Journeys in Japan

Mishima lies at the foot of Mount Fuji, in Shizuoka Prefecture. Its main shrine, Mishima Taisha, is said to have been founded in the 8th century to enshrine the deities of the mountain and the sea. 
Each year in August, the Mishima Grand Festival is held in the area around the shrine. The streets reverberate with excitement and the sound of shagiri, a percussive music that derives from festival music dating back over 450 years.
Canadian actor Kyle Card is a major fan of Japanese festivals. On this edition of Journeys in Japan he delves deep into the way communities in Mishima are brought together through the vibrant rhythms of shagiri.

Higashikawa, just 15 minutes from Asahikawa Airport, is known as a leading rice producer in Hokkaido. Its lifestyle, connected to the land and a spirit of "live as you like," has come to be called the "Higashikawa Style." At its core is abundant nature, photography culture, multicultural coexistence, and furniture-making. Tom Miyagawa Coulton, a photographer from the UK, turns his lens on the Higashikawa Style.

The Shimanto River flows for 196 kilometers through Kochi Prefecture in the south of Shikoku. It is known for its crystal-clear water, which nourishes the fish and other river creatures while nurturing the people who live along its banks.
Ken Blaxley has come to meet the local people, explore the area and try his hand at fishing in the untouched upper reaches of this river. He is shown a traditional approach for catching freshwater eels. He learns the tomozuri live-decoy fishing technique for ayu (sweetfish). And he takes on the challenge of fly-fishing for amago salmon, known as the "queen of the mountain streams."
On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Ken discovers the way in which the local people try to live in harmony with the natural environment along length of the Shimanto River.

Although Christianity was banned in Japan for over 250 years, some communities refused to abandon their faith. Worshipping in secret, these "hidden Christians" developed some unique practices. Shizuka Anderson visits areas in Nagasaki and Kumamoto prefectures where these traditions have been preserved and which are designated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.