan that have managed to survive in their original form, the way they were built about four centuries ago. Renowned for its beauty, this fortress is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and draws numerous tourists every year, both from Japan and around the world. However, in April work began on a major restoration program. This magnificent landmark will gradually be covered in scaffolding from the bottom upwards; by the autumn of 2010, the main keep will be completely hidden from view. The people of Himeji are concerned that this will mean that fewer tourists come to visit their city. So they have been coming up with ideas to ensure that Himeji remains a major draw for visitors. Our reporter, George Burdaniotis, visited the city to find out what is going on. (Excerpt)